I am not disabled. Are you?

One hugely debated topic I've come across is whether or not ADHD is considered a disability. Considering that ADHD is more of a spectrum (having varying levels of intensity) I would imagine this would vary depending on the severity of the ADHD in an individual, and would ultimately depend on our idea of disability and what it means to be disabled.

What happens when we disable something?  When an alarm system is disabled, it no longer prevents entry.  When a Bomb is disabled, it can no longer go off. To me, being disabled means the inability to produce an expected action or result.
Now, for some, ADHD might very well be a disabling thing.  From my experience, this is usually because of the ADHD itself, but rather the bonus features.  So much attention is paid to the feature presentation, but there is much to be gained from the deleted scenes.  Many people with ADHD suffer uncontrollable anxiety, depression, and even other spectrum disorders such as Autism.

 These can also be disabling.  I consider myself lucky in that I am more of a trailer than a feature.  My life is but a peak into the spectrum of ADHD and the various effects it can have.  Granted, I have A LOT of difficulty sometimes, dealing with both seasonal depression as well as anxiety.  When the nights are longer than the days, and the cold sets in, I sometimes have difficulty finding it within myself to get out of bed.  Some people find it difficult to stay alive.  For me, this is seasonal, but for some, it's every day.  For others, the daily grind is so unnerving they are literally not able to leave their house, due to the anxiety.  Some are agoraphobics, having an "irrational fear" of crowds or being in public. Don't get me wrong, I do a lot of complaining about my own life here.  But a lot of pride comes out in my posts as well.  Some people do not know the feeling of pride or ambition.  Some do not know what it's like to live a "normal" life.  Some with ADHD are very much disabled, in that they are unable to perform normal, "expected" functions.

On the other hand, I have often referred to Ritalin as a crutch (albeit an necessary one).

What is a crutch used for if not to aid a disability (if only a temporary one)?  It's a riddle that may never be solved.  In the end, though, I feel like my potential to produce a productive outcome on my own, with no assistance aside from that which a "Normie" could expect to have, is fully intact; therefore leading me to believe I am, in fact, not disabled.



If you have concerns regarding Depression, Anxiety, or Disability support, here are a few helpful starting points for your research:

Depression
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/major-depression-resource-center.aspx?dlpcode=sa
http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/depression-and-suicide-info.aspx

Your local suicide hotline or the national suicide hotline 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-273-8255.

Anxiety

http://www.adaa.org/  Anxiety and Depression Association of America
http://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/anxiety/index.aspx


Disability

http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-center/learning-disabilities-definition.aspx

http://classaba.com/ Center for Learning and Autism Support Services
http://www.ncld.org/ National Center for Learning Disabilities



and one of the more educational groups I follow: https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/ADULTADHDGROUP/

If not for the founder of this group, I would not have been inspired to seek a more technical knowledge of my ADHD and it's coexisting/companion disorders