Here’s What Psychiatrists Mean When They Say You Have A.D.H.D. |
Here’s What Psychiatrists Mean When They Say You Have A.D.H.D.
Dr. Aftab is a psychiatrist and clinical associate professor of psychiatry at Case Western Reserve University.
My patients often ask if I think they have a particular psychiatric diagnosis, such as bipolar disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism. The way they ask suggests they believe that as their psychiatrist, I can identify hidden attributes in their brains, much in the same way one of my physician colleagues might diagnose a patient with a genetic mutation or bacterial infection.
The reality is messier and, in some ways, unsettling. When psychiatrists say that you “have A.D.H.D.,” what they really mean is something like this: After spending time listening........