By Lauren Howard
Teen Page Editor
lhoward@decaturdaily.com · 340-2436
Few teenagers stay focused through every class every day. High school junior Desirae Hennington and sophomore Brian Verchot struggle to pay attention during all their classes on any given day.
Doctors have diagnosed Brian and Desirae with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, which begins to produce symptoms by age 7 and affects roughly 4 percent of Americans.
Marked difficulty sustaining attention and impulsivity characterize the condition. Students with ADHD, Decatur psychiatrist Meriwether Brown explained, could take eight hours to complete homework others can finish in two.
Prescription drugs calmed Desirae and Brian's hyper behavior and lessened Brian's distractibility, yet both quit taking their medications. For Austin High student Desirae, who was diagnosed in elementary school, Ritalin only lessened her attentiveness. Decatur High student Brian said the non-stimulant drug Strattera, initially prescribed to him in eighth grade, made him feel like a "zombie."
By the time students with ADHD enter high school, they have developed strategies to cope with the disorder, said Brown, who has not treated either student.
Through trial and error, Brian and Desirae have discovered techniques to improve their study skills. Both realized writing down interrupting thoughts help them get back on track.
"When I read something, sometimes I'll finish the whole chapter without remembering anything. My mind just wanders wherever it wants to go," said Desirae, who maintains a B average by taking lengthy notes while studying.
Brian, who describes himself as an overall C student, procrastinates before tackling frustrating homework assignments, sometimes waiting until midnight to start.
If the schoolwork requires methodical problem solving, like math, Brian may take longer than other students to grasp the concept and complete the assignments. Memorizing history facts, however, is fairly easy. If a subject demands creativity, like English, he excels.
Concentrating on the positive
Research on ADHD's causes and symptoms spans the gamut. All of the theories, however, focuses on deficits, from planning ability to making friends.
But Brian doesn't dwell on the negative aspects associated with attention disorder.
"The majority of people with ADHD have a great deal of enthusiasm about life," said the talkative 16-year-old, who counts himself in that majority. "I think if a person is willing to put time and effort into coping with it, (he) can take advantage of having ADHD."
Desirae predicts she will always have distraction tendencies like trailing off-subject during conversations, but she also appreciates the heightened creativity and intuition that oftentimes accompany her disorder.
"I've really gotten used to it, and there is a lot of good that goes along with it," said Desirae. "It's all part of who I am."
And though Brian knows his talkativeness and excitability may annoy some people, he won't let what he considers a genetic, unavoidable condition affect his attitude.
"I choose to be an individual," said Brian. "I thrive on that. If someone doesn't like me for who I am, I dismiss them. You don't need a whole group of friends. I would rather have a few friends that are like a family."