I like how Gabor Maté is just a family practice physician who has not been involved with research nor specialized in psychiatry, but a soothing voice and a Ted Talk makes him an expert to many. His occasional interesting ideas should not be treated any differently than those of a random person on the street.
Exactly this! He might have some interesting views on Trauma, and himself have an interesting life story, but he definitely is wrong about ADHD! 😠 The problem is that he reaches so many people with his made up stuff about ADHD! I just wish more people would listen to Dr. Barkley! His information is founded on fact and research, not just “ opinions” . Thank you again Dr. Barkley for a great video! 👌✨🙏
Gabor Mate is a guru. Just like Jordan Peterson. Etc. They may have some great advice. And Jordan Peterson's early psych class lectures are a phenomenal resource. But in the end remember their motivation lies in the pocket book when you reach superstardom (within the realm of psychology or other big name gurus)...
The idea that “ADHD is not a disorder, just a difference! Society causes all of the impairment! Treatment is therefore abuse, only use accommodation!” is a really common misconception that I personally hate!!
Why would treatment be abusive when it can help people lead better lives? I personally find therapy really helpful when struggling with a nice tangled emotional mess. But also I do find my meds work really well because it helps me learn more and get around the dysfunctional brain problems by finding solutions in my environment.
You hear that kind of pristine bullshit in the autism circles alot too. Scorning and 'correcting' other people with anyone who dares to call it anything but something positive.
I just started watching, just wanted to leave a comment here. Comment being, I like this idea, but it has to be in the middle, or better 2/3 or 4/5 to the "impairment" side. I oftentimes think I am disabled, but also, when I have free time, when I can align my stuff to do when I want it* (errata: my brain allows me to and it's fun), I see what great amount of strain and disablement comes from having to align to some aspects of reality. *BUT, me doing stuff efficiently in my free time only occurs when I run, and when I take cold showers, and when I drink yerba mate, and when I use nicotine, or when I take meds. Which is interesting, because meds for 8hours work just allow me survivwe, while meds in my free time allow me to not stop finishing tasks that I do really quickly. Without meds the actions would change too many times and provide unmanageable chaos, or no new "lets now do thatsince we cannot do this" woudl happen. So, is it a disorder? Oh my god, so much yes. Are the symptomps and strain and battle with life way enlarged due to societal needs (at very least in mine and second person I know case) - oh my god, so much yes. Is it like that for everybody? No idea. I assume in the video it will be mentioned that two are true (societal norms worsen strain and [lol] yes, it's a disorder). But I only now realised that, so I will not remove the comment xD Have a nice day.
13th Misconception about ADHD is that if you consume enough knowledge about ADHD you will master living with it. Acceptance is the key, you will always be uniquely you, accept that and when you stop hating yourself your problems will be halved, minimum.
Excellent point!!! Adult diagnosed, learning about ADHD helped understand my years of masking and something about how and why they were failing (combined with dealing with C-PTSD and crumbling masking from childhood). Wife is learning too - to do list of one or two items not the 10+ she used to do, now when I get one done I'm a bit like a child "hey mom I did X".
I totally agree. I have been here. In fact, what I have experienced is that, the more you find out, the more difficult it becomes to trick your brain. Knowing about the problem doesn't solve it, even when you know how to solve it, especially in ADHD. It's like you are hungry, you know how to cook, you got all the ingredients, but your hands are tied by some invisible force and you cannot cook even if you want to. You will end up starving. Your perfectionist attitude doesn't allow you to eat ready meal cooked by someone else. You will eat only when you have managed to cook by yourself or you will just die out of starving. This is so so so so so difficult.
@@prakrutiprajapati5730that’s a great explanation. 👌I can feel it. But I do often end up just buying take away , even though my fridge is full of healthy fresh food to cook. 🙈
@@MindShiftChronicle the point is, we expected all doctors we get appointed to, to be at least consistent with what Dr. Barkley presents us. So when I got 1 in 4 doctors be somewhat helpful. A common experience is having a doctor spreading misunderstood ideas and misinformation.
@@Henrque123 mmmh in that case you are seriously either naive or misunderstand the medical system( talking from within). Probably less than 10 countries on earth do teach about adhd or even recognize its relevance in adults. In those countries; maybe 2 or 3 sort of recognizes the handicapping aspect of adhd. For the rest: laziness; clumsiness and lack of will....most classic doctors( by most I mean 99 % of people) are totally clueless about Adhd and most even don't consider it a real thing. What you hear on youtube is far from being the consensus in the elites of medecine and psychiatry. Probably what helped you is the 'psychoeducation' part of adhd which is actually part of treatement in addition to the medication( which most docs are able to do..) and behavioral training.
Thank you so much for refuting myth #2 I see soooo many therapists and counselors online and in other places spout mates incorrect opinion on the matter. Thank you so much for correcting this kind of rampant miss information! And doing it with references! It’s so important!
22:33 I always find the "ADHDers can't do degrees" thing hilarious personally. I did very very well in school and it was only 2 years into a PhD that I even realised i might have ADHD and got a diagnosis. It's always nice to have stats that disprove misconceptions, but personally I find being a counterexample in and of myself very empowering on top of that!
I asked to see a specialist in ADHD but the first psych my doctor referred me to was not one and even tho I told him how I faked achievement at school (minimum to get by, targeted to what the teacher was looking for - coping mechanisms, masking!) after getting in big trouble in grade 5 for not being able to do my homework. Like. I just couldn’t make myself do it. And that wasn’t a red flag to anyone, just laziness, apparently :| Anyway, that first psych told me I couldn’t have ADHD bc I did well in school. That is just not true and I already knew it wasn’t true. I have a high IQ and I had built a lot of ways of, what felt to me, like tricking people into thinking I did the work I just couldn’t make myself do. BUT. In the last couple years, since I’ve been diagnosed and treated, I *can* do the sort of work I never could before. Imagine what I could have achieved if anyone recognized the red flags back in Grade 5 in a smart girl who couldn’t self-motivate to do certain homework.
Happy New Year, Dr. Barkley. I recently got diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 34. The psychiatrist actually told me that I have severe problems on multiple areas in my life due to combined type of ADHD (..and I have a lot of symptoms). Its much thanks to you and your sharing of knowledge that I became fully comitted to take the tests in the first place, after watching many of your videos here on YT. Its like you could often descibe and relate to much of my behaviour, without even knowing me at all. I can also understand more of my own behaviour now. Hopefully I'll be starting on meds next month. Thank you, all the way from Norway!
".. a lifestyle the choose to entertain..".. although I've only been diagnosed in my late 40's in hindsight I've had it all my life. It wasn't a lifestylechoice then by any means. Also, the fact that some behaviours tend to "dissapear" when getting older is because of developing "coping mechanisms". Yet, the only lay a blanket which can easily be blown away.
Myth #7, yes!! I’ve had to tell people before that I’m not using ADHD as an excuse for a given behaviour or action, simply that it is the reason why. There is a difference! 😊 Great video, thank you!
O wow thank you. The talk about parents of ADHD children was really eye opening for me. I have ADHD and am now on meds and I'm thinking my son has it and maybe my daughter too
Gabor Mate is currently gaining popularity in many countries of Eastern Europe, Poland included. I had no idea he was behind spreading such a harmful stereotype as blaming and shaming parenting patterns which are socio-cultural factors for something that in it's core is heavily determinded by brain chemistry and highly hereditary genetic factors. This video should be translated in all EU languages and promoted among all educational and social care public institutions. Especially now when private sector often tries to teach public services about what latest science has to say about ADHD. It's really serious topic for educators and for people working with such families both in social care and in education of minors. This video is concise, short and presents various ideas clearly. I really think this channel should try to reach out to officials behind EU and WHO ADHD awareness information policy more. As for Gabor Mate and his idea, people in training of his methods should be made aware that in this regard what he promotes is a misconception that has already been falsified by solid scientific body of evidence. He claims to specialize in trauma, so maybe he shall be reminded how difficult topic ADHD is even to psychiatric clinicians with solid medical training and should be asked to tone down his opinions on this very narrow and very complex medical issue.
Professor Barkley has a whole video on Mate - and if you are bilingual you always have the option to start your own channel. Not sure what is involved for subtitles and such.
@@ADHDAdvocacyProject Yes , wouldn’t it be nice if Dr. Barkleys video on Gabor Mates lies could go viral instead of the lies Mate himself is spreading about ADHD?! 😢
Thank you for your work!! I really appreciate you giving us these high quality videos and I appreciate your wealth of knowledge about ADHD. I started using a visual schedule in the shower and it makes me dread showering less! And makes showers a lot easier.
