Altering the Stigma Around ADHD

 October 10, 2022

Everyone has opinions and perceptions, but sometimes we don’t realize how much verbalizing them can impact those around us. Mental health is one area where opinions are quick to rise and oftentimes hard to handle. Since October is National ADHD Awareness Month, we want to do our part to provide accurate information about what living with ADHD is truly like and hopefully help remove the stigma surrounding ADHD.

What is ADHD Stigma?

In general, stigma exists when there is a negative connotation associated with a characteristic or circumstance and can often arise from misinformation or ignorance on the subject.

Those with ADHD deal with symptoms like inattention, emotional dysregulation, and hyperactivity, which can often be perceived by others as lack of discipline, immaturity, or rudeness. Relationships, jobs, or school may be a challenge to navigate because of this perception, and it can also impact how those with ADHD view themselves, which is known as internal stigma.

There are many misbeliefs attached to ADHD that can perpetuate stigma, and it’s so important that we learn what it truly means to live with ADHD and not rely on the “oh shiny” stereotypes we see portrayed in the media.

Common Misconceptions about ADHD:

• ADHD is not real.
• ADHD is caused by bad parenting methods.
• Doctors over-diagnose or over-medicate.
• ADHD is just hyper or undisciplined kids.

The main thing we want to recognize is that an ADHD brain does have notable differences from that of a neurotypical brain.

"The results from our study confirm that people with ADHD have differences in their brain structure and therefore suggest that ADHD is a disorder of the brain. We hope that this will help to reduce stigma that ADHD is ‘just a label’ for difficult children or caused by poor parenting. This is definitely not the case, and we hope that this work will contribute to a better understanding of the disorder." -Dr. Martine Hoogman

Long-Reaching Impact of Stigma

Stigma can also create fear. Fear of being rejected, judged, or “labeled” often leads parents or individuals not to seek a diagnosis when they are dealing with ADHD-like symptoms. All this really does is hurt the individual as they try to navigate life without the knowledge and help they need. Untreated ADHD can lead to other difficulties such as anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, etc.

Even when you have been diagnosed with ADHD, there are still questions to combat that everyone has a different opinion about. Should you medicate or not? Should you have an IEP for your child? Do you tell potential employers? Ultimately, it is the choice of the individual or caregiver as to what is best in their unique situation, and they need not be judged for that decision. When judgement stops, freedom begins.

How Do We Overcome Stigma?

It’s a lot, huh? So many opinions, so many people impacted. But how do we change this? Little by little! If you’re not bold enough yet to be proud of ADHD, don’t be ashamed of it. Each person we educate about the truth of ADHD reduces the impact of stigma in our society. By spreading awareness and genuine care for others, we can help those dealing with ADHD live their best lives.

So be you! And share your stories with others around you!

Want to share your story with us? We’d love to hear about it!

Share Your Story

References:

Lovering, N. (2022, April 28). Breaking Down the Stigma Surrounding ADHD. Healthline. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/stigma

Paddock, C., PhD. (2017, February 16). ADHD: Large imaging study confirms differences in several brain regions. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315884

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Things are going great! Teachers have said she has done a complete 180. Her temper has gone down and grades are good! My husband went off medication (was on for several years) and switched to Accentrate as well because he saw her great results. He said he has been able to focus almost as well, but no longer has joint inflammation, irritability, and anxiety that comes with medication.

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S. D.

I am the mom of a 14 year old son who was diagnosed in first grade with inattention and emotional dysreguation at the age of 6. It’s been a long and exhausting journey for us. Over the years he has taken many different medications. We have seen a psychologist, a neurologist, done therapy, tutoring and executive functioning boot camps. Nothing has worked as well as Accentrate. I am so thankful that our pediatrician finally recommended it to us. My son has been taking it since October, in conjunction with his medication, and the difference is incredible. I used to say I had a full-time job as his personal secretary. I used to have to constantly be on top of him to make sure he knew what his assignments were, that he was completing them and turning them in on time. We’ve had many long nights, sometimes well into the morning working because he just couldn’t focus. That is no more. I have been able to almost completely step back. He is now aware of what he needs to do all on his own. He packs his own book bag every morning without my help. I no longer have to hover over him to make sure he’s completing his work. Most importantly, he’s finished at a decent hour and no more frustration and arguments. He has been responsible for himself, as it should be. He does still have “off days” every now and then, so I don’t think we’re ready to go without the medicine yet, but I am optimistic now that the day will come where he won’t need it anymore and only take the Accentrate. I recommend it to anyone I speak to who is experiencing the same issues we are. I feel it has been a game changer for us.

