Sensitive Topic Something I'm upset about

[Cinnamon115]

I don't mean to upset anyone here, and please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I found a story on yahoo about an 18 year old in Madison, Wisconsin who was shot and killed for armed robbery. This person had ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I've got ADHD, so it really hurt when I read the comments and I saw people saying how ADHD is just an excuse for lazy parents to medicate their kids and such. These people have no idea what it's like to have ADHD and it really hurt. I commented on the article myself, asking people to please not judge those with ADHD, as our lives are pretty hard already. I'm still feeling upset and I was hoping someone here could also understand where I'm coming from on this.
Here's the link to the article if anyone wants to read it:
http://news.yahoo.com/madison-police-response-shooting-contrasts-ferguson-064356055.html

 

[Aspergirl4hire]

"You can't fix stupid," said a comedian. I think you also can't fix scared. I don't tell people IRL that I have ADHD, I show the energy and the results.

News gets to be what it is for drama--news sell fear because fear sells news. That said, bravo for standing up, and don't let it get to you. There are a lot of reasons someone gets pushed to the edge, and the people who point their fingers the most are likely to be the people who fear "difference" because if you're not like them, what are you?

Take it in stride. I suspect the bigger problem is we now know a lot more about violent events and not so much about the causes of violence, and you took a good step for that.

And, welcome to AC. I'm glad you're here.

 

[Slithytoves]

I'm sorry those comments hurt you. Yahoo News is infamous for attracting some of the nastiest posts of any news page. My best advice would be to skip the comments section when you read articles online unless they're on a site with a more educated, refined audience. There are always going to be horrible people out there who use the anonymity of the internet to spew their ignorance and prejudice. All you can do is avoid, avoid, avoid.

ADHD is as real as the people who have it, and as hard to live with as they find it. Sadly, some people don't have the capacity for either understanding or restraint.

 

[Datura]

I second what Slithytoves said. I find that most comment sections are like the gutter of the internet, they are where all of the garbage collects. I think there is also something about comment sections which biases toward people expressing outlier opinions, so what you see there isn't necessarily representative of the general population. Still, it hurts to be on the wrong end of other people's ignorance and intolerance.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Never read comments on YouTube, Yahoo, or Cracked. And I'm sure there are plenty others. I'm not sure what label those people qualify for, but they are real buttholes.

 

[raspyaspy]

This is why the internet causes me so much anguish now. People put all their negative energies into it and it just wears on me. I don't even like reading comments to things I post because I'm convinced every time someone will find fault or I will have accidentally made someone feel bad while being well intentioned.

I do think the people commenting (and it is a bad place and time to have the discussion) on that topic aren't trying to demonize people with ADHD though... Not all of them. It is probably them venting frustration that kids are being overly diagnosed and overly medicated and it is doing real harm to them. Was it the right time, place, or informative method? Absolutely not. I am in that camp, but I also believe there are cases where medication may be warranted when all else has failed or it is extremely disruptive to the person.

I know it is easy to get caught up in the emotion and the offense you take to someone's poorly placed rant/attack. Try to understand that those people may just feel very emotional or angry out of a place of compassion. Not always, of course. Sometimes people just feed on trolling and spreading their own misery. I feel sorry for them, too. That must be some load of misery.

 

[Tia Maria]

I don't mean to upset anyone here, and please don't take what I'm saying the wrong way. I found a story on yahoo about an 18 year old in Madison, Wisconsin who was shot and killed for armed robbery. This person had ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I've got ADHD, so it really hurt when I read the comments and I saw people saying how ADHD is just an excuse for lazy parents to medicate their kids and such. These people have no idea what it's like to have ADHD and it really hurt. I commented on the article myself, asking people to please not judge those with ADHD, as our lives are pretty hard already. I'm still feeling upset and I was hoping someone here could also understand where I'm coming from on this.

Cinnamon115, I'm sorry that the comments you read felt offensive, & hurt you. And I'm glad that you were able to feel understood & validated by other members here. I agree that you should try to not take such comments personally or let them bother you. Not reading them is probably a good policy!

I scanned them quickly, though not all because there are a ton. But my takeaway was that most of the posters were pointing out that having ADHD, anxiety &/or depression are not a reason or excuse for committing crimes such as robbery & the like. Many pointed out that there are plenty of other people who also suffer from ADHD, anxiety &/or depression who are not out conducting armed robbery &/or other crimes. I did not get the overall sense that posters were blasting people who suffer from any of these disorders, but there did seem to be a consensus that having these disorders did not justify or excuse a person's criminal behavior or activities.