Happy New Year, Dr. Barkley! I was wondering if you might cover decision-making with ADHD; this is a significant issue for me. I frequently look at every conceivable angle and end up not being able to commit to one decision, and I have never understood why my mind works like this. It's almost like I am trying to see into the future, and it can be very exhausting.
I think it must have to do with the executive function issues? I'm the same btw. Like i needed a new phone, i see a very good deal for the Samsung 24 ultra, i compared it to other companies or deals, best deal....still just staring at it, thinking about it for days...deal almost runs out, so i decide ok fk it, i'll order it! Still worried days after if i made the right decision, lmao. (And as frozen i can be here, as impulsive i can be other times)
Thank you Dr. Barkley! Your videos are always crisp and concise! you keep us all up to date. Myth #11 - positive example here, I have a double masters and did extremely well in education and career, all undiagnosed. So I am hoping after being diagnosed, I can continue to tap into my potential minus the burnout and anxiety.
I graduated from Medical school, I struggled a bit at it. Then started PhD in Physiology couldn’t finish because of the country situations. In my 39 years old age while studying for United States licensing exams, I got my ADHD diagnosis. Most of the things I have been through now makes sense. Hopefully I can manage to get through USMLE. Thanks Dr Barkley
What about: ”There are no studies longer than two years, showing that medication is useful in long term. Implying that after two years, the effects of medication are gone and you shouldn’t take it any longer”. I hear that sometimes where I live. 😢
I think there's a thought failure in the majority of people where they act like they believe that things like the DSM construct reality, rather than serve as our best current understanding of what reality is.
It feels like a sort of denial. A person can’t deal with the fact that their inability to take out the garbage or wash the dishes before they pile up is a problem. They don’t want to deal with judgement. They don’t want to deal with doing something about it. So they take refuge in “I just have a different sort of brain, so stop trying to oppress me with your adulting and household chores!” We have to be able to function in society. We have to be able to function at work. It’s our responsibility to accept what this disorder is and deal with it so we can survive and thrive despite it! That looks a bit different for everyone, it’s not one size fits all, but hiding from it isn’t ever going to help.
It is but with a broken wand haha🥲 so you never know when it works for you and when against you or when it does something completely else. Also the wand cannot be fixed for 100% and you can't buy a new one. You can fix it for a few percents with meds and movement and stuff. But never enough
I feel that my anxiety made it so that I would do assignments early as a kid because I realized how hard it was for me to retain information. It was a way to compensate getting left behind without any help. This was back on the 90s when were were given Ritalin as children.
Thank you Dr Barkley for always sharing your insights and knowledge filled content !! Wishing you and folks and all good health , success and happiness !! And happy new year everyone !! Much Love ✌️😎💕
Doctors who don’t specialize in ADHD and maybe don’t even believe in it will try to blame symptoms on anything else. Two doctors tried to give me antidepressants instead of letting me see an ADHD specialist like I wanted. Finally got one and he started treating me for the ADHD he easily determined I definitely had and surprise I’m not depressed anymore because I understand now why I’ve struggled and I’m struggling less with treatment. I knew in my soul that, while I was depressed, I didn’t HAVE depression and I turned those drugs down but if someone is less sure of themself and just follows the doctor’s advice, they could be on the wrong medication going nowhere for years. Or forever.
I have the same problem. I’ve been diagnosed with complex PTSD. Placed on medicine to address that and I still suffer from something else. Poor impulse control, extreme procrastination, my environment is in constant disarray, little to no focus, no ability to concentrate and other systems plague me still. I’m seeking answers currently.
@@jonetteshamburger8600 Honestly make sure you get someone who specializes in ADHD. Doctors that don't are poorly educated in it and don't know myth from fact.
Thank you sir. I always hope to fully understand your videos and lectures. So I’m trying to learn English. I appreciate your researches and commitments of this field.
Myth #!1 -- Why do people still believe it is not real? It's so infuriating. We don't deny diabetics or cardiac sufferers their medical condition despite not being obviously visible. For myself, not counting my other symptoms, I certainly did NOT choose to have a working memory relatable to 70-80 year olds (no offence Dr. Barkley!). I'm not sure if this is even worth commenting on, Dr. Barkley, but I read another infuriating article in December. It was about Wall Street bankers abusing ADHD meds to get through their day (I haven't put a link, not sure if TH-cam will let me, but just google Wall Street bankers ADHD meds and you'll find them). It just raises the stigma on ADHD meds, and for my part, flopping in the darkness for so long with untreated ADHD have left me with near zero self-confidence. Stimulant meds have helped me SO much in the last 3 months, and this article just hurts even more.
In 1962 my mom found out she was pregnant with me and her marriage was uncertain, she was in England at the time and took pills to induce an abortion. Well I'm here and I have ADHD and I'm on the autism spectrum. I guess I should be thankful I wasn't born with 2 heads and 3 arms huh? At least I survived, go me!
Is there any way a 2 year old child could get an ADHD diagnosis? I want to make sure I have the right information and I know you are the right person to get this from. Thank you for all of your knowledge I appreciate you so much!
Gabor Mate is a quack and grifter with no expertise in this field, and the people monetizing this disorder to the detriment of patients needs to sit this one out. All he's doing is causing harm.
Have you ever done or would you consider doing a video on the intersection of trauma and ADHD? While I know a lot of what Mate says is BS, a lot of it resonates because he does have some good advice on addressing trauma (and bad advice, too, of course, but the good advice is really good).
Gabor Mate is a mixed bag, who I recommend reading, then add in reading opposite views, to then select the parts that are effective and discard the nonsense.
Great content as usual Dr. Barkley. I've come to find your talks quite informative and they have helped me understand my divergences. I do have a question if you will. I am Aphantastic. I recall in one of your earlier talks on ADHD and the brain, you spoke of mental imagery and how that plays a vital role in conceiving things in ones mind. Have you done any talks on Aphantasia, and more importantly, it's impact on executive function? I am trying to understand the Aphantasia portion and how it fits into my life. How it affects, planning, conceiving, looking forward to things, setting goals etc. Does that mental imagery have more to do with the ADHD side of my brain, or the Autistic side of me? Is there any path to train the brain to be able to experience those images?
I know you’ve researched the behavioral aspects/consequences of ADHD and I was wondering if you ever got the chance to look at brain scans? I know that MRIs can’t be used to diagnose the disorder, but I feel like the images could be a useful tool in debunking some of the fallacies that fuel misinformation about the disorder. From my experience, people who say “everybody’s got a little ADHD” or “ADHD is just an excuse” are often the same people who say “I’ll believe it when I see it.” So, I wonder if comparing the differences between average brain activity vs ADHD brain activity (while noting that there’s variability) could help it click for some of them. Providing context on how the differences in brain activity translate to an individual’s capacity to regulate themselves could make the disorder more “real.” It’d also be cool to show the difference between an ADHD brain on and off medication in an MRI, illustrating how it assists in bringing the ADHD brain’s activity closer to the “average” brain. I think that would be incredibly helpful for parents worried about the effectiveness of the medication. I’m not a researcher so I’m not sure if that’s feasible, but just a thought! Or, alternatively, you may have already discussed this type of thing in another video and I just missed it 😅
Dr Barkley, I have a question about the ADHD adults not pursuing higher education after high school. You mainly mention US-based studies when reaching this conclusion. I have ADHD and I'm doing my PhD, being a teaching assistant in the university I can see a lot of students with ADHD, who are not even aware of it. I live in Turkey, and higher education is free here. Kids need to take an exam after high school to not get into universities, but departments of universities. A lot of students end up picking a department they don't like just because the university is better. High school kids with ADHD in the US may drop out because it just isn't worth it to give a lot of money for a thing that may or may not happen - in this case, getting a Bachelor's degree. For my case, I always struggled with ADHD but I didn't know it, and when I got into the program for my Bachelor's degree I didn't even know if I was gonna finish it or not. It was simply a thing that I did because I can, and everybody would have done it. Because it was free. And I got into a good university, not necesarrily a program that I like. Now I am doing my PhD in the same topic... And I'm struggling with burnout due to ADHD. So what I'm saying is, there are individuals with ADHD who probably would pursue higher education not just because they weren't medicated, because they didn't have the circumstances. The data you are showing is based on circumstances - in this case the circumstances of US education system. I agree on medications being extremely helpful, but, ADHD doesn't limit the people as much as you think, circumstances do. I was able to complete a Masters program without burnout and with success. I have research papers on topics I like. But, I don't like my PhD topic, never did. And THAT makes me struggle. ADHD meds don't help me because they don't solve this problem. My attention is always elsewhere even on meds.