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Molly (adult and child user)

I bought the product Accentrate110 for my son and I who both have inattention and emotional dysreguation and are on medication. He is a teenager and his diet is terrible when he does eat so I wanted a quality supplement for him to start with. I read about Accentrate on ADDitude magazine's site and felt it was worth a try. My diagnosis is more recent than his and I have still not found the best med for me, so I wanted to try Accentrate too. We started about 3 months ago and even if it is in my own mind I think that Accentrate is helping with my son — it seems that his moods are better if he is consistently taking it — meaning, that he is less labile and dare I say more pleasant? For me, every little bit helps!

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Helen

We were Vayarin users until they stopped making it. We tried a few products that were supposed to be comparable, and they did not work for us. Then we found Accentrate. We had to find the right dose for my DD. Vayarin worked perfectly for her, and so does Accentrate. We are very thankful for this product and Jessica, she went beyond our expectations. Thank you Jessica and Accentrate.

Pelac

Hello ,we used to use Vayarin for more than a year, than stopped produced it. This is our third mounth we use Accentrate. It’s even better than Vayarin! My son is 6 years old, the attention is now better. He speaks better too.

Tammie

We are starting month 3 and we have seen lots of positive changes with emotional regulation...she is easier to compromise with and a lot quicker to calm self. She has been helping around the house and helping with younger brother ( hw with 6 yr old )…looking forward to many more positives …thank you.

April

My 8 year old has struggles with inattentivenes. Sometimes he has a hard time following conversations and multi step instructions. He started Accentrate more than 2 months ago. His only comment was about the fishy burps! But now he takes them with a small snack and that isn’t a problem anymore. The main difference that we have seen is that he is having an easier time winding down at bedtime. He was having regular meltdowns but they seem to be fewer and farther between. I’m looking forward to seeing if there are any differences once school starts back up since we started at he very end of last school year.

Lori

It has truly made a difference in our son’s life! We are so thankful to have it!

Stephanie

We are nearing the end of our first 45 days of Accentrate for our two boys, and we are pleased to say that we did not skip a beat as we took our last Vayarin one day and we had the Accentrate ready for the next morning. It has been such a seamless transition-our boys (ages 10 and 11) have been able to remain focused and calm. I don’t even consider medication as an option any longer, and there was once a time (before Vayarin and Accentrate) when my husband and I couldn’t get through a day of parenting without our children being medicated. We have been medicine free since April 2018 and we couldn’t be happier-the children are now gaining weight since they don’t take meds, they don’t have the afternoon crash of the meds wearing off, and they are just normal boys! My kids even enjoy taking Accentrate so much more than Vayarin. They would fight us every morning when they took Vayarin saying it “tasted fishy”. Accentrate has NO taste, it is only one pill versus the two pills of Vayarin, and it slides down so easily. The kids just think of it as an extra multi-vitamin because it is filled with so many extra nutrients. They actually take Accentrate willingly! One other benefit of Accentrate-my 11 year old doesn’t even seem to have the edge of anxiety that is so normal for him, he is just so much more relaxed and happy!

Kassie J

My son takes medication. And every day he would come home from school pale in the face with a headache, stomachache, feeling blah. I used to ask him how he was feeling and he’d say, “it’s hard to explain mom, cause I don’t really know how I feel.” We use to call it being zombified. He has now been taking Accentrate for 3 months and the difference in the way he feels, acts, eats is something I prayed for every single day. Accentrate gives my child the vitamins that his brain and body needs. I am amazed at the improvement of his overall health and I have Accentrate to thank. Thank you, you’ve given my son his “life” back! I strongly recommend Accentrate to any parent who has a child with inattention and emotional dysreguation.

Jill F

We were on Vayarin, dr said cut to 1/day instead of 2 to make it last longer. We got Accentrate with 2 Vayarin capsules left. I can honestly say, after watching the hyperactivity come back more and more, and seeing a glimpse of possible autism, 4 days on Accentrate and all that is decreasing! Because we were on Vayarin, and already had a buildup of the omega & (I forget the name) built up in my child’s body, we saw rather quick results. AND he can swallow the pill, which took some coaching as he didn’t swallow pills prior. I’m so glad we were able to find an alternative so quickly!

