In response to a recent article on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults (Too Distracted To Read This? We Thought So -- May 15), Paul Thiessen wrote to express his concern about what he called labelling and treating normal variants of human behaviour (Drugging What's Normal-- letter, May 18).
As I am sure Dr. Thiessen is aware, one of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD is that the symptoms interfere with one's ability to function in a variety of settings. The issue is not labelling and treating normal behaviour. The issue is quality of life.
Dr. Thiessen wonders why such gifted and talented individuals as Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein should be labelled with ADHD, when they were so highly creative and successful. That argument doesn't hold water. Winston Churchill was a very successful and accomplished alcoholic. Would Dr. Thiessen have denied him treatment for his alcoholism on the basis of his accomplishments?