I did not say they could not go to professional schooling or graduate training. They can. I did say they are less likely to do so, which is true on average when examining the data on educational outcomes of the disorder. But those are grouped data reflecting a wide variety of educational experiences. Be well.
Oh god. You mentioned “Jerome Wakefield” and I instantly thought of an Hbomberguy video that goes to great lengths to debunk / explain the debunking of the “MMR causes vaccines” paper from Andrew *Jeremy* Wakefield and got immediately concerned until confirming they are two different people 💀
A small selection of questionable ideas I've seen people express since the diagnosis: People with ADHD are incompetent/incapable/unintelligent: Problematic because you get blamed even more for the things you're bad at when people know you can excel at other things, especially if those things are much more difficult than the things you fail to accomplish. Medication is a temporary crutch and you should only take it when needed (usually means "during work hours"). Problematic because the many adverse affects of untreated ADHD can still wreak havoc on your life even if your job doesn't suffer as much, yet basic functioning is seen as a luxury. Now that you're medicated, all the problems are gone and you should be functioning like a normal person. Clearly nonsense since the medication works only for a limited time, fluctuates in its effectiveness, may have side effects, and of course doesn't erase a lifetime of negative experiences. Telling someone with ADHD that their behavior is problematic will make them change it. This assumes a lack of knowledge to be the root cause, when in reality they most probably already know (because they've heard many times). If there's no change, it must be because they didn't get the message. Medication removes a (valuable) part of your personality and should therefore be avoided. Maybe some people experience side effects, but in my experience it merely turns you into a slightly less broken version of yourself - meaning you get to choose whether and how to express your personality. ADHD medication is chemically identical to illegal drugs (especially amphetamine/"speed"), so people receiving treatment are drug addicts and should be seen as such. This is patently false and also ignores considerations like dosage, method of absorption, and that there are different meds. If medication improves your executive functioning, that means you must have ADHD. Equivalently, if it doesn't seem to work then you can't have ADHD. At best simplistic, since it fails to account for the variability in symptons and effects such as environmental influence and genetic factors. We don't really know what causes ADHD, doctors prescribe meds because of big pharma psy-ops, and all the research on it might as well be wrong. Clearly it'd be foolish to assume there isn't more to learn, but in light of the progress made in recent decades it does seem like a conspiracy theory. It's fashionable to have ADHD and it can't really be all that bad - just look at all the funny social media posts. Ignoring the fact that most of the information posted on social media is completely wrong, there's nothing "fun" about having a critical part of your brain not function properly. It's on the person with ADHD to do all the work needed to function to other people's standards, they can do it completely on their own, and them trying to offload any of it onto people making the demands is unreasonable. It's not since the way society is organized wasn't negotiated, but rather dictated.
Have any studies been done to determine if there is a genetic underpinning to which patients grow out of adhd? (Mechanistic difference underlying severity or signaling pathway affected by adolescence hormonal changes?) Thanks!
yes. there are several and they do show that recovery might be partially genetically mediated. it’s also related to initial disorder severity and extent of comorbid disorders. be well!
I would also venture to guess that part of the reasons that the data still shows 3 boys for every 1 girl with ADHD could be due to bias from the clinician.
Perhaps. But I failed to note that by adulthood the sex difference is just 1.5 males or less to every female. We think it’s because there is a second wave of onsets in females at puberty. Be well.
On every interview I’ve seen with Gabor Maté I have left a comment asking the interviewer why they don’t discuss the fact that Gabor is stating opinion that goes against the science, I always point out Dr Barkleys comments regarding this. None of the people interviewing ever take these points on board, I have suggested they interview Dr Barkley, I’m curious to know if Joe Rogan or any of the other podcasters interviewing Gabor Maté have ever got in touch with you To get the other side of the story Russ? Would you be open to debating Gabor or appearing along side him somewhere to debunk his ideas?
@ thanks for the reply. I honestly think you would be a fascinating guest on his show, it’s a real pity. Sometimes these shows seem to like the tale people are able to weave rather than the simple truth. You have helped me considerably and I will continue to voice these concerns on your behalf!
My father, who probably had ADHD , threw me at the wall when I was a baby.. Then my mother and stepfathers hit me and punished me for the ADHD. H Head trauma can result in ADHD symptoms due to damage in that area of the brain. I was the only non Asian child at my primary school. The resources went to kids who needed to learn English. I was punished daily and an outcast.
I think ADHD is the least of your dad's issues if he threw his own infant at a wall! I'm sorry you had such an unloved and abusive upbringing, how do you deal with that as an adult?
Deffo no difference in IQ compared to neurotypicals. Anyone who says that is just trying to cope, but we might "be" more creative, because we always need to find creative solutions to get through life, lmao.
It is moreso that we are not limited by a linear path of thinking. We tend to look for a more efficient way to complete a task that works for us. It is often to compensate for having to contend with the impairments of ADD. The world is not designed for the way our brains function. Therefore we learn to adapt in our own way.
@Chill-mm4pn that's called coping. Parent of ADHD child here. The suffering is real. Creativity is about intelligence. If you are a smart ADHD you can maneuver easily that way. If you are less smart you'll bump into any other obstacle of life.
Sir in one of your videos you mentioned that there is a paper that "sums up" all previously created papers on ADHD. Could you please provide a link or a title of this paper?
I'm having a hard time understanding why girls with ADHD should fly under the radar. Because any ADHD symptom wouldn't be conform to expected "girl behaviour". Like interrupting in class, lashing out on minor issues, being 'agressive' or impatient, doing homework and assignments fussily, not being able to compromise, being bossy to gain control of overwhelm, not being orderly.... ?
Dr. Barkley speaks about that in other videos too. I’m afraid I can’t remember the title of the video just now. It’s the one where he compares his views on ADHD with his fellow colleagues. They have different views on some topics ( like superpower) but agree on all the research stuff etc. It’s a series with 3 videos. But here I am rambling🤓🙈. You ( and me too) probably want Dr. Barkley to make another video on the subject, right? 😅
Thanks! My child with ADHD is clearly impaired by his disorder and there's no superpower about it. Calling anything about ADHD is just toxic positivity
It depends on individual cases. Some of us who have comorbid depression or anxiety may be taking both. In my experience, stimulants alone removed most of my chronic low-grade depressive symptoms (dysthymia) immediately after I started taking them. But after a few years when antenatal depression kicked in, I was placed on the lowest dose of stimulant + SSRI.
I don't know what it's called other places, but here, the guys that decide what name to put on stuff, call it hyperkinetic disorder. In medical records and referals the psychologists and psychiatrists use this word 100% of the time instead of actually saying ADHD. In turn it is used to downplay the symptoms that hasn't to do with hyperactivity directly. Maybe someone can shed some light on why not everyone is using the actual name...
I wish you taught adult ADHD in some areas of Latin America where stimulants are not prohibited but not prescribed and then the commerce doesn´t sell them. The majority of physicians don´t see the topic and psychiatrists (98%%) think adolescence disappears and it´s an attitude problem.
The most common misconception I see is thinking ADHD means they can never sustain attention. I've heard many times something like "they can't have ADHD because they focus on a video game for hours!" Then I have to explain hyper focus and the misnomer to them. 🙄
Off topic but I'm gonna search this channel to see if there is any commentary with citations about ADHD coaching as a treatment modality... I do not think I have the executive function or skills to search in a database and understand an article to judge its effectiveness. Honestly even if it is better than nothing it probably costs too much if not covered by insurance.... might have to rely on an LLM like ChatGPT to be my coach. Or maybe that's worse than nothing/psychotherapy.
I also wanted to ask Dr Barkley if there has been much research on the kind of birth that people with ADHD have? I believe that there is possible brain trauma caused during difficult births, use of forceps, even the mothers physiology could have an affect. There is definitely genetics in my family leading to ADHD but there have also been a lot of difficult births. My mother has much less wide hips than average and I realise I tend to be attracted to women who similarly have less wide hips than average. My wife has this and her mother, both have had difficult births due to a tilted cervix. I honestly believe that often during a birth the focus on getting the baby out quickly could sometimes be at a cost. Similarly I think it’s possible that some of the ADHD is due to head trauma as a baby that parents aren’t aware of or don’t report due to worry about getting into trouble.