Navid

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Erica (Adult User)

Did you use the complete 30 (or 90) day supply? Yes, 90 day supply Did the Accentrate carton help with taking the softgel every day? Yes, but when you open the package, the first fold is for the last week which makes it a little confusing. In order to get to the first week you have to open the box and unfold the whole thing. Its also written upside down to the outer packaging. Did you notice any improvements in symptoms? Yes, I saw improvements. My irritability, mental fog, hyperactivity, and impulsivity tendencies decreased. Is the person that used Accentrate presently taking medication? Yes. Is the person that used Accentrate presently taking other dietary supplements? Yes.

Lucinda

My 10-year-old son was diagnosed with combined-type inattention and emotional dysreguation when he was 5 and has been on medicine along with a multitude of vitamins since that time. I went to the International ADHD Conference in November 2018 and met the folks at Accentrate who explained the benefits of this vitamin/supplement for kids with inattention and emotional dysreguation. Interestingly, my son had been taking many of the vitamins contained in Accentrate (i.e. Methyl Folate, B-12, DHA/EPA and D3), however, he had to take a bunch of pills, sprays and drops as opposed to one Accentrate capsule. He took a 3-month supply of Accentrate from January – March. Since my son had already been taking most of the vitamins contained in Accentrate, I didn’t notice a difference in his attention, behavior or self-regulation. After the 3-month supply ended about a month passed when my son was not taking Accentrate. I noticed a HUGE decline in his self-regulation since not being on Accentrate! What this tells me is that Accentrate’s formula absolutely contributes to my son’s ability to self-regulate and focus. I really appreciate the ease of taking just one capsule as opposed to a plethora of vitamins and my son thinks the capsule smells like chocolate so he likes taking it. Highly recommend!

Vincent

Sorry for the late review, but I just wanted thank you guys for such an awesome product. We’ve been giving my son Accentrate for a little over a month and a half and we are really starting to see a big change in my son. Before, he was super hyper and could not focus at school, he used to get easily annoyed and bored. Also, he could not deal with transitions, fidgeting, and making noises and whining. He always wanted to do good in school, but because of his inattention and emotional dysreguation, physically and mentally he was having a difficult time. The school he goes to color codes a kid’s day by his behavior. Red is bad, yellow is ok, green is a good day, and purple is an awesome day. Everyday he would get either a yellow or red, with a green intermittently, forget about him bringing home a purple. Fast forward to now, and he brings home at least one purple during the week, and almost green everyday. He’s only had maybe 3 or 4 yellows since he has been on it. This week he has earned student of the week, the first time ever in his life. I used to stress out everyday because I knew when I picked up my son, I would have to hear how he had a terrible day. Well not anymore. Accentrate has helped my son and I, tremendously. I hope my story can help the parents dealing with their children’s inattention and emotional dysreguation. Don’t rush into medicine without trying a more natural approach. Your kid will benefit in the long run. I started to research different alternatives and noticed some good reviews on Accentrate, that’s when I gave it a try. I can only imagine it will get even better with time. You definitely have a returning customer! I promote your product to everyone that is dealing with inattention and emotional dysreguation issues and will continue to do so. Again, I couldn’t thank you guys enough.

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Mark (Adult User)

I have been on Accentrate for almost 3 months. I take 2 pills daily. I haven’t missed any days.
Prior to starting Accentrate I was on medication. Around 1 month into the Accentrate, I could tell things were changing for me because I felt overstimulated when I took my medication. I have since had my dose decreased to 30mg. Things seem to be better now. Not overstimulated. I’m hoping with continued use of Accentrate, I will continue to decrease my need for medication. I’ve had no side effects from the Accentrate that I’m aware of.

Mandy

We are on month 4 of Accentrate and my 11 year old girl seems so much better!

M Tucker

My son was diagnosed with Ainattention and emotional dysreguation when he was 9. When he was 10, his school pulled my wife and I in and said without saying, “Put him on medication.” We wanted to try a natural route first. We first tried Vayarin for three or so months. We didn’t notice any improvements. Then we found Accentrate, which has the phospholipid omega-3s that Vayarin has, but also has many other vitamins, minerals, and cofactors, and it was cheaper so we thought we’d give it a try. He’s been on it for more than six months. At his parent teacher conference and his report card, his teachers have said his attention and focus is improved. He’s still hyper at home and when we go out. But he can sit and read. He can sit in class and pay attention. We haven’t ever given him medication yet, and for now, I don’t think we will.

