Oppositional Defiant Disorder: say what?

02-19-2014, 01:39 AM

I was doing a little research on ADD, something I was diagnosed with a while back. Sometimes I just poke around the internet, you know how that goes. You're looking at one thing, which leads to another, and then another... And suddenly I'm reading about how ODD has been linked with ADD. I've never heard of ODD before, but when I read about it...well, it sounded eerily familiar.

Basically, I just want to hear from anyone who has dealt with ODD or similar things. If I ever did have it, I've outgrown it, or maybe the ADD meds have something to do with it. As a child, and even into my teens (although it's pretty normal behavior for teenagers), my mother often described me as "oppositional" and "defiant." In fact, my kindergarten teacher told my parents to start saving up for law school, because I was always arguing. I used to correct my first grade teacher in class. "Got to your room" never meant anything to me and the word "no" was incredibly commonplace.

There's a very good chance this was all ADD, but I'd really appreciate an outside opinion! When I first read about ODD I was completely freaking out, thinking there's something wrong with me and I never knew. I'm not freaking out now, only curious.

Any thoughts?

02-19-2014, 08:55 PM

Quick answer...Yes, its a real childhood condition, a sub category of ADD. My daughter had it, mostly temper and defiance aimed at me, less to her father and none to other adults. She had other add symptoms...lack of attention, lost shoes, coats, homework, lunchbox. Lack of organization. But she was very intelligent, funny, and affectionate, too.
Now in her late twenties she has learned lots of coping skills, and is happy and well adjusted. I spent all of her school years getting her help in the classroom, and getting help for myself to learn the best way to give her the skills and self esteem she would need to be a happy adult.

Btw, my daughter knows she has ADD but I never really told her too much about the ODD, as I didn't think it would help her to know.

03-03-2014, 03:58 PM

Thank you so much for the info!

So then ODD isn't some new term, but has been around for a while? I'll have to ask my mother about this, see if anyone ever dropped the term... That sounds a lot like I was. All the normal symptoms of ADD, but the defiance aimed mostly at my parents, especially at my mom, but also somewhat to teachers, too. I don't know if that was the ADD impulsivity,though, or actual ODD defiance. It probably doesn't matter anymore too much, it just raises a lot of questions for me.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder: say what?

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