ladyluckible t1_itogsxu wrote on October 25, 2022 at 3:25 AM

Reply to comment by Rubyhamster in Study finds brain changes associated with ADHD remission. As the brains of those with ADHD mature, some individuals may repetitively engage in strategies that compensate for symptoms. These repetitive behaviors may result in the brain changes seen in those who went into remission. by Wagamaga

Don’t some people actually grow out of their ADHD as they mature and their brain changes?Remission also doesn’t mean cured, it can mean symptoms or progression of symptoms isn’t happening

Rubyhamster t1_itowycd wrote on October 25, 2022 at 6:15 AM

No, that is not the consensus among those who specialize in ADHD. As far as I know, adults who live successfully with ADHD brains have just learned tonnes of trategies of masking and coping and/or have a lifestyle/job that works well with ADHD. Why else would so many thousands get diagnosed as adults, after first picking up unhealthy coping mechanisms, addictions, depression, anxiety and OCD? My childhood worked fantastically with my ADHD so I heard for decades that I can't have it ("No, cuz you did well in school"-BS). ADHD brains are generally fantastic in certain jobs like police, fire department, freelance, arts&crafts, the army, consultant firms and highly structured jobs. It is also a spectre. There is no default setting for neurotype in humans. Autism can't be "cured" either, but we can learn like any other. E: Thank you for the explanation of "remission". I guess it can make sense if they only mean the negative aspects of "symptoms of ADHD". But, ADHD is only defined as a deficiency in modern society. The human race have evolved ADHD brains because it has been largely beneficial most of our existence. We generally work fantastically in a crisis and high intensity.

kathmandu_interlude t1_itpge6r wrote on October 25, 2022 at 10:46 AM

I have ADHD and I study CogSci so this is a very personal topic to me. ADHD doesn't ever go away, you are correct, but it also can come in extremely varying sets of symptoms. The article suggests that through medication and therapy the synaptic pathways that have developed along the ADHD rule set can be compensated for, and while those original ADHD pathways never truly go away, they can be ignored to the point that the new pathways entirely make up for them. Hence, symptom amelioration. Hope that helps!