Linda W

My son has been steadily improving with his behavior after 3 months on Accentrate. He has had far less episodes at home and at school. He went from failing in all subjects except gym and art, to passing all but one subject, which is reading. I would gather that reading is probably the toughest subject for a child with inattention and emotional dysreguation. He still has a horrible memory, so I am hoping with continuous use of Accentrate this will improve as well.

Kendra O

My 3 kids were diagnosed with inattention and emotional dysreguation recently and our family wasn’t ready to try medicine just yet. I’ve spent at least a couple hundred dollars on different vitamins but they either tasted gross, too chewy or just couldn’t stomach them. I was introduced to Accentrate recently and thought we’d give it a try with our kids. They’ve been on it pretty regularly since summer and they say it helps them. I think it’s a solid product just by doing my own research on what vitamins are beneficial for children with inattention and emotional dysreguation. This is the only vitamin that I have found that combines everything I was looking for. My kids range in age from 8-12.

ADHDmomma

The ingredients in this product are exactly what are used to treat MTHFR genetic polymorphisms, common in kids with inattention and emotional dysreguation and autism. My son takes all of the methylated vitamins in this for MTHFR.

Jen P

My son has been taking Accentrate for the last four months. We’ve noticed improvement and have not felt that medication is necessary right now. The first benefits we noticed were calming in his behavior. He had fewer mood outbursts. He still did, but to a noticeably lessor extent. We have found recently, that we do not have to hassle him to sit and do his homework or reading either. His inattention and emotional dysreguation is still noticeable, but much more manageable. And we are happy that we do not have to medicate at this point.

Corrie

I actually purchased the 3-month supply for both me and my son, so we’re almost through the whole package. Hence, the additional order placed this week. I wanted us both to try it first for a month or so to determine if it’s something we’d like to keep taking. I have noticed some improvements in both of us – specifically in our ability to remember things. That’s been a big issue for both of us – something I’ve often referred to as being “scatter-brained.” I’ve noticed more changes in my son, so I think it’s impacting him more quickly than me, but I’ve seen enough to want to continue. As for the product itself, we love the packaging with the dates – birth-control style, but of course, I’d never tell my son that, because he’d stop taking it. LOL! But seriously, it can be difficult to remember if we’ve taken medicine from day to day, so have a package that helps us manage that is so helpful! It also looks very medical – I had to convince my son that it was like a daily vitamin and not “a medicine.” He didn’t believe me, because of the packaging.

Cherie M

My son has been on Accentrate since June 2018. He is doing very well. He was hyperactive and would get easily agitated. The first thing we noticed was that he had significantly calmed down after a week of taking Accentrate. We didn’t notice improvements in focus or attention until later in September, but this might also be because he wasn’t in school in June or July. We’ve continually reordered because we feel it helps. It’s nice to take one pill instead of multiple supplements.

Cherie M

The first thing we noticed was that he had significantly calmed down after a week of taking Accentrate. We’ve continually reordered because we feel it helps. It’s nice to take one pill instead of multiple supplements.

Twinkie Mom

Accentrate has been very successful for our family. We started our son on it roughly 2 months ago and have noticed an improvement in his behaviour and his focus. Conversations with him are more enjoyable and he seems to be able to keep himself settled a bit more. We like that this product is all natural and that it feeds the brain everything it needs. For this reason, we’ve decided to put our other child on this supplement as well. A few weeks in, we coupled Accentrate with a gluten free and dairy free diet and noticed even greater improvements. We would recommend this product to anyone wanting a natural alternative to medication.

Nikki

My son just finished up the three-month supply we bought and we are re-ordering. While this didn’t help him focus and concentrate like the medication did, there was enough improvement that I’d rather him be on a natural product than on an addictive substance with side effects. His teachers say that he is manageable and are supportive of our decision.

Rebecca

We did not want to medicate our daughter. We searched for different alternatives. We saw that fish oils, magnesium, multi-vitamins might help. And they did. But it was always hard having her take three different pills. This product is great because it’s one small pill with all these nutrients that we were already comfortable with. She didn’t like the fish oil pill, and said it was very fishy. This doesn’t taste fishy to her at all. The tracking component of the packaging is just brilliant. It’s helped us more than once notice we missed a day.

Altering the Stigma Around ADHD

What is ADHD Stigma?

Common Misconceptions about ADHD:

Long-Reaching Impact of Stigma

How Do We Overcome Stigma?

Want to share your story with us? We’d love to hear about it!

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Real Reviews from Real Customers see all reviews 39 Reviews

Real Reviews from Real Customers see all reviews
39 Reviews