ADHD Medication and CHL

[Skaven]

Ok so a friend of mine has his CHL, and he was just diagnosed as ADHD. I know it would be an issue if he was applying for his CHL, but he already has it. What would be the rules he should follow when he carries? He is taking Ritalin and it is prescribed through a doctor. Also, would ADHD be a debilitating medical condition?

[Keith B]

Ok so a friend of mine has his CHL, and he was just diagnosed as ADHD. I know it would be an issue if he was applying for his CHL, but he already has it. What would be the rules he should follow when he carries? He is taking Ritalin and it is prescribed through a doctor. Also, would ADHD be a debilitating medical condition?

ADHD is not a condition that would prohibit you from getting a CHL, unless there were other psychiatric conditions along with it, such as paranoid schizophrenia, delusional conditions, etc. Ritalin is only used to help retain focus. Really not any different than people who suffer from mild panic attacks and take Zoloft or other mild depressives.

[Skaven]

I will let him know. Thanks.

[Divided Attention]

ADD nor ADHD fall into the prohibitive categories. It is a medical, not a psychiatric condition. Many people in high stress, multitasking positions such as fighter pilots are ADD - they are great at multitasking and noticing less than obvious details.

I like ADD kids - but I might be a little biased.

Oh - look! A squirrel!

[The Mad Moderate]

ADD nor ADHD fall into the prohibitive categories. It is a medical, not a psychiatric condition. Many people in high stress, multitasking positions such as fighter pilots are ADD - they are great at multitasking and noticing less than obvious details.

I like ADD kids - but I might be a little biased.

Oh - look! A squirrel!

ADD can be a lot of fun if you... oh look at the kitty... have a sense of hurmor

[flintknapper]

ADD nor ADHD fall into the prohibitive categories. It is a medical, not a psychiatric condition. Many people in high stress, multitasking positions such as fighter pilots are ADD - they are great at multitasking and noticing less than obvious details.

I like ADD kids - but I might be a little biased.

Oh - look! A squirrel!

Thats good!

[CC Italian]

ADHD. Being that I am about thirty I am part of that generation where every other person had ADHD when I was in elementary or junior high school. Schools and countless college studies have come out the last few years saying much of Gen X and Y were misdiagnosed for years and all lumped together. I am not saying your friend doesn't have it but they diagnosed me when I was in 3rd grade with it and took medications until I was a freshman in high school. Found out that I had a mild form of Dyslexia when I went to military school when I was given a simple test by our school corpsmen and was misdiagnosed for years by the school district and my doctor. Never took another mediation since and I graduated top of my class in college with not to much trouble.

Another buddy I went to school with thought he had ADD and found out he had a very mild case of Asperger syndrome. We always just thought he was a little slower or had ADD but turns out he didn't get diagnosed until he was 25. These days the school districts are better educated on these disabilities and know the specifics. 20 years ago you just have ADD.

He graduated college and has a normal life as well. Nowadays in the schools far fewer children are diagnosed then 10-20 years ago and take fewer medications because they have come to the conclusion that kids are just kids and that changes in society have affected children's attention spans. Again many studies have come out in the last few years but it is all mainly related to less physical activity and more technology based communication and entertainment. Basically people interact less in a person to person capacity starting as a child nowadays, which we all know.

Long story short, your friend is fine!

[CC Italian]

Also about 80% of students with ADD at schools are boys. Once again there has been a lot of research into girls being able to multi task more then boys and the gap narrows as boys mature into men but there is clearly a difference between boys and girls in learning styles before they fully mature.

[Jasonw560]

I'm sorry....what was this thread aabout again?

[Scott in Houston]

I'm sorry....what was this thread aabout again?

Best post of the year IMO.

[Texas Dan Mosby]

Many people in high stress, multitasking positions such as fighter pilots are ADD...

No.

They are not.

The skill set and focus required to become a fighter pilot, let alone any other "high stress multi-tasking" duty, are the complete OPPOSITE of those exhibited by individuals who claim to have A.D.D..

Having completed a career in a "high stress multi-tasking" environment, I can tell you that ANY of my compatriots who exhibited symptoms of A.D.D. would have been IMMEDIATELY removed from their position.

[CombatWombat]

ADD is, hang on a second.......…....................................................................sorry I saw something shiny, anyway ADD can be, whoops........................................................had to clean a gun, well? What was I saying?