3. Why do ADHD children "misbehave"?

3.1. Extract from book "Beyond ADD" by Thom Hartmann (see www.ThomHartmann.com):

• ADHD children have strong needs "to feel alive" (much like other Maslow hierarchy of needs: Physical needs, Safety needs, Needs for Love and belonging, Self-esteem and Status needs, Self-actualisation/spiritual needs)
• ADHD children have this need because their sensory volume control (determined by the thalamus located at the base of the brain) is set at a very low level; They therefore need very high & strong sensory stimulation before they can receive these inputs at a normal level.
• ADHD children need extra-strong stimulation just to feel alive, hence:
  • Distractibility / Poor Attention: This is the brain's way of opening itself up to the experience of aliveness. When nothing exciting is happening, the ADHD child will create an interesting or exciting experience (e.g. pull the pony tail of the girl in front of him, etc.) to generate the necessary stimulus to "feel alive"
  • Impulsiveness: A truly hungry person will grab for food, often ignoring the consequences. Likewise, a ADHD child with an unfilled need "to feel alive" will be driven to unthinkable behaviour
  • Restlessness or Risk-Taking: These are done to satisfy the basic need to "feel alive"
  • Why does Ritalin works: Ritalin (a stimulant) increases the sensory volume control. ADHD children no longer need strong or high sensory inputs to receive these inputs at a normal level in their brain.

3.2. Common myths about the ADHD/ADD child are:

• The ADHD / ADD child is lazy or not trying his best because when itís something he loves, he can pay attention (in fact he can become totally absorbed).
  • Truth is: If the child loves the subject, or if the teacher is very stimulating, the childís body will automatically produce the extra neuro-chemicals needed to relay the message.
  • "Hunters" do not need Ritalin to get them to pay attention when there is an exciting prey around the corner. The ADHD childís naturally low neuro-chemical levels becomes a problem only when the task is routine / mundane (e.g. much of schoolwork, organising details, administrative work)
• Ritalin will solve the ADHD / ADD problem
  • Truth is: Ritalin is just a catalyst that temporarily reduces the exhibition of ADHD / ADD symptoms.

3.3. Differing Opinions about ADHD / ADD: Now you see it, Now you don't; The Disorder That Goes "Poof" (By Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D.):

• ADD is a simplistic answer to the problems of a complex world
• ADD is a social invention to ensure the proper functioning of a society - spectrum of acceptable behaviours
• ADD is a product of a modern short-attention span society
• ADD is a response to boring classrooms
• ADD is a reflection of normal gender differences
• ADD is a different way of learning.

3.4. The Other Side of ADHD/ADD: "Born To Explore", see web-site at http://borntoexplore.org:

• Many of the greatest inventors and divergent thinkers such as Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin exhibited traits of ADHD / ADD
• The ADHD / ADD child is usually of the MBTI (Myers Briggs Temperament Indicator) temperament type ENTP (Extrovert, iNtuitive, Thinking, Perceiving, instead of Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) that exhibits the following characteristics:
  • Typically active & excitable
  • Easily distracted and bored with anything remotely routine
  • Mind work so quickly that when they are asked, or forced, to wait for their turn to speak, they often forget what they are going to say
  • Spring into action with inspiration, but must be prodded to finish the many projects that they start
  • Immediate surroundings are usually chaotic, messy and seems very dis-organised
• Experts in the MBTI temperament theory believe the ADHD behaviours are normal and ENTPs are dubbed as "Inventors" and "Entrepreneurs"
• Most people with ADHD/ADD can focus extremely well on something they find interesting, even better than the average person can.