That number of people experiencing ADHD, if confirmed, would lead me to start considering it a neurotype and not a disorder.
I was very happy to read the new report on attitudes toward mental health in aviation (this was brought to mind because medxpress, an FAA thing, is similar to the website's name). It was recommended that the FAA loosen its restrictions on several disorders, including treated ADHD.
I think that's a step in the right direction. They really need to either:
1) Admit that these things are a real problem and take away the light sport license, which doesn't require a third class medical
or
2) Admit that these things are not a real problem, and liberalize the third class medical
Their current policy is just confused. If people aren't worthy airmen, there's no reason to let them fly the least reliable kind of plane (the kind you can assemble in your garage...). If they are worthy airmen, there's no reason to deny them a 3rd class medical.
My pet theory is that everyone has ADD/ADHD at some level, particularly when tasked with something they do not like to do or want to do, and that the rise in ADD/ADHD is worsened by short-form content because it further reduces attention span.
I don't think it's a real disorder, nor do I think giving people amphetamine is a great idea.
> with something they do not like to do or want to do
That's not a great distinction. The real issue is when it affects things you like and want to do. We know which areas of the brain change over time with ADHD and that it's inheritable. We know multiple biomarkers correlating with the symptoms. The "not a real disorder" takes at this point are BS.
That number of people experiencing ADHD, if confirmed, would lead me to start considering it a neurotype and not a disorder.
I was very happy to read the new report on attitudes toward mental health in aviation (this was brought to mind because medxpress, an FAA thing, is similar to the website's name). It was recommended that the FAA loosen its restrictions on several disorders, including treated ADHD.
I think that's a step in the right direction. They really need to either:
1) Admit that these things are a real problem and take away the light sport license, which doesn't require a third class medical
or
2) Admit that these things are not a real problem, and liberalize the third class medical
Their current policy is just confused. If people aren't worthy airmen, there's no reason to let them fly the least reliable kind of plane (the kind you can assemble in your garage...). If they are worthy airmen, there's no reason to deny them a 3rd class medical.
My pet theory is that everyone has ADD/ADHD at some level, particularly when tasked with something they do not like to do or want to do, and that the rise in ADD/ADHD is worsened by short-form content because it further reduces attention span.
I don't think it's a real disorder, nor do I think giving people amphetamine is a great idea.
Would you like to see my college transcripts and try to guess when I got medicated?
> with something they do not like to do or want to do
That's not a great distinction. The real issue is when it affects things you like and want to do. We know which areas of the brain change over time with ADHD and that it's inheritable. We know multiple biomarkers correlating with the symptoms. The "not a real disorder" takes at this point are BS.