ADHD, Stigma and a New Paradigm

Written By Cynthia Hammer, MSW

curated by Cynthia Hammer, MSW

For patients diagnosed with ADHD, stigma leads to decreased self-esteem, less acceptance by peers, social isolation, and lower self-perceptions of confidence. When treatments are stigmatized, patients and parents are less likely to seek appropriate treatment. Moreover, clinicians are less likely to provide those treatments. This leads to unnecessary distress and disability and costs to society.   Untreated ADHD has many, many serious consequences ranging from school failure in childhood to criminality in adulthood; and the medications for treating ADHD are much more effective than nonmedical treatments for relieving ADHD symptoms. 

Stephen Faraone, Ph.D.

 The pathology paradigm divides the spectrum of human cognitive performance into “normal” and “other than normal,” with “normal” implicitly privileged as the superior and desirable state and the “other than normal” being stigmatized.

The pathology paradigm asks, ‘‘What do we do about the problem of these people not being normal?’’

The neurodiversity paradigm asks, ‘‘What do we do about the problem of these people being oppressed, marginalized, poorly served, and poorly accommodated by the prevailing culture?’’ Dr. Nick Walker

Cynthia Hammer, MSW

Cynthia Hammer, MSW, was diagnosed with inattentive ADHD in 1992 when she was 49 years old. The following year she created the non-profit organization, ADD Resources, with a mission to educate adults and helping professionals about ADHD in adults. She ran the organization for 15 years before retiring.

During the Covid isolation she wrote a book about her life with inattentive ADHD which should be published by the end of this year. In writing the book, she was dismayed to learn that children with inattentive ADHD continue to be under-diagnosed and adults with inattentive ADHD often are incorrectly diagnosed with depression or anxiety.

She created a new non-profit in 2021, the Inattentive ADHD Coalition (www.iadhd.org), to create more awareness about inattentive ADHD and the need for early diagnosis and treatment.

https://www.iadhd.org
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