Erica Komisar on Lila Rose YT channel citing Day Care stress in young children “causing” over diagnosis of ADHD … she goes on to say ADHD is NOT genetic. Completely ignoring latest research. Another “psych” spouting rubbish, blaming “unavailable mothers”
I have to disagree with you on some aspects of adhd being an ‘excuse’ for bad behavior. This is a very ablest take. Your example is in no way acceptable of course but also it’s in No way an example of an adhd behavior. However, examples of adhd behaviors like being late a little more frequently than peers to work, talking too fast when you get excited about something, spending hours on projects and forgetting to eat, continuously figgiting and walking around, forgetting to put things in the mail on time etc. These and many more are very common adhd problems that even with the smartest people, the best coping strategies and best efforts and intentions can’t fix. Because treatment of ADHD doesn’t actually cure it. And just like someone whose legs don’t work who will always need societal accommodations like ramps and elevators etc the same is 100% true for people with adhd. Just because neurotypical people believe that if you just try hard enough you wont have these problems anymore, simply doesn’t make it true. And it also doesn’t mean that the person w adhd hasn’t taken responsibility for their life either. I’m in no way suggesting absolving personal responsibility. I’m just stating that you can’t will adhd to go away either or with any treatment or method yet found. Which by definition of what qualifies as a medical condition, that comes with the understanding symptoms will exist. Which does in fact provide justification for societal and personal accommodations.
ADHD doesn't really create a problem with consequences, but rather the delay to the consequence. By holding the person with ADHD more accountable with more frequent, immediate rewards and consequences, they can better show what they know. So ADHD is not an excuse for consequences. While you are right that some behaviour from the disorder should be accommodated, that would mean it's not "bad" behaviour and as such does not conflict with the "bad behaviour" Dr Barkley was referring to in my opinion.
@ Holding a person with adhd more accountable than average just increases the burden of controlling symptoms and increases anxiety, depression and burnout etc. It is in no way a good solution beyond middle school when they are still learning (like all kids) how consequences work. Because consequences are never the issue with adhd problematic symptoms. (If they were it wouldn’t be an adhd symptom). For impulsivity it’s a lack of a metaphorical breaking system in the brain that’s adequate, for being late it’s an issue of time blindness, etc. Just as Dr Barkly discussed it’s a neurological condition, meaning it is not a function of behavior or choice just like depression isn’t a choice. So increasing consequences generally only does more harm especially long term. (Immediate and more frequent constructive feedback I would consider to be very different from this and can certainly be beneficial so disregard my comment if this is what you meant rather than punishment/reward.) A person w adhd is responsible for knowing for instance that they have a problem being late to school/work and doing what they can (like setting extra timers etc) but doing all of those things doesn’t always result in being on time as a neurotypical. To most that appears as a bad behavior but in fact it’s just a symptom of adhd. The problem is that almost all adhd behaviors get interpreted as ‘bad’ by neurotypical people. Even for the example mentioned by Dr Barkely about a kid bringing a gn to schl as bad behavior. Generally that bad behavior has nothing to do w adhd and even if someone has adhd it shouldn’t matter what happens with the consequences. However, if they brought it because they’d been out w their dad hunting over the weekend and forgot it was in their hockey bag and just brought it w them having forgotten about it. That it would be an issue of adhd working memory and then yes it would be a function of their adhd and should be given a break on jail time and instead be given a lecture and have it taken away because they aren’t acting responsible enough with that privilege, and the person who let the kid have it should be charged. (If it was an adult they should get the normal sentence with a removal of any intent to commit the crime, and they should also get mandated adhd support by way or counseling etc.) So yes consequences will still exist and everyone w adhd is still responsible for their lives and actions. But just not entirely the same way someone without adhd is. Someone w turrets may shout fire in movie theater unintentionally, they shouldn’t be treated the same as someone who does it intentionally to cause a panic even if the panic would be the same for either.
@@GreenSharpieScience I don't think he was being ableist. To me it sounds like you're on a similar page as him - not advocating for harsher punishment but also not allowing people to just have all consequences removed. The issue of people trying to excuse extreme dangerous behaviors by saying it's just ADHD is unfortunately not an exaggeration. For example refer to Deja Taylor, the mother of a 6 year old with ADHD who pew-pewd their teacher in Richneck. She claims in interviews that her child did it because of ADHD. It was not a case of forgetfulness, the kid definitely took the pewpew on purpose because he was mad at the teacher for suspending him. He bragged to the teacher aid about doing it after the incident. This is a real thing that parents do. I hear people all the time excusing things like their kids biting, hitting and chronic bullying behavior by just saying it's ADHD and the kid can't help it. I also am sick of hearing abusive people claim that their explosive rage is because of ADHD and they can't help it - but have not ever been to therapy and will not read self help books about communicating more effectively.
@@alrighttumbleweed4782 thanks for your reply, I guess I don’t really encounter people like that and reports of people like that I consider rare, but maybe they aren’t? It seems crazy to me that people would do that. In his other video though when he talked about how people with adhd shouldn’t make excuses for their terrible lives it was definitely going into the ablest realm which is why I made the comment here but perhaps in this instance he was not being ablest but addressing the instances of crazy blaming everything on adhd which is apparently a common thing? Ugg that makes me sad that there is so much miss understanding about adhd that more than just an occasional person would do that. Thanks for the clarification.
Dr Barkley condones accommodations and presenting ADHD as an explanation for things like you’ve listed. But as someone with ADHD, we still have to live in society and he’s right. You can request accommodations on timeliness while you work on scaffolding - phone alerts, timers etc - to help you be more timely but you can’t just keep doing the same things and shrug and be like ADHD. It’s an explanation for the times when we falter but not an excuse not to try. That’s the difference.
fun fact: homeopathy related individuals tend to neglect the existence of adhd and alike, unless of course they are currently offering a new kind of snake oil remedy for adhd. Then it exists. I guess it depends at the end of the day. Laughable at best. Ah, Life.
I think it's supposed to be Fish Oil high in omega-3s that is supposed to help reduce ADHD symptoms. Edit: Understanding that Snake Oil is a reference to an old nonsense scam and all.
I graduated from Medical school, I struggled a bit at it. Then started PhD in Physiology couldn’t finish because of the country situations. In my 39 years old age while studying for United States licensing exams, I got my ADHD diagnosis. Most of the things I have been through now makes sense. Hopefully I can manage to get through USMLE. Thanks Dr Barkley
I like how Gabor Maté is just a family practice physician who has not been involved with research nor specialized in psychiatry, but a soothing voice and a Ted Talk makes him an expert to many. His occasional interesting ideas should not be treated any differently than those of a random person on the street.
Exactly this! He might have some interesting views on Trauma, and himself have an interesting life story, but he definitely is wrong about ADHD! 😠 The problem is that he reaches so many people with his made up stuff about ADHD! I just wish more people would listen to Dr. Barkley! His information is founded on fact and research, not just “ opinions” . Thank you again Dr. Barkley for a great video! 👌✨🙏
I much prefer his ideas about politics and sociology than psychology!
Agreed. I hope that if Doc Barkley is invited to interview on Andrew Huberman, that he will accept.
Gabor Mate is a guru. Just like Jordan Peterson. Etc. They may have some great advice. And Jordan Peterson's early psych class lectures are a phenomenal resource. But in the end remember their motivation lies in the pocket book when you reach superstardom (within the realm of psychology or other big name gurus)...
Gabor Mate IS A FRAUD.
The idea that “ADHD is not a disorder, just a difference! Society causes all of the impairment! Treatment is therefore abuse, only use accommodation!” is a really common misconception that I personally hate!!
me too!
Why would treatment be abusive when it can help people lead better lives? I personally find therapy really helpful when struggling with a nice tangled emotional mess. But also I do find my meds work really well because it helps me learn more and get around the dysfunctional brain problems by finding solutions in my environment.
You hear that kind of pristine bullshit in the autism circles alot too. Scorning and 'correcting' other people with anyone who dares to call it anything but something positive.
I just started watching, just wanted to leave a comment here.
Comment being, I like this idea, but it has to be in the middle, or better 2/3 or 4/5 to the "impairment" side.
I oftentimes think I am disabled, but also, when I have free time, when I can align my stuff to do when I want it* (errata: my brain allows me to and it's fun), I see what great amount of strain and disablement comes from having to align to some aspects of reality.
*BUT, me doing stuff efficiently in my free time only occurs when I run, and when I take cold showers, and when I drink yerba mate, and when I use nicotine, or when I take meds.
