ADD

            
             Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a genetic, neurobiological disorder. Many people view ADD as a disability that will inhibit the sufferer throughout his or her life. Fortunately, the majority of people are wrong because treatments for this disorder can dramatically enable a sufferer to function normally. ADD impacts people's lives causing them to have many symptoms like distraction, forgetfulness, hyperactivity and other secondary effects. Most ADD medications cause the brain to function correctly by eliminating these symptoms. I have noticed for a while now that I have a real hard time concentrating when studying or in class. I heard about ADD because a friend of mine suffers from it and since I have been having these problems, that gave me a personal interest in learning more about this disability and what medication would best fit a sufferer's symptoms. .
             ADD comes in many forms and is a long-term problem that can be found in a child, teenager, or adult. When an adult is diagnosed with ADD, "the symptoms of ADD are masked [or covered up] by more obvious problems, such as depression or gambling or drinking, and the underlying ADD is never detected" (Hallowell and Ratey 9). According to Dr's. Hallowell and Ratey, "ADD excerbates learning problems in the same way that nearsightedness does: you can't focus as well as you should, so you are not able to use the talents you have to the fullest" (39). "ADD is a generational disorder, meaning that ADD in a family significantly influences the development of each member" (Amen 161). If the mother had ADD it is more likely that the son has a lesser case of ADD than if the father was the one with ADD (Amen 161). In order to find out if a person has ADD he must be diagnosed.
             "The most important thing to the diagnosis is the history of the patient, how they have reacted throughout their life, the level of distractions, and if they have been moody, hyperactive, etc" (Palomo).