I did not see the particular comments you referenced nor did I see your own comment. But I understand completely that reading comments critical of people who have ADHD would feel very insulting & hurtful to you.

 

[oregano]

I recently have butted heads with people on another forum who say that ADHD isn't real etc. One guy in particular is an old soldier with PTSD and a bunch of other ailments related to service (he was in Iraq) who keeps following me around saying that I'm a loser and a defeatist and a quitter and need to stop making excuses for myself and just be normal. It's very much "military philosophy"-be a man and go out there and fight. What's worse is that this jerk has been following me around from forum to forum for several YEARS! He even convinced one forum admin (who was a friend) to make him a mod just so he could ban me. I believe that he also got my home address from somewhere and for a while was signing me up for all sorts of bizarre stuff just to harass me. I don't know why he hates me enough to follow me around from forum to forum just so he can keep screaming at me. But yeah, news article comment sections have gotten so bad that numerous media outlets have disabled them because of all the bile.

 

[Progster]

I'm sorry those comments hurt you. Yahoo News is infamous for attracting some of the nastiest posts of any news page. My best advice would be to skip the comments section when you read articles online unless they're on a site with a more educated, refined audience. There are always going to be horrible people out there who use the anonymity of the internet to spew their ignorance and prejudice. All you can do is avoid, avoid, avoid.

ADHD is as real as the people who have it, and as hard to live with as they find it. Sadly, some people don't have the capacity for either understanding or restraint.

I agree with this. Comment sections open to the general public and sites like Youtube are troll magnets, a free-for-all for any troll or idiot who happens to pass by. sometimes I think that people make accounts for the sole purpose of trolling. I can't think of anything more pointless and meaningless than to write comments which deliberately provoke and insult. They are just seeking attention and I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of getting any. I would just not look at the comments section at all.

 

[Ste11aeres]

I recently have butted heads with people on another forum who say that ADHD isn't real etc. One guy in particular is an old soldier with PTSD and a bunch of other ailments related to service (he was in Iraq) who keeps following me around saying that I'm a loser and a defeatist and a quitter and need to stop making excuses for myself and just be normal.

Ironic, considering that's what they used to say about PTSD.

 

[AsheSkyler]

Ironic, considering that's what they used to say about PTSD.

That likely applies to everything not blatantly obvious. Germs were on that list once too. I'm glad I didn't live in THAT timespan.

 

[4gottenLoreKali]

The real worst in humanity, the parasites, the scum, the dogs, the filth, the c*nts (in the gender-neutral sense...), the sh*t... they tend to come out in full force on the internet. Much of the reason why I'm such a misanthrope is because of the sadistic and pridefully intolerant comments made by such people who think their opinion means anything. I mean, common sense is not all that common these days. And compassion? Forget about it.

It hits me especially hard because my life IRL is bad enough as it is, and the Internet is my escape from all my bullsh*t in life. To see it infected with all these bigots is disheartening and maddening. Even on places I thought were safe, I see these unfortunate, pathetic, soulless vampires spew their filth day in and day out. One of the things I like about this forum is (from what I've seen so far) we have none of that.

I didn't even click on the link, in all honesty. I already know how infinitely heartless people can get and how weaklings love to hide behind a keyboard and act all tough when in reality they are the weak ones. I can get an idea.

It may sound messed up and insensitive, and don't take this the wrong way, but look at it this way: it's a very good sign that you are troubled by these self-appointed gods, as I like to call them. It shows that your heart is in the right place, like mine, and that isn't something we see all too often these days.

 

[King_Oni]

I have a little rule going on when it comes to internet comments;

"If you don't dare to say it out loud face to face, don't say it online either. Lest you don't mind to be punched in the face numerous times."

But as it seems anonimity does change plenty of people for the worst since they assume they can get away with it.

 

[IrishAspie]

I agree with this. Comment sections open to the general public and sites like Youtube are troll magnets, a free-for-all for any troll or idiot who happens to pass by. sometimes I think that people make accounts for the sole purpose of trolling. I can't think of anything more pointless and meaningless than to write comments which deliberately provoke and insult. They are just seeking attention and I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of getting any. I would just not look at the comments section at all.

I think its just an outlet for peoples worst side to come out, they likely would not say this stuff in public and I suspect they don't really believe half of it themselves.
It merly a vent for their own frustration. Best not to reply, at most click the report abuse button and walk away.