Since 2004, the United States Congress has been devoting one day in September to National ADHD Awareness Day. ADHD is becoming a major health problem in the United States and around the world, and National ADHD Day hopes to encourage everyone to learn more about this disorder, support ADHD services, and find ways to seek treatment and help. However, you don't need to wait for September to garner support and awareness for ADHD, especially if someone you love is afflicted by this disorder. Here are some ways you can raise ADHD awareness no matter what day of the year it is.
Educate yourself
The first step to raising awareness for ADHD is to arm yourself with information. Read all you can about ADHD, its causes, and the treatments available. Borrow books from the library and read voraciously. Look into the pros and cons of using stimulant medication as a primary treatment, and open your mind to the many new was to treat ADHD without drugs. Scientific journals are a great source of reliable studies on ADHD, while websites like sciencedaily.com and webmd.com provide you with easy-to-read news on treatments and ongoing research.
Join a Parent-Teacher Organization
If you have a child with ADHD, his or her behavior may be widely misunderstood by teachers and classmates. Or perhaps your child isn't receiving the special education services he or she badly needs. Joining a parent-teacher organization is a great way to inform educators about ADHD, its symptoms, and the myths surrounding this disorder. Raising awareness about ADHD at school can also help teachers identify the disorder among students and suggest an evaluation to their parents. If obtaining special services for your child is your goal, do your homework - read up on special education laws, your child's rights, and the ways you can protect these rights. Find ways to negotiate with the school so your child can get the appropriate special education services needed.
Establish a support group
Anyone who has studied or dealt with ADHD for years is in a great position to help others know more about the disorder. You can do so by starting a support group for parents, friends, and family members of someone with the disorder. Point them towards resources that can broaden their understanding of ADHD, and help them find ways to cope with the difficulties of having a loved one with ADHD.
Correct ADHD doubters as they come
ADHD is not the most pleasant conversation topic to bring up at social gatherings, but there is no better time to correct misconceptions about the disorder than encountering a doubter. The research you have done should help you respond to questions and statements from skeptics, such as:
Is ADHD even a real disorder?Won't children outgrow ADHD?ADHD is just an excuse for lazy behavior or poor parenting.ADHD is just for children, isn't it?Your child just needs more discipline.
Dr. Yannick Pauli is an expert on natural approaches to ADHD and the author of the popular self-help home-program The Unritalin Solution. He is Director of the Centre Neurofit in Lausanne, Switzerland and has a passion taking care of children with ADHD. Click on the link for more great information about what is adhd.
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