I'm not saying that you don't have a disease if you have ADD, I'm saying that ADD is not ONE disease. But I've experienced before that people who have ADD are sensitive to claims that it's not a disease (but note that I didn't say that).

Here's an excerpt from wikipedia:

> DSM-IV criteria > I. Either A or B:[32] A. Six or more of the following symptoms of inattention have been present for at least 6 months to a point that is disruptive and inappropriate for developmental level: > Often does not give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork, work, or other activities. Often has trouble keeping attention on tasks or play activities. > Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly. Often does not follow instructions and fails to finish schoolwork, chores, or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions). > Often has trouble organizing activities. > Often avoids, dislikes, or doesn't want to do things that take a lot of mental effort for a long period of time (such as schoolwork or homework). > Often loses things needed for tasks and activities (e.g. toys, school assignments, pencils, books, or tools). > Is often easily distracted. > Often forgetful in daily activities.

Note that these vague criteria don't mention physical causes, making it highly unlikely that there's one clear physical cause for ADD in different people.

That brings me to what I don't believe:

> With kids at least: it is paradoxical how "hyper" kids are calmed by the use of stimulants - unlike the effects of stimulants on the rest of us.

If there is no clear physical cause, then how likely is this?

The clear physical cause is something of a misleading question. What matters more in this context is that whatever multiple causes most likely result in a similar systemic behavior (or failure). With ADD that seems to be pre-frontal cortex impairment and is backed up by statistical analysis of various types of neural imaging studies.

In short, though the causes may be as varied as genetic in origin to pre-frontal cortex injury in a collision (injuries sustained in front-end crashes which significantly damage the PFC can lead to ADHD-like symptoms), they all lead to similar systemic failures. These similar failures appear to respond quite similarly to stimulant treatment. The key here is that we're treating a systemic problem rather than addressing a specific origin.

Re: sensitivity

After a lifetime of facing judgment, criticism, self-doubt, anxiety, depression, and most importantly denial that our condition is even valid, many of us have learned to be sensitive about this matter. We've struggled without much societal support, and defended ourselves against wave after wave of attacks on the very existence of our condition, even since childhood.

It's hard to live a childhood with accusations of willful laziness (at best) and trouble-making (at worst) looming over your head. It's even harder to eventually mature, and see children around you suffering the same fate. So you get a little bit angry, a measure defensive, and very sensitive.

It's obvious upon rereading that this is not what you where saying though, and for that I apologize.