Let’s talk about diagnosis

Why does it matter how we speak about AD/HD?  Or anxiety or depression or, <Insert Given diagnosis>?

The reason is that a person cannot BE ADHD.A person cannot BE ANXIETY. A person cannot BE DEPRESSION. I would even caution us about saying someone “is neurodivergent.” How about, saying, instead, their brain is neurodivergent?

This is the part where I get into the weeds, and play the semantics game.  

A person cannot BE a diagnosis.

But how did we get here? Why do we talk like this? We do it because it is faster to say, or we’ve heard others say it like that. 

To say that a person has an AD/HD diagnosis, or <insert given diagnosis here> can be accurate. 

The person themself, cannot embody the diagnosis, but they can “have” a diagnosis that was given to them by a medical professional. 

This wording of having a disorder isn't exclusive to ADHD. It is phrasing that applies to any diagnosis. A diagnosis is not a person. A person can have a diagnosis. This is a very important distinction

You may think this is a silly lesson in grammar, as you tell me that you are long done with grammar school.

But I do want to get in your head a bit, and I DO want to correct you, and anyone else who is walking around saying that they “are ADHD.”

Why Does this Matter?

When we say a person has a diagnosis, we are not labeling, or boxing in a person to the label.

This use of the word “with” is a game changer, and if we are going to play the game, let’s win it! Let’s win at the semantic game. Go ahead and re-humanize, and try it out. Try it on yourself too, if you’ve “been ADHD.”

Give yourself a positive, and accurate reappraisal that you and all humans deserve.

So, let’s start here, today. With using “have.”

The next post I will share is “Eight Ways “With” Packs a Powerful Impact.”