What about “Labeling” and ADHD?

Many people choose to avoid getting a formal diagnosis for their ADHD due to being afraid of  labeling.  Labeling can take various forms, but almost always a diagnosis is better than letting a disability fester un-named.

First of all, a diagnosis is privileged medical information between you and your doctor.  Period.  It is your choice to reveal your diagnosis or not reveal your diagnosis to any other person. 

Self-labeling.  Sometimes people are afraid that having a diagnosis of ADHD will cause a person to feel they are “stupid” or unable to achieve certain goals.  In actuality, many adults with ADHD report that they felt “stupid” until they had an explanation for their difficulties, or until they got treatment. 

Labeling by school peers.  It is true that taking trips to the special education classroom or the nurse’s office for meds daily can make your child a target.  However, most modern medications do not need to be dosed during school hours, and if your child has issues severe enough to warrant a special education pull out, chances are their issues are noticeable anyway.  The label generally won’t be as much of an issue as untreated ADHD will be. 

Labeling by education professionals.  Could your child be labeled a troublemaker in the classroom?  Chances are, if your child has untreated ADHD and no accommodations in place to help the teacher to maximize your child’s educational performance, your child will be more likely to get a “troublemaker” label, than if you explain to the teacher what is going on, and what techniques will work the best for your child.  Of course, as a parent, you should keep your requests reasonable (keep in mind there are other children in the classroom) and do your part to work with the teacher to get him or her the support he or she needs.

Another issue is being labeled as "slow" or being tracked into less demanding academics because of one's special educational designation.  A diagnosis of ADHD does not mean (a) the child's school has to know , (b) that the child qualifies for or needs an IEP (special ed) or that (c) inappropriate tracking will occur.   However, that is not to say it does not occur.  Parents need to be advocates for their children.  If a child is struggling, a label can help them get the help they need to succeed and eventually shed the special ed designation.  But if the school isn't providing appropriate help, then the  designation may be a way for them to avoid doing their job.  However, instead of letting a student suffer and fail in order to avoid a label, its important for parents to compel the school to provide the help the student needs.

Labeling in the workplace.  Getting a diagnosis and treatment shouldn’t be a matter you need to discuss in the workplace unless you need specific accommodations to get your job done.  Even then, most adults usually don’t need to pull the “disabled” card to get the permission to use headphones (brought from home), to use time management techniques,  or work in a cubicle that is less distracting.

In general, getting an official diagnosis of ADHD is beneficial if it leads to treatment of problematic behaviors or other symptoms.  It’s important not to share your diagnosis unless it is necessary to carry out your treatment plan (with a school teacher, for example) as it can lead to negative labeling.  Being respectful and reasonable with requests for accommodations can also be more helpful in avoiding negative labeling than avoiding a diagnosis.