Which is interesting, because meds for 8hours work just allow me survivwe, while meds in my free time allow me to not stop finishing tasks that I do really quickly. Without meds the actions would change too many times and provide unmanageable chaos, or no new "lets now do thatsince we cannot do this" woudl happen.
So, is it a disorder? Oh my god, so much yes.
Are the symptomps and strain and battle with life way enlarged due to societal needs (at very least in mine and second person I know case) - oh my god, so much yes.
Is it like that for everybody? No idea.
I assume in the video it will be mentioned that two are true (societal norms worsen strain and [lol] yes, it's a disorder). But I only now realised that, so I will not remove the comment xD
Have a nice day.
@@tally551 the comment was sarcastic 🤌😅 the OP agrees with you
13th Misconception about ADHD is that if you consume enough knowledge about ADHD you will master living with it.
Acceptance is the key, you will always be uniquely you, accept that and when you stop hating yourself your problems will be halved, minimum.
good idea!
Excellent point!!! Adult diagnosed, learning about ADHD helped understand my years of masking and something about how and why they were failing (combined with dealing with C-PTSD and crumbling masking from childhood). Wife is learning too - to do list of one or two items not the 10+ she used to do, now when I get one done I'm a bit like a child "hey mom I did X".
100% this. Takes a long time. Start early.
I totally agree. I have been here. In fact, what I have experienced is that, the more you find out, the more difficult it becomes to trick your brain. Knowing about the problem doesn't solve it, even when you know how to solve it, especially in ADHD. It's like you are hungry, you know how to cook, you got all the ingredients, but your hands are tied by some invisible force and you cannot cook even if you want to. You will end up starving. Your perfectionist attitude doesn't allow you to eat ready meal cooked by someone else. You will eat only when you have managed to cook by yourself or you will just die out of starving. This is so so so so so difficult.
@@prakrutiprajapati5730that’s a great explanation. 👌I can feel it. But I do often end up just buying take away , even though my fridge is full of healthy fresh food to cook. 🙈
This Dr. has helped me understand things better than the last 4 psychiatrists I've been too.
I feel the same
@@Henrque123 Me too
He's a world top 1 specialist of adhd; what did you expect?
@@MindShiftChronicle the point is, we expected all doctors we get appointed to, to be at least consistent with what Dr. Barkley presents us. So when I got 1 in 4 doctors be somewhat helpful.
A common experience is having a doctor spreading misunderstood ideas and misinformation.
@@Henrque123 mmmh in that case you are seriously either naive or misunderstand the medical system( talking from within). Probably less than 10 countries on earth do teach about adhd or even recognize its relevance in adults. In those countries; maybe 2 or 3 sort of recognizes the handicapping aspect of adhd. For the rest: laziness; clumsiness and lack of will....most classic doctors( by most I mean 99 % of people) are totally clueless about Adhd and most even don't consider it a real thing. What you hear on youtube is far from being the consensus in the elites of medecine and psychiatry. Probably what helped you is the 'psychoeducation' part of adhd which is actually part of treatement in addition to the medication( which most docs are able to do..) and behavioral training.
Thank you so much for refuting myth #2 I see soooo many therapists and counselors online and in other places spout mates incorrect opinion on the matter. Thank you so much for correcting this kind of rampant miss information! And doing it with references! It’s so important!
You are so welcome!
@@russellbarkleyphd2023dear Sir. Hi from Denmark. At one time your videos saved my life.
@@aethanix1819 I am so glad to hear of that and that you find value in this information. Thank you!
22:33 I always find the "ADHDers can't do degrees" thing hilarious personally. I did very very well in school and it was only 2 years into a PhD that I even realised i might have ADHD and got a diagnosis. It's always nice to have stats that disprove misconceptions, but personally I find being a counterexample in and of myself very empowering on top of that!
I asked to see a specialist in ADHD but the first psych my doctor referred me to was not one and even tho I told him how I faked achievement at school (minimum to get by, targeted to what the teacher was looking for - coping mechanisms, masking!) after getting in big trouble in grade 5 for not being able to do my homework. Like. I just couldn’t make myself do it. And that wasn’t a red flag to anyone, just laziness, apparently :| Anyway, that first psych told me I couldn’t have ADHD bc I did well in school. That is just not true and I already knew it wasn’t true. I have a high IQ and I had built a lot of ways of, what felt to me, like tricking people into thinking I did the work I just couldn’t make myself do. BUT. In the last couple years, since I’ve been diagnosed and treated, I *can* do the sort of work I never could before. Imagine what I could have achieved if anyone recognized the red flags back in Grade 5 in a smart girl who couldn’t self-motivate to do certain homework.
Happy New Year, Dr. Barkley. I recently got diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 34. The psychiatrist actually told me that I have severe problems on multiple areas in my life due to combined type of ADHD (..and I have a lot of symptoms). Its much thanks to you and your sharing of knowledge that I became fully comitted to take the tests in the first place, after watching many of your videos here on YT. Its like you could often descibe and relate to much of my behaviour, without even knowing me at all. I can also understand more of my own behaviour now. Hopefully I'll be starting on meds next month. Thank you, all the way from Norway!
".. a lifestyle the choose to entertain..".. although I've only been diagnosed in my late 40's in hindsight I've had it all my life. It wasn't a lifestylechoice then by any means.
Also, the fact that some behaviours tend to "dissapear" when getting older is because of developing "coping mechanisms". Yet, the only lay a blanket which can easily be blown away.
Myth #7, yes!! I’ve had to tell people before that I’m not using ADHD as an excuse for a given behaviour or action, simply that it is the reason why. There is a difference! 😊 Great video, thank you!
O wow thank you. The talk about parents of ADHD children was really eye opening for me. I have ADHD and am now on meds and I'm thinking my son has it and maybe my daughter too
Gabor Mate is currently gaining popularity in many countries of Eastern Europe, Poland included. I had no idea he was behind spreading such a harmful stereotype as blaming and shaming parenting patterns which are socio-cultural factors for something that in it's core is heavily determinded by brain chemistry and highly hereditary genetic factors. This video should be translated in all EU languages and promoted among all educational and social care public institutions. Especially now when private sector often tries to teach public services about what latest science has to say about ADHD. It's really serious topic for educators and for people working with such families both in social care and in education of minors. This video is concise, short and presents various ideas clearly. I really think this channel should try to reach out to officials behind EU and WHO ADHD awareness information policy more. As for Gabor Mate and his idea, people in training of his methods should be made aware that in this regard what he promotes is a misconception that has already been falsified by solid scientific body of evidence. He claims to specialize in trauma, so maybe he shall be reminded how difficult topic ADHD is even to psychiatric clinicians with solid medical training and should be asked to tone down his opinions on this very narrow and very complex medical issue.
His shit misinformation has been damaging for neurodivergent people worldwide we’ve been battling beliefs like his for over seventy plus years
Professor Barkley has a whole video on Mate - and if you are bilingual you always have the option to start your own channel. Not sure what is involved for subtitles and such.
@@ADHDAdvocacyProject Yes , wouldn’t it be nice if Dr. Barkleys video on Gabor Mates lies could go viral instead of the lies Mate himself is spreading about ADHD?! 😢
You are completely misinformed.He never ever blamed parents!Watch his interview about ADHD.
Thank you for your work!! I really appreciate you giving us these high quality videos and I appreciate your wealth of knowledge about ADHD. I started using a visual schedule in the shower and it makes me dread showering less! And makes showers a lot easier.
Happy New Year, Dr. Barkley! I was wondering if you might cover decision-making with ADHD; this is a significant issue for me. I frequently look at every conceivable angle and end up not being able to commit to one decision, and I have never understood why my mind works like this. It's almost like I am trying to see into the future, and it can be very exhausting.
I think it must have to do with the executive function issues? I'm the same btw. Like i needed a new phone, i see a very good deal for the Samsung 24 ultra, i compared it to other companies or deals, best deal....still just staring at it, thinking about it for days...deal almost runs out, so i decide ok fk it, i'll order it! Still worried days after if i made the right decision, lmao. (And as frozen i can be here, as impulsive i can be other times)
Thank you Dr. Barkley! Your videos are always crisp and concise! you keep us all up to date. Myth #11 - positive example here, I have a double masters and did extremely well in education and career, all undiagnosed. So I am hoping after being diagnosed, I can continue to tap into my potential minus the burnout and anxiety.
Happy New Year from Germany!
