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Surprising Science

ADHD Is Dead

Do psychological diseases have a shelf life? "The idea of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a credible diagnostic term has passed and it is time that we accept that and move on."

Do psychological diseases have a shelf life? “The idea of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) as a credible diagnostic term has passed and it is time that we accept that and move on.” A professor at Murray State University compares ADHD to phrenology and hysteria, whose methods and diagnostic criteria are, he says, similarly out of date: “What started out as a theory articulated by professionals is now an urban legend. Parents, teachers, talk show hosts, friends, neighbors and even the person you’re standing next to in the grocery store each believe that they can diagnose and treat ADHD.” The professor blames a misinformation campaign conducted by pharmaceutical companies for the nation’s obsession with the ‘disease’.


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