What Did You Just Say??!!

We live in a age where the internet and social media have given users a false sense superiority.  We now have access to a world of unfiltered and often unverified information, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Social media has allowed users to take on new personas.  With each new persona users feel entitled to speak freely about any topic, often with out regard for others feelings.

I have found this issue to happen consistently when the topic of ADHD comes up.  My youngest daughter has been diagnosed with ADHD, among other serious diagnoses.  ADHD is a very real disorder.  There are those people, who do not have children with the condition, who feel compelled to speak about the topic.  I happen to encounter a gentleman who felt the need expound upon the disorder, today while reading an online article.

This particular gentleman and I had read the same article on ADHD, which had been posted on a social media site.  "Mr. Doe" feels that ADHD is a bunk condition that does not exist,.....ADHD in fact must be a product of the pharmaceutical industry.  I live with a child who who has struggled with the disorder everyday for the past 4 years. I felt qualified to comment on his thoughts.  I pointed out that ADHD is a very real condition, some children have no option but treatment with medication.

I am a Christian.  One of the tenants of the Christian faith is, “Judge not lest ye be judged.”  Since our daughter came into our lives I have spent a great deal of time defending the choices we have made in raising our daughter.  Many people do not understand that ADHD is not a result of bad parenting.  In my daughter's case, it was a result of severe abuse and neglect during infancy.  The trauma and abuse she suffered before she was placed in our home, changed her life forever.  Mr. Doe's suggestion of treatment by martial arts will not change her behaviors, I truly wish it would.

There was one last thing Mr. Doe suggested, that even as a Christian, I still disagree with.  Mr. Doe suggested that my daughter was possessed by evil.  He suggested that I read a particular book and all would be ok.  I can say with certainty that my daughter is not possessed by evil.  Evil does make her the child that she is.  My little girl is one of God's children.  1 John 4:4: Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.

The evil that exists in this world does not come from or through my daughter.  Evil was thrust upon my daughter by the people who brought her into this world, and did not protect her.  Evil was the abuse that was allowed to go on for the first 14 months of her life.  I have seen the faces of evil and it is not in my sweet, little girls eyes.  When I look at my little girl I see a blessing from God.

So, what lesson have I learned from today.  I have to stop listening to the so called "experts" on the web.  As much as I would like to “right” the wrong when I see inaccuracies on the web,  it isn't worth engaging people who just don't know what they are talking about.  Lastly, no matter how reasonable I am there are some people who can not be reasoned with.   I can deal with my family, I will let God deal with everyone else.