A D D does not add up to stupid

I mentioned a little while ago to my family about a lovable fictional character who has severe ADD. Sadly, this was taken as a slam and equated with stupidity. My neice in that family has been "diagnosed" with ADD and is getting some treatment. Sad to write that she acted as if it were a death sentence. I don't know if she has that severe of ADD and doubt really that she has it, but rather she gets thoughtful. If interested, she'll focus on something -- she's a child, that what they do. Some people in the medical field might suggest that this is a sign of ADD. That might be so, but it's also a typical response of a child.

I am not a proponent of overly medicating people. Some people need medicine and some people do well with medicine. I think, however it is too readily dispensed to be legitimate. I wonder about the 8 year olds taking ritalin now, how they will be as adults.

I find it rather strange or unreal that in this day and age, especially when kids are generally loaded with drugs at younger and younger ages, why the label of ADD was so painful to her. ADD and ADHD are fairly common labels (another thing I don't like -- labels) to conditions. Too often, they are ADD [name here] or ADHD [name here], rather than Felicity+ or Philip +.

There is a lot more to behavior than aberant (which really appears to be common) brain chemistry. People act because of a lot of reasons; experience, immaturity, allergies, chemical reactions, unwitnessed stimuli, pathological onset (such as brainwashing, or overdisciplining), maturity, and yes brain chemistry anomalies. I believe too often that the last item is first assumed. That does no one any good when the others are also eliminated.

ADD doesn't add up to stupid nor is it a tragic disease. It is a treatable condition that in some cases with some people in certain circumstances, really is a problem. Without a doubt there are people who really do better on medication. To my knowledge, no one has died attributably to ADD. It isn't a death sentence and isn't a disease. I wish my neice would not take it as such. Still, I feel at fault for not better stating myself about the humor of the fictional character -- a caricature of an idea.

+ each having some treatable condition for which they are receiving treatment.