I graduated from Medical school, I struggled a bit at it. Then started PhD in Physiology couldn’t finish because of the country situations. In my 39 years old age while studying for United States licensing exams, I got my ADHD diagnosis. Most of the things I have been through now makes sense. Hopefully I can manage to get through USMLE. Thanks Dr Barkley
If you graduated from med school while untreated, I would question that diagnosis... Unless medical school is much easier than licensing exams
What about: ”There are no studies longer than two years, showing that medication is useful in long term. Implying that after two years, the effects of medication are gone and you shouldn’t take it any longer”. I hear that sometimes where I live. 😢
Happy New Year from Poland, Dr Barkley! :)
Same to you!
I think there's a thought failure in the majority of people where they act like they believe that things like the DSM construct reality, rather than serve as our best current understanding of what reality is.
Thanks for continuing your hard work
Happy new year Dr. Barkley!!! 🤗🥳🥳😁
My most irritating and most painful to hear: "ADHD is a superpower! You just need to learn to harness it!" Oh, brother...
It hurts so bad when I here that coment
It feels like a sort of denial. A person can’t deal with the fact that their inability to take out the garbage or wash the dishes before they pile up is a problem. They don’t want to deal with judgement. They don’t want to deal with doing something about it. So they take refuge in “I just have a different sort of brain, so stop trying to oppress me with your adulting and household chores!” We have to be able to function in society. We have to be able to function at work. It’s our responsibility to accept what this disorder is and deal with it so we can survive and thrive despite it! That looks a bit different for everyone, it’s not one size fits all, but hiding from it isn’t ever going to help.
It is but with a broken wand haha🥲 so you never know when it works for you and when against you or when it does something completely else. Also the wand cannot be fixed for 100% and you can't buy a new one. You can fix it for a few percents with meds and movement and stuff. But never enough
That might be true for Robin Williams
I feel that my anxiety made it so that I would do assignments early as a kid because I realized how hard it was for me to retain information. It was a way to compensate getting left behind without any help. This was back on the 90s when were were given Ritalin as children.
Happy New Year Dr. Barkley!!!
Thank you Dr Barkley for always sharing your insights and knowledge filled content !! Wishing you and folks and all good health , success and happiness !! And happy new year everyone !! Much Love ✌️😎💕
Thanks always and forever for all you do!
Dr Barkley, is it possible for ADHD to be mistaken for severe PTSD or complex PTSD? How can we differentiate between the two conditions?
With a bad enough Doctor, everything is possible. But you could have both like i do. Is that what happened to you?
there's some overlapping symptoms, but a good psychiatrist investigates both if you show symptoms of both if needed
Doctors who don’t specialize in ADHD and maybe don’t even believe in it will try to blame symptoms on anything else. Two doctors tried to give me antidepressants instead of letting me see an ADHD specialist like I wanted. Finally got one and he started treating me for the ADHD he easily determined I definitely had and surprise I’m not depressed anymore because I understand now why I’ve struggled and I’m struggling less with treatment. I knew in my soul that, while I was depressed, I didn’t HAVE depression and I turned those drugs down but if someone is less sure of themself and just follows the doctor’s advice, they could be on the wrong medication going nowhere for years. Or forever.
I have the same problem. I’ve been diagnosed with complex PTSD. Placed on medicine to address that and I still suffer from something else. Poor impulse control, extreme procrastination, my environment is in constant disarray, little to no focus, no ability to concentrate and other systems plague me still. I’m seeking answers currently.
@@jonetteshamburger8600 Honestly make sure you get someone who specializes in ADHD. Doctors that don't are poorly educated in it and don't know myth from fact.
Happy New Year! Best wishes for everyone. 🎉
Same to you! Thanks!
Thank you sir. I always hope to fully understand your videos and lectures. So I’m trying to learn English. I appreciate your researches and commitments of this field.
The way I blow a fuse when someone says to me that ADHD isn’t real. They definitely will get to experience info dumping… good luck shutting me up. 🤣
Happy new Year Professor Barkley you're a treasure. ❤
Tyvm. Happy New Year. ❤
Excellent, as always
Myth #!1 -- Why do people still believe it is not real? It's so infuriating. We don't deny diabetics or cardiac sufferers their medical condition despite not being obviously visible. For myself, not counting my other symptoms, I certainly did NOT choose to have a working memory relatable to 70-80 year olds (no offence Dr. Barkley!).
I'm not sure if this is even worth commenting on, Dr. Barkley, but I read another infuriating article in December. It was about Wall Street bankers abusing ADHD meds to get through their day (I haven't put a link, not sure if TH-cam will let me, but just google Wall Street bankers ADHD meds and you'll find them).
It just raises the stigma on ADHD meds, and for my part, flopping in the darkness for so long with untreated ADHD have left me with near zero self-confidence. Stimulant meds have helped me SO much in the last 3 months, and this article just hurts even more.
My brother said that "Ofc you're feeling better, you're using stimulants, everyone feels good then" 🙄
Because like other psychiatric disorders, there is no ‘scientific’ test for it
In 1962 my mom found out she was pregnant with me and her marriage was uncertain, she was in England at the time and took pills to induce an abortion. Well I'm here and I have ADHD and I'm on the autism spectrum. I guess I should be thankful I wasn't born with 2 heads and 3 arms huh? At least I survived, go me!
You are a Miracle.
Is there any way a 2 year old child could get an ADHD diagnosis? I want to make sure I have the right information and I know you are the right person to get this from. Thank you for all of your knowledge I appreciate you so much!
i like ur vocab usage :)
Some of these videos are teaching me how to think
Great video, thank you Dr B.
Happy New Year Dr. Barkley and fellow viewers!
Gabor Mate is a quack and grifter with no expertise in this field, and the people monetizing this disorder to the detriment of patients needs to sit this one out. All he's doing is causing harm.
Have you ever done or would you consider doing a video on the intersection of trauma and ADHD? While I know a lot of what Mate says is BS, a lot of it resonates because he does have some good advice on addressing trauma (and bad advice, too, of course, but the good advice is really good).
Gabor Mate is a mixed bag, who I recommend reading, then add in reading opposite views, to then select the parts that are effective and discard the nonsense.
Good morning Dr, can you please give us your take on the book Body Keeps The Score and Van Der Kolk? Thank you very much!
Happy New Year!
Happy new year!
Great content as usual Dr. Barkley. I've come to find your talks quite informative and they have helped me understand my divergences. I do have a question if you will. I am Aphantastic. I recall in one of your earlier talks on ADHD and the brain, you spoke of mental imagery and how that plays a vital role in conceiving things in ones mind. Have you done any talks on Aphantasia, and more importantly, it's impact on executive function?
I am trying to understand the Aphantasia portion and how it fits into my life. How it affects, planning, conceiving, looking forward to things, setting goals etc. Does that mental imagery have more to do with the ADHD side of my brain, or the Autistic side of me? Is there any path to train the brain to be able to experience those images?
I know you’ve researched the behavioral aspects/consequences of ADHD and I was wondering if you ever got the chance to look at brain scans? I know that MRIs can’t be used to diagnose the disorder, but I feel like the images could be a useful tool in debunking some of the fallacies that fuel misinformation about the disorder.
From my experience, people who say “everybody’s got a little ADHD” or “ADHD is just an excuse” are often the same people who say “I’ll believe it when I see it.”
So, I wonder if comparing the differences between average brain activity vs ADHD brain activity (while noting that there’s variability) could help it click for some of them.
Providing context on how the differences in brain activity translate to an individual’s capacity to regulate themselves could make the disorder more “real.”
It’d also be cool to show the difference between an ADHD brain on and off medication in an MRI, illustrating how it assists in bringing the ADHD brain’s activity closer to the “average” brain. I think that would be incredibly helpful for parents worried about the effectiveness of the medication.
I’m not a researcher so I’m not sure if that’s feasible, but just a thought! Or, alternatively, you may have already discussed this type of thing in another video and I just missed it 😅
Tell them to come over with their friends and key some amphetamine with you, lol. Let's look at the difference in behavior, Karen.
Happy New year from Riyadh Saudi Arabia
Dr Barkley, I have a question about the ADHD adults not pursuing higher education after high school. You mainly mention US-based studies when reaching this conclusion. I have ADHD and I'm doing my PhD, being a teaching assistant in the university I can see a lot of students with ADHD, who are not even aware of it. I live in Turkey, and higher education is free here. Kids need to take an exam after high school to not get into universities, but departments of universities. A lot of students end up picking a department they don't like just because the university is better.
