Is there really such an animal?

Adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) seems to have sprung a life of its own. In the past 20 years or so, the diagnosis of this condition has increased dramatically. We have more sophisticated diagnostic tools and the social acceptance of the malady may help explain what's happening, but there are other considerations.

When I first began studying psychology, the 'illness of the year' was 'borderline personality.' It was the diagnosis for 'I haven't a clue what's wrong with this person' as schizophrenia was the 'in' diagnosis 40-50 years ago. Some believe ADD is the new 'generic illness' of the year.

Times change, how people act, dress, speak etc. change, but the human brain itself has not changed that we know of, with our modern diagnostic equipment. An MRI scan of the 80 year old brain affected by the culture of 'roaring 20's' is no different in physicality from the 20 year old 'reality TV' cultured brain. In fact, our brains' hardwiring is virtually unchanged from prehistoric times. Over the centuries, we have learned to cram in more and more information without crashing from the overload. We handle the threat of over-stimulation by filtering the constant sensory bombardment. We acquire habits and routines that allow us to carry out many of our daily activities without having to think about what we're doing. When conscious thought is required, we are most efficient when we attend to one or two things at a time. We concentrate on one area in order to handle the action required competently and immediately. We ignore irrelevant materials floating around us because they are not our current focus. The ability to do that was always there. The cave man adapted to his surroundings and culture too.

Some things outside the brain have changed drastically though which makes me think there really is an 'attention deficit' disorder in some of us. At the dawn of the Twenty-first Century, we find ourselves living in an atmosphere of constant noise and never-ending, blow-your-mind stimuli. Our kids have more information to learn than people could have imagined several generations ago. 'Half Pint' on the prarie could not have imagined the space race, the racial divide and many, many other events since then. Then, there's the TV, the CD, the DVD, the ipod, the cell phone, the chat room, all demanding attention, not to mention mom and dad wanting perfection. After all that homework, they play endless video games with so much stimuli that some kids have seizures from the ever changing colors and movement on the screen. Automobiles are no longer just another means of transportation. They have become electronics on wheels with boom boxes, CD players, subscriber radio networks, and built-in television monitors and DVDs.

So, I can't help but wonder at the explosion in ADHD which results in medications for the condition being among the most popular prescriptions issued. We have adults and children who lack the capacity to concentrate on what they
read, what they see, and what they hear. When the brain fails to fully attend to new
information, it lacks the ability to lay down memory traces and the information quickly fades away. It appears the brain has not changed, but it cannot keep up. TMI.. too much information.

Personal lives are diminished for those who can't concentrate long enough to finish tasks they started with such good intentions. Interpersonal relationships suffer due to poor communication skills and the lack of that personal empathy which requires one to intensively focus on another human being to really understand their feelings.

While we continue to dispense the medications that act to filter the stimuli overload, and use psychological modification techniques to mold acceptable social behavior, we also need to look inside our own homes and practice preventive care.

We need to limit limit overexposure to the electronic world. We need to set priorities. We need to slow down and read books again, think and talk at the family's dinner table. We need to love our brain, treat it with respect.

We need to spend time with our kids and not use 'electric baby sitters,' be it TV, DVD, video game or internet. It's our future but, more importantly, it's their future. A medicated brain is not the optimal brain. Seek help when you need it but medication should not be the 'drug of choice.' Restraint and common sense in living the modern life would be most helpful. I won't add prayer and Bible reading, since I am read by Christian and nonChristian alike, but you know how I think. :)

Have a great weekend and happy concentrating!