[_ Old Earth _] The AD/HD explosion : Hunter v. Farmer hypothesis

[The Ascetic Crusader]

I remember reading an article about the guy who created Jetblue(singlehandedly revolutionizing the airline industry in the process) talking about his AD/HD (attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder). He said something like "that´s the way God made me...and that´s the way I´m gonna stay"

What does the Bible say about this disorder ? Is it a disorder ?

What do you think ?

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

The current diagnostic criteria for AD/HD (reworded slightly to be more appropriate for adults) according to the most recent Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) are:

Fail to give close attention to details or make careless mistakes at work
Fidget with hands or feet or squirm in seat
Have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or fun activities
Leave seat in situations where seating is expected
Don’t listen when spoken to directly
Feel restless
Don’t follow through on instructions and fail to finish work
Have difficulty engaging in leisure activities quietly
Have difficulty organizing tasks and activities
Feel “on the go†or “driven by a motorâ€Â
Avoid, dislike, or are reluctant to engage in work that requires sustained mental effort
Talk excessively
Lose things necessary for tasks and activities
Blurt out answers before questions have been completed
Easily distracted
Have difficulty awaiting turn (impatient)
Forgetful in daily duties
Interrupt or intrude on others


What do you think ?

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

Although other symptom checklists are sometimes used in assessing adults for AD/HD, the above DSM-IV criteria are currently considered the most empirically valid. These core symptoms of AD/HD frequently lead to associated problems and consequences that often co-exist with adult AD/HD. These may include:

Problems with self-control and regulating behavior
Poor working memory
Poor persistence of efforts toward tasks
Difficulties with regulation of emotions, motivation and arousal
Greater than normal variability in task or work performance
Chronic lateness and poor time perception
Easily bored
Low self-esteem
Anxiety
Depression
Mood swings
Employment difficulties
Relationship problems
Substance abuse
Risk-taking behaviors
Poor time management

What would a Christian perspective be on ADHD ?

 

[Khristeeanos]

Don't ask me for info on it, but I hear that vaccines cause adhd and many other problems.

I have done a bit of research on this and am pretty sure that I won't be injecting that stuff into either myself or my children.

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

I have done a bit of research on this and am pretty sure that I won't be injecting that stuff into either myself or my children.

What have you looked into exactly ?

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

Hunter v. Farmer theory

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

ooops double post

 

[The Ascetic Crusader]

Hunter v. Farmer theory(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunter_vs._farmer_theory)

Quite a fascinating take on ADHD by DR Thom Hartmann. In a nutshell, ADHD is supposed to be the manifested behavioral symptom of a repressed hunter gene. Which also explains why it seems so out of place in our post-agrarian society.

Check it out !

 

[Khristeeanos]

I have done a bit of research on this and am pretty sure that I won't be injecting that stuff into either myself or my children.

What have you looked into exactly ?

Many people claim that injecting vaccinations into our babies is doing way more harm than good.

They claim it causes SIDS and many other problems, including ADD. The research isn't there because doctors get a lot of $ $ $ from them and are unwilling to report things as long as they get cash on the barrelhead.

 

[UofMPharm]

I have done a bit of research on this and am pretty sure that I won't be injecting that stuff into either myself or my children.

What have you looked into exactly ?

Many people claim that injecting vaccinations into our babies is doing way more harm than good.

They claim it causes SIDS and many other problems, including ADD. The research isn't there because doctors get a lot of $ $ $ from them and are unwilling to report things as long as they get cash on the barrelhead.

That is possibly true. It is thought that a vaccine preservative containing mercury has caused a rise in the rate of autism.

This was based on the fact that there seemed to be a proportional increase in the rate of autism with the increase in the administration of of the vaccines containing the mercury preservative. The amish are an example of a group of people that do not have their children vaccinated, and one would be hard pressed to find an amish child that is autistic.

Then again, there are tons of variables that aren't held constant there. Who is to say that one couldn't totally attribute this relationship to other factors.

I'm sure these vaccines aren't free of cons, but I feel that the pros outweigh the cons. Many types of medication are helpful when given properly. Sometimes, it turns out that they have undesirable/harmful short term or long term effects. It's the way it is; It will always be that way.

But when I have kids that will interact with people in the real world, I will most definitely have them vaccinated. I feel that the benefits of having my children vaccinated would outweigh the costs of not having them vaccinated.

 

[reznwerks]

Amish

[

This was based on the fact that there seemed to be a proportional increase in the rate of autism with the increase in the administration of of the vaccines containing the mercury preservative. The amish are an example of a group of people that do not have their children vaccinated, and one would be hard pressed to find an amish child that is autistic.

.

The Amish are also a pretty much closed society so breeding stays within the group. It's hard to introduce autism if it's genetic from the outside. The Amish do suffer higher averages of mental illness. Because they shun vaccination they also suffer from polio and tetenus at far higher rates than average.

 

[ArtGuy]

Yeah, I think I'll take a small possible chance of contracting a mild and treatable disorder over a large definite chance of contracting a major and possibly fatal disease.

 

[saltiness]

I believe a big contributor to the whole ADD scare these days has to do with changes in lifestyle. People have much more free time these days with which to be bored/anxious. We're also being trained from a very young age to have absolutely no attention span. Television is probably one of the driving forces behind this.