High school kids with ADHD in the US may drop out because it just isn't worth it to give a lot of money for a thing that may or may not happen - in this case, getting a Bachelor's degree. For my case, I always struggled with ADHD but I didn't know it, and when I got into the program for my Bachelor's degree I didn't even know if I was gonna finish it or not. It was simply a thing that I did because I can, and everybody would have done it. Because it was free. And I got into a good university, not necesarrily a program that I like. Now I am doing my PhD in the same topic... And I'm struggling with burnout due to ADHD.
So what I'm saying is, there are individuals with ADHD who probably would pursue higher education not just because they weren't medicated, because they didn't have the circumstances. The data you are showing is based on circumstances - in this case the circumstances of US education system.
I agree on medications being extremely helpful, but, ADHD doesn't limit the people as much as you think, circumstances do. I was able to complete a Masters program without burnout and with success. I have research papers on topics I like. But, I don't like my PhD topic, never did. And THAT makes me struggle. ADHD meds don't help me because they don't solve this problem. My attention is always elsewhere even on meds.
lol sorry it was not a question but an opening argument maybe
I did not say they could not go to professional schooling or graduate training. They can. I did say they are less likely to do so, which is true on average when examining the data on educational outcomes of the disorder. But those are grouped data reflecting a wide variety of educational experiences. Be well.
Thank you!!!!
Thank you❤
Oh god. You mentioned “Jerome Wakefield” and I instantly thought of an Hbomberguy video that goes to great lengths to debunk / explain the debunking of the “MMR causes vaccines” paper from Andrew *Jeremy* Wakefield and got immediately concerned until confirming they are two different people 💀
the number 7 one, I deal with that a lot. I don't know how to tell people about it, it lead to my MDD, still recovering
Good morning doctor😊. What is the video that talks about the relationship between parents and children with ADHD?
A small selection of questionable ideas I've seen people express since the diagnosis:
People with ADHD are incompetent/incapable/unintelligent: Problematic because you get blamed even more for the things you're bad at when people know you can excel at other things, especially if those things are much more difficult than the things you fail to accomplish.
Medication is a temporary crutch and you should only take it when needed (usually means "during work hours"). Problematic because the many adverse affects of untreated ADHD can still wreak havoc on your life even if your job doesn't suffer as much, yet basic functioning is seen as a luxury.
Now that you're medicated, all the problems are gone and you should be functioning like a normal person. Clearly nonsense since the medication works only for a limited time, fluctuates in its effectiveness, may have side effects, and of course doesn't erase a lifetime of negative experiences.
Telling someone with ADHD that their behavior is problematic will make them change it. This assumes a lack of knowledge to be the root cause, when in reality they most probably already know (because they've heard many times). If there's no change, it must be because they didn't get the message.
Medication removes a (valuable) part of your personality and should therefore be avoided. Maybe some people experience side effects, but in my experience it merely turns you into a slightly less broken version of yourself - meaning you get to choose whether and how to express your personality.
ADHD medication is chemically identical to illegal drugs (especially amphetamine/"speed"), so people receiving treatment are drug addicts and should be seen as such. This is patently false and also ignores considerations like dosage, method of absorption, and that there are different meds.
If medication improves your executive functioning, that means you must have ADHD. Equivalently, if it doesn't seem to work then you can't have ADHD. At best simplistic, since it fails to account for the variability in symptons and effects such as environmental influence and genetic factors.
We don't really know what causes ADHD, doctors prescribe meds because of big pharma psy-ops, and all the research on it might as well be wrong. Clearly it'd be foolish to assume there isn't more to learn, but in light of the progress made in recent decades it does seem like a conspiracy theory.
It's fashionable to have ADHD and it can't really be all that bad - just look at all the funny social media posts. Ignoring the fact that most of the information posted on social media is completely wrong, there's nothing "fun" about having a critical part of your brain not function properly.
It's on the person with ADHD to do all the work needed to function to other people's standards, they can do it completely on their own, and them trying to offload any of it onto people making the demands is unreasonable. It's not since the way society is organized wasn't negotiated, but rather dictated.
Have any studies been done to determine if there is a genetic underpinning to which patients grow out of adhd? (Mechanistic difference underlying severity or signaling pathway affected by adolescence hormonal changes?)
Thanks!
yes. there are several and they do show that recovery might be partially genetically mediated. it’s also related to initial disorder severity and extent of comorbid disorders. be well!
@@russellbarkleyphd2023 Thanks! And Happy New Year!
I would also venture to guess that part of the reasons that the data still shows 3 boys for every 1 girl with ADHD could be due to bias from the clinician.
Perhaps. But I failed to note that by adulthood the sex difference is just 1.5 males or less to every female. We think it’s because there is a second wave of onsets in females at puberty. Be well.
Happy New Year! 🎉🎉🎉
On every interview I’ve seen with Gabor Maté I have left a comment asking the interviewer why they don’t discuss the fact that Gabor is stating opinion that goes against the science, I always point out Dr Barkleys comments regarding this. None of the people interviewing ever take these points on board, I have suggested they interview Dr Barkley, I’m curious to know if Joe Rogan or any of the other podcasters interviewing Gabor Maté have ever got in touch with you To get the other side of the story Russ? Would you be open to debating Gabor or appearing along side him somewhere to debunk his ideas?
I did offer to go on Joe Rogan but was never invited. A pity. Thanks!
@ thanks for the reply. I honestly think you would be a fascinating guest on his show, it’s a real pity. Sometimes these shows seem to like the tale people are able to weave rather than the simple truth. You have helped me considerably and I will continue to voice these concerns on your behalf!
My father, who probably had ADHD , threw me at the wall when I was a baby.. Then my mother and stepfathers hit me and punished me for the ADHD.
H
Head trauma can result in ADHD symptoms due to damage in that area of the brain.
I was the only non Asian child at my primary school. The resources went to kids who needed to learn English. I was punished daily and an outcast.
I am sorry to read you had to go through that….but you are much smarter than many people…. You are here listening to Barkley! GO YOU !!!!!
I think ADHD is the least of your dad's issues if he threw his own infant at a wall! I'm sorry you had such an unloved and abusive upbringing, how do you deal with that as an adult?
@ he died when I was 13. Not very well is the truth of how I deal with it! I wish I had known all this stuff years ago.
what about myth that people with ADHD are more creative and have higher IQ then "neurotypical" persons ?
Yes also this
Deffo no difference in IQ compared to neurotypicals. Anyone who says that is just trying to cope, but we might "be" more creative, because we always need to find creative solutions to get through life, lmao.
It is moreso that we are not limited by a linear path of thinking. We tend to look for a more efficient way to complete a task that works for us. It is often to compensate for having to contend with the impairments of ADD. The world is not designed for the way our brains function. Therefore we learn to adapt in our own way.
@Chill-mm4pn that's called coping. Parent of ADHD child here. The suffering is real.
Creativity is about intelligence. If you are a smart ADHD you can maneuver easily that way. If you are less smart you'll bump into any other obstacle of life.
Sir in one of your videos you mentioned that there is a paper that "sums up" all previously created papers on ADHD. Could you please provide a link or a title of this paper?
I discussed it in a separate video a month or two ago about the latest review paper. That description has the reference in it and a link to the paper.
I'm having a hard time understanding why girls with ADHD should fly under the radar. Because any ADHD symptom wouldn't be conform to expected "girl behaviour". Like interrupting in class, lashing out on minor issues, being 'agressive' or impatient, doing homework and assignments fussily, not being able to compromise, being bossy to gain control of overwhelm, not being orderly....
?
what about the myth that ADHD is superpower for some people ? or that we can turn it into it ?
Dr. Barkley speaks about that in other videos too. I’m afraid I can’t remember the title of the video just now. It’s the one where he compares his views on ADHD with his fellow colleagues. They have different views on some topics ( like superpower) but agree on all the research stuff etc. It’s a series with 3 videos. But here I am rambling🤓🙈. You ( and me too) probably want Dr. Barkley to make another video on the subject, right? 😅
Thanks! My child with ADHD is clearly impaired by his disorder and there's no superpower about it. Calling anything about ADHD is just toxic positivity
Could SSRIs possibly be of any benefit for people with adhd combining with a stimulant?
It depends on individual cases. Some of us who have comorbid depression or anxiety may be taking both. In my experience, stimulants alone removed most of my chronic low-grade depressive symptoms (dysthymia) immediately after I started taking them. But after a few years when antenatal depression kicked in, I was placed on the lowest dose of stimulant + SSRI.
I don't know what it's called other places, but here, the guys that decide what name to put on stuff, call it hyperkinetic disorder. In medical records and referals the psychologists and psychiatrists use this word 100% of the time instead of actually saying ADHD. In turn it is used to downplay the symptoms that hasn't to do with hyperactivity directly.
