Before I get into the science of the topic of ADHD, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist, biochemist or psychologist to tell me that this is a bunch of B.S.

Look, 30 years ago no one heard of ADHD and yet someone now every other child is being diagnosed with it?

Allow me to now get into the science part and introduce you to a man named Jerome Kagan. Academics view him as one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.

Kagan is well-known for his pioneering work in developmental psychology at Harvard University.

A ranking of the 100 most eminent psychologists of the 20th century published by a group of US academics in 2002 put Kagan in 22nd place, even above Carl Jung (the founder of analytical psychology-23rd)and above Ivan Pavlov (who discovered the Pavlovian reflex-24).

It may be very surprising to learn that he believes that the most current diagnosis of ADHD is a mere invention rather than a serious condition.

So it may be surprising for you to learn that Kagan believes the diagnosis of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is an invention which mainly benefits the pharmaceutical industry and psychiatrists.

He has spent decades observing and documenting how babies and small children grow, measuring them, testing their reactions and once they’ve learned to speak, questioning them over and over again. He is an exceptional and highly-regarded researcher.

According to National Institute of Mental Health ADHD or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a brain disorder marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.

Proposed Causes of ADHD

Researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health believe ADHD may be caused by a blend of nature (genes) and nurture (environment). Ok, but doesn’t that cover virtually any mental illness or affliction?

This is the best guess as to what is causing this ADHD phenomenon:

  • Genes
  • Drug or alcohol use during pregnancy
  • Exposure to environmental toxins, especially lead, as a kid
  • Low birth weight
  • Brain injuries

Proposed Features of ADHD

The so-called features of ADHD include:

  • Inattention  their attention wanders off easily.
  • Hyperactivity  they talk a lot, fidget, full of energy.
  • Impulsivity  they act without much forethought as to the consequences of their actions.

All three of these characteristics sound almost identical to a very particular creature in the wild if you ever watch National Geographic…the beast is known as a “human child” (please know that I’m kidding) and yet this is being diagnosed as a mental illness (not kidding).

Abusing the Label “Mental Illness” for Profit?

In an interview with Spiegel, Kagan addressed the skyrocketing rates of ADHD in America. Which correlate with skyrocketing profits in the medications that treat it. He attributes to “fuzzy diagnostic practices” and illustrated his point with the following example:

“Let’s go back 50 years. We have a 7-year-old child who is bored in school and disrupts classes. Back then, he was called lazy. Today, he is said to suffer from ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). That’s why the numbers have soared,” says Kegan in the interview.

When asked about his opinion on the disorder, Kegan told the Spiegel: “(ADHD) It is an invention. Every child who’s not doing well in school is sent to see a pediatrician, and the pediatrician says: “It’s ADHD; here’s Ritalin.”

In fact, 90 percent of these 5.4 million kids don’t have an abnormal dopamine metabolism. The problem is, if a drug is available to doctors, they’ll make the corresponding diagnosis.”

He then continues: “We could get philosophical and ask ourselves: “What does mental illness mean?” If you do interviews with children and adolescents aged 12 to 19, then 40 percent can be categorized as anxious or depressed. But if you take a closer look and ask this seriously impairs how many of them, the number shrinks to 8 percent.

Describing every child who is depressed or anxious as being mentally ill is ridiculous. Adolescents are anxious, that’s normal.

They don’t know what college to go to. Their boyfriend or girlfriend just stood them up. Being sad or anxious is just as much a part of life as anger or sexual frustration.”

According to Kagan, the fact that millions of American children who are inaccurately diagnosed as mentally ill because they think there is something fundamentally wrong with them are devastating.