Online Huffington Post Life article regarding the renaming of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Graye, Sarah Marie

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Kent Academic RepositoryFull text document (pdf)Copyright & reuseContent in the Kent Academic Repository is made available for research purposes. Unless otherwise stated allcontent is protected by copyright and in the absence of an open licence (eg Creative Commons), permissions for further reuse of content should be sought from the publisher, author or other copyright holder. Versions of researchThe version in the Kent Academic Repository may differ from the final published version. Users are advised to check http://kar.kent.ac.uk for the status of the paper. Users should always cite the published version of record.EnquiriesFor any further enquiries regarding the licence status of this document, please contact: researchsupport@kent.ac.ukIf you believe this document infringes copyright then please contact the KAR admin team with the take-down information provided at http://kar.kent.ac.uk/contact.htmlCitation for published versionGraye, Sarah_Marie  (2018) Why I Believe The Name ADHD Needs To Change.DOILink to record in KARhttps://kar.kent.ac.uk/85805/Document VersionUNSPECIFIEDLIFEWhy I Believe The Name ADHD Needs ToChangeRenaming a condition is not unheard of – especially when it comes to disorders ofthe brain and mindBy Sarah Marie GrayeIndie-published novelist exploring her adult diagnosis of ADHD both in her novels and in life07/08/2018 07:49am BST |  Updated August 7,  2018TOMMASO79 VIA GETTY IMAGESWhen you hear that someone has ADHD – Attention-DeficitHyperactivity Disorder – it often conjures up a picture of aseven-year-old boy tearing round the classroom, causinghavoc. But this “naughty child” stereotype is not only unfair,it’s the source of much of the stigma those with the conditionface. And many end up internalising the stereotype, causingself-stigmatisation.Although a large number of those diagnosed with ADHD aschildren are hyperactive or have attention issues, these twosymptoms alone won’t result in a diagnosis. There are manykids who are inattentive or hyperactive who don’t have thecondition: they’re just common symptoms in kids.On top of that, many of those diagnosed with the condition asadults missed being identified as children because they didn’tfit the stereotype. So we’ve reached a point where people don’thave attention-deficit or hyperactivity and yet can be brandedwith the name ADHD.ADHD Action Founder Michelle Beckett said the biggest issuewith the current name is that it ignores the challenges thosewith the condition face connected to issues with organisation,planning and emotional reactivity. These challenges aredirectly linked to executive function. And American ADHDexpert Dr Russell Barkley has described ADHD as an ExecutiveFunction Deficit Disorder. I’m not a fan of the word “deficit” asit means “too little of” and many of us with ADHD experiencefluctuating executive function issues (e.g. the ability tohyperfocus).Drop the word “deficit”, and I think Executive FunctionDisorder could work.Not everyone agrees with me. But I don’t think it’s possible tofind a name that will please everyone. And while ExecutiveFunction Disorder is my suggestion, I’d be open to other termsthat better described the condition I have and removed someof the stigma I face. I don’t think the general population is evergoing to properly understand ADHD while it has a name thatdoesn’t mean what it is.Renaming a condition is not unheard of – especially when itcomes to disorders of the brain and mind. ADHD itself has hadother names, including Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder andMinimal Brain Dysfunction – both of which have since beendiscarded for being unsuitable.Manic Depression and Borderline Personality Disorder haveboth been renamed because of the stigma attached to theterms. Manic Depression is now known as Bipolar. Andreferences to Borderline Personality Disorder are slowly beingreplaced by its new name, Emotionally Unstable PersonalityDisorder – with both names being used until the new onebecomes the norm.Recent research looking into renaming schizophrenia toreduce stigma was published in The British Journal ofPsychiatry. The research looked at changing its name toIntegration Disorder – the term used in Japan – and found thenew name “reduced attributions of dangerousness”.The names of conditions can be changed – they are changed –and I think ADHD should be next.RELATED.. .Suggest a correctionMORE: ADHDNo, Using Your Phone Won't Cause ADHDRichard Bacon 'Relieved' To Be Diagnosed With ADHDAt Age Of 42Could My Child Have ADHD? Signs, Symptoms AndAdvice For ParentsSarah Marie GrayeIndie-published novelist exploring her adult diagnosis of ADHD both in her novels and in lifeBEFORE YOU GO

Why I Believe The Name ADHD Needs To Change

https://kar.kent.ac.uk/85805/1/SMGraye-WhyBelieveNameADHDNeedsChange-HuffPostLife.pdf

Why I Believe The Name ADHD Needs To Change

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