Maybe someone can shed some light on why not everyone is using the actual name...
I wish you taught adult ADHD in some areas of Latin America where stimulants are not prohibited but not prescribed and then the commerce doesn´t sell them. The majority of physicians don´t see the topic and psychiatrists (98%%) think adolescence disappears and it´s an attitude problem.
can bad parenting cause similr behaviour like adhd?
hyperactivity or unatentive specificaly?
Bad parenting can cause a lot of issues.
Nutrition diet and digestion I got microbiome. Eating bad food eating junk food.
The most common misconception I see is thinking ADHD means they can never sustain attention. I've heard many times something like "they can't have ADHD because they focus on a video game for hours!" Then I have to explain hyper focus and the misnomer to them. 🙄
Omggggg yes!!!
I don't even tell me that I have ADHD, but I'm sure they suspect it.
Off topic but I'm gonna search this channel to see if there is any commentary with citations about ADHD coaching as a treatment modality... I do not think I have the executive function or skills to search in a database and understand an article to judge its effectiveness. Honestly even if it is better than nothing it probably costs too much if not covered by insurance.... might have to rely on an LLM like ChatGPT to be my coach. Or maybe that's worse than nothing/psychotherapy.
If you don't sign up for social security at the right time you're literally punished financially for the rest of your life. ( not fair to adhd people)
I also wanted to ask Dr Barkley if there has been much research on the kind of birth that people with ADHD have? I believe that there is possible brain trauma caused during difficult births, use of forceps, even the mothers physiology could have an affect. There is definitely genetics in my family leading to ADHD but there have also been a lot of difficult births. My mother has much less wide hips than average and I realise I tend to be attracted to women who similarly have less wide hips than average. My wife has this and her mother, both have had difficult births due to a tilted cervix.
I honestly believe that often during a birth the focus on getting the baby out quickly could sometimes be at a cost. Similarly I think it’s possible that some of the ADHD is due to head trauma as a baby that parents aren’t aware of or don’t report due to worry about getting into trouble.
Erica Komisar on Lila Rose YT channel citing Day Care stress in young children “causing” over diagnosis of ADHD … she goes on to say ADHD is NOT genetic. Completely ignoring latest research. Another “psych” spouting rubbish, blaming “unavailable mothers”
I have to disagree with you on some aspects of adhd being an ‘excuse’ for bad behavior. This is a very ablest take. Your example is in no way acceptable of course but also it’s in No way an example of an adhd behavior. However, examples of adhd behaviors like being late a little more frequently than peers to work, talking too fast when you get excited about something, spending hours on projects and forgetting to eat, continuously figgiting and walking around, forgetting to put things in the mail on time etc. These and many more are very common adhd problems that even with the smartest people, the best coping strategies and best efforts and intentions can’t fix. Because treatment of ADHD doesn’t actually cure it. And just like someone whose legs don’t work who will always need societal accommodations like ramps and elevators etc the same is 100% true for people with adhd. Just because neurotypical people believe that if you just try hard enough you wont have these problems anymore, simply doesn’t make it true. And it also doesn’t mean that the person w adhd hasn’t taken responsibility for their life either.
I’m in no way suggesting absolving personal responsibility. I’m just stating that you can’t will adhd to go away either or with any treatment or method yet found. Which by definition of what qualifies as a medical condition, that comes with the understanding symptoms will exist. Which does in fact provide justification for societal and personal accommodations.
ADHD doesn't really create a problem with consequences, but rather the delay to the consequence. By holding the person with ADHD more accountable with more frequent, immediate rewards and consequences, they can better show what they know. So ADHD is not an excuse for consequences. While you are right that some behaviour from the disorder should be accommodated, that would mean it's not "bad" behaviour and as such does not conflict with the "bad behaviour" Dr Barkley was referring to in my opinion.
@ Holding a person with adhd more accountable than average just increases the burden of controlling symptoms and increases anxiety, depression and burnout etc. It is in no way a good solution beyond middle school when they are still learning (like all kids) how consequences work. Because consequences are never the issue with adhd problematic symptoms. (If they were it wouldn’t be an adhd symptom). For impulsivity it’s a lack of a metaphorical breaking system in the brain that’s adequate, for being late it’s an issue of time blindness, etc. Just as Dr Barkly discussed it’s a neurological condition, meaning it is not a function of behavior or choice just like depression isn’t a choice. So increasing consequences generally only does more harm especially long term. (Immediate and more frequent constructive feedback I would consider to be very different from this and can certainly be beneficial so disregard my comment if this is what you meant rather than punishment/reward.)
A person w adhd is responsible for knowing for instance that they have a problem being late to school/work and doing what they can (like setting extra timers etc) but doing all of those things doesn’t always result in being on time as a neurotypical. To most that appears as a bad behavior but in fact it’s just a symptom of adhd. The problem is that almost all adhd behaviors get interpreted as ‘bad’ by neurotypical people.
Even for the example mentioned by Dr Barkely about a kid bringing a gn to schl as bad behavior. Generally that bad behavior has nothing to do w adhd and even if someone has adhd it shouldn’t matter what happens with the consequences. However, if they brought it because they’d been out w their dad hunting over the weekend and forgot it was in their hockey bag and just brought it w them having forgotten about it. That it would be an issue of adhd working memory and then yes it would be a function of their adhd and should be given a break on jail time and instead be given a lecture and have it taken away because they aren’t acting responsible enough with that privilege, and the person who let the kid have it should be charged. (If it was an adult they should get the normal sentence with a removal of any intent to commit the crime, and they should also get mandated adhd support by way or counseling etc.)
So yes consequences will still exist and everyone w adhd is still responsible for their lives and actions. But just not entirely the same way someone without adhd is. Someone w turrets may shout fire in movie theater unintentionally, they shouldn’t be treated the same as someone who does it intentionally to cause a panic even if the panic would be the same for either.
@@GreenSharpieScience I don't think he was being ableist.
To me it sounds like you're on a similar page as him - not advocating for harsher punishment but also not allowing people to just have all consequences removed.
The issue of people trying to excuse extreme dangerous behaviors by saying it's just ADHD is unfortunately not an exaggeration.
For example refer to Deja Taylor, the mother of a 6 year old with ADHD who pew-pewd their teacher in Richneck. She claims in interviews that her child did it because of ADHD. It was not a case of forgetfulness, the kid definitely took the pewpew on purpose because he was mad at the teacher for suspending him. He bragged to the teacher aid about doing it after the incident.
This is a real thing that parents do. I hear people all the time excusing things like their kids biting, hitting and chronic bullying behavior by just saying it's ADHD and the kid can't help it.
I also am sick of hearing abusive people claim that their explosive rage is because of ADHD and they can't help it - but have not ever been to therapy and will not read self help books about communicating more effectively.
@@alrighttumbleweed4782 thanks for your reply, I guess I don’t really encounter people like that and reports of people like that I consider rare, but maybe they aren’t? It seems crazy to me that people would do that.
In his other video though when he talked about how people with adhd shouldn’t make excuses for their terrible lives it was definitely going into the ablest realm which is why I made the comment here but perhaps in this instance he was not being ablest but addressing the instances of crazy blaming everything on adhd which is apparently a common thing? Ugg that makes me sad that there is so much miss understanding about adhd that more than just an occasional person would do that.
Thanks for the clarification.
Dr Barkley condones accommodations and presenting ADHD as an explanation for things like you’ve listed. But as someone with ADHD, we still have to live in society and he’s right. You can request accommodations on timeliness while you work on scaffolding - phone alerts, timers etc - to help you be more timely but you can’t just keep doing the same things and shrug and be like ADHD. It’s an explanation for the times when we falter but not an excuse not to try. That’s the difference.
fun fact: homeopathy related individuals tend to neglect the existence of adhd and alike, unless of course they are currently offering a new kind of snake oil remedy for adhd. Then it exists. I guess it depends at the end of the day.
Laughable at best. Ah, Life.
I think it's supposed to be Fish Oil high in omega-3s that is supposed to help reduce ADHD symptoms.
Edit: Understanding that Snake Oil is a reference to an old nonsense scam and all.
++
I graduated from Medical school, I struggled a bit at it. Then started PhD in Physiology couldn’t finish because of the country situations. In my 39 years old age while studying for United States licensing exams, I got my ADHD diagnosis. Most of the things I have been through now makes sense. Hopefully I can manage to get through USMLE. Thanks Dr Barkley