Research Paper on Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Introduction

ADHD-Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a brain condition characterized by a continuous pattern of inattention or /and hyperactivity-impulsivity that inhibits the functioning or the development of the affected person. To further understand this mental disorder, it is vital that its composite names be broken down and defined as done below.

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Inattention to imply that a person lacks persistence, wanders off tasks, has difficulty maintaining focus, and is highly unsystematic; and these problems are not due to rebelliousness or lack of comprehension.

Hyperactivity means a person seems to be constantly about/moving, this movement includes situations in which it may not be appropriate; or excessively taps, fidgets, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme agitation or wearing others out with persistent activity.

Impulsivity means a person makes hurried actions that occur at the moment without first rationalizing them and their potential for harm or a desire for instantaneous rewards or incapacity to delay gratification. An impulsive individual may be socially invasive and excessively interrupt others or make vital decisions without bearing in mind the long-term repercussions.

There has been an extensive effort to sensitize people about the disorder, mainly by the American Psychological Association, but despite these efforts, new media has been and is doing more harm than good with regard to sensitization of ADHD. There is a need to analyze and understand ways by which New Media is doing more harm by fostering stereotypical views of ADHD patients and not sensitizing people enough about the disorder.

New Media and Mental Health

The American Psychological Association (APA), through books and articles, has made significant strides in mental health sensitization, over the last four years, this effort is, however, being undone through the total disregard of the fundamental basic principles of health practices. Collins (2017) defines new media as a means of mass communication using digital technologies, usually, the internet. However, new media's definition encompasses movies, music, videos, print media among others. The shift from the traditional physical communication has been replaced by the emergence of the new stream of media consumption that has continuously left the health sector at pains. This paper majorly focuses on the internet, movies, TV, and music as they are the key sources of stereotypic information regarding mental illness, of which ADHD is one.

To understand the stereotypes involved in ADHD, it is first necessary to know the symptoms associated with ADHD and how they may build up to stereotypes, which will also be mentioned in this paper. The most prevalent symptoms of ADHD as per the American Psychological Association are inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. It must be noted, however, that it is possible to have one of the two sides of the disorder and not have the other effects. This means that it is possible for an individual to experience attention disorder symptoms/condition and not have hyperactivity disorder. The contract in the effects of the ADHD on the patients is highly dependent on the physical and hormonal strengths of the patient. Some individuals with ADHD only show symptoms tied to either one of the disorders, while others have both hyperactivity-impulsivity and inattention. Most children have a collective type of ADHD.

In pre-school, for instance, the most prevalent ADHD symptom is hyperactivity. However, scientifically, it is typical for children in pre-school to have some unfocused motor activity, inattention, and impulsivity, but for those suffering of ADHD, the named factors occur more often, with intense severity and almost certainly interfere with how the individual functions, both in class/work and in social life as well.

Outlined are some of the symptoms tied to attention disorder and to hyperactive disorder.

• Inattention
• As per the American Psychological Association, individuals with symptoms of inattention may frequently:
• Not seem to be attentive, even when spoken to directly.
• Miss details/overlook multiple details, make thoughtless mistakes at work or in schoolwork, or during other social activities.
• Have difficulty maintaining attention in play (if it is a child) or tasks (if an adult), including lectures, conversations, lengthy reading or work intervals.
• Be easily sidetracked by unrelated stimuli or thoughts.
• Not follow through on directions and often fail to finish chores, schoolwork, or duties in the workplace or start tasks but speedily lose focus and get easily unfocused.
• Hyperactivity-Impulsivity
• As per the American Psychological Association, individuals with symptoms of inattention may frequently:
• Leave their seats in circumstances when staying seated is expected, such as in the office or a classroom.
• Squirm and fidget in their seats.
• Dash around, run or climb in circumstances where it is unsuitable or, in adults and teens, often feel restless.
• Have the constant urge to talk.
• Shout out an answer before a question has been completed, speak without waiting for a turn in conversation or finish other people's sentences.
• Intrude or interrupt on others, for instance in games, conversations, or activities.

From the said symptoms, depictions have been generated and exaggerated in some instances, by producers or writers of new media content, for the purpose of sensationalization or to boost the sale of the content. Hence, the thesis statement of this study and its causative underlining, to which, if not looked into, all the fervent efforts being made to sensitize the populous about mental health will be undone. Some of the stereotypes stemming from new media, on individuals with mental illness include;

That ADHD is a form of brain damage or intellectual disability- The truth is ADHD and other mental disorders are illnesses like any other, such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma. Yet the traditions of support, sympathy, and even the simple one of giving flowers are not accorded to people suffering from ADHD and other mental illnesses. The second stereotype generated by new media is that people suffering from ADHD are usually dangerous. This false sensitivity underlies some of the most damaging of stereotypes. People suffering from ADHD, as the symptoms said, are seldom dangerous. Additionally, even individuals with the most extreme mental illness are seldom dangerous whether they're receiving appropriate treatment and support or not.

Furthermore, is the stereotype that people suffering from ADHD should be isolated from the community, even from their families and be confined in mental institutions. Majority of individuals suffering from ADHD recover quickly, as ADHD does not always progress into adulthood, hence such subjects do not even need hospital care (Collins, 2017). others may have to be shortly institutionalized, but it is just that, a short period, not a lifetime sentence. In addition, medicinal improvements over recent decades have seen better treatments produced, that are more effective in combating ADHD. This thus means that most people suffering from ADHD can normally integrate into their families and communities. Hence the stereotype that patients of ADHD need to be confined is wildly outrageous. The media, on its part, have continued to project the ADHD patients as social misfits that deserve exclusion from the rest of the society.

Diagnosis of ADHD requires a comprehensive and in-depth evaluation by a licensed clinician, such as a psychologist, pediatrician, or psychiatrist with deep knowledge in ADHD. However, the new media has failed to lift the lid on some of the controversial circumstances that surround the diagnosis of the patients suffering from the ADHD condition, instead of painting them as a danger to the community. For an individual to receive a diagnosis of ADHD, the symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity must be long-lasting or chronic, mar the person's functioning, and cause the person to lapse behind normal development for her or his age. Social media particularly has been provided sufficient ground for the attack and the humiliation fo the ADHD patients, providing fodder upon which the rest of the society has turned them into laughing stocks. The psychologist, pediatrician, or psychiatrist will also make sure that any ADHD symptoms are not due to another psychiatric or medical condition. Most children with ADHD are diagnosed during the elementary school years (Collins, 2017). For an adolescent or adult to be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms need to have been pre-existent, prior to age 12.

Conclusion

ADHD symptoms usually appear quite early. In most cases, they appear as early as between the ages of 3 and 6. These symptoms may continue through adolescence and into adulthood. Symptoms of ADHD are normally confused for disciplinary or emotional problems or missed completely in quiet, well-behaved children, leading to late diagnosis. Adults with undiagnosed ADHD may have a history of problems at work, poor academic performance, or difficult or failed relationships.

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5). American Psychiatric Pub.

Collins, K. (2017). From Pac-Man to pop music: interactive audio in games and new media. Routledge.

National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. (2018). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management of ADHD in children, young people and adults. British Psychological Society.