Aunty, some people tell me that Adventists don’t believe in ADHD!
26 February 2024
Dear Aunt Sevvy,
I am in my 50s. I learned about ten years ago that I have ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).
I haven’t sought treatment because someone told me that our church doesn’t believe in ADHD. Could you help me understand?
Signed, A little different
Dear Different,
Congratulations on joining the neurodiversity club!
Neurodiversity, in case you don’t know, is an umbrella term that describes any brain that doesn’t function like a “typical” brain. The word is commonly used to describe ADHD and autism. There is an enormous group of people who have discovered as adults (some when they were seeking help for their ADHD children) that they have been undiagnosed with ADHD their whole lives.
While it’s true that our church hasn’t always kept up with matters of mental health, there is no official disapproval of the ADHD diagnosis. In fact, there are many skilled Adventist psychiatrists and psychologists who understand, study, and treat ADHD. Loma Linda University not only trains mental health experts, but has done research in this field.
Yes, there are some church people and self-supporting groups who minimize mental health problems like ADHD, and suggest alternative (sometimes Ellen White- and health-based) therapies. These are the same people who recommend that a clinically depressed person just needs to have more faith and eat better, or to those who have experienced trauma that they need merely to pray more.
But attitudes about mental health are changing. Medical science has proven that ADHD does, in fact, exist, and that it significantly affects the lives of those who have it. Even the most stubborn denier can only hold out for so long against such compelling evidence.
Here’s the important thing to know: ADHD isn’t a moral failure on your part. Nor is it something to be ashamed of. It is just a very real difference in the way your brain functions and processes information. Learning about that can be freeing and empowering!
And please, don’t be afraid to seek professional help should ADHD affect your daily life.
Aunt Sevvy
Aunt Sevvy has collected her answers into a book! You can get it from Amazon by clicking here.
You can write to Aunt Sevvy at DearAuntSevvy@gmail.com. Your real identity will never be revealed.
