Unlocking ADHD writer Yiannis Kourakis shares the story of Simone Biles— gymnast, Olympic gold medal winner and fellow ADHDer.
“I have ADHD and have been taking medicine for it since I was a kid. Please know, I believe in clean sport, have always followed the rules, and will continue to do so as fair play is critical to sport and is very important to me.” This is a message that Simone Biles sent on Twitter, on September 14, 2016. But why would she reveal she has ADHD? To set her record straight.
It sounds like something from a Hollywood movie script – but this time it was real: Russian hackers leaked her anti-doping and medical results online, which revealed that she was taking the drug Methylphenidate (or “Ritalin”). The hacker group “Fancy Bears” claimed responsibility for leaking World-Anti-Doping-Agency database facts for Simone Biles and accused her of taking an “illicit psycho-stimulant”. Under normal circumstances, Ritalin would be an illegal banned substance, but because Biles was diagnosed with ADHD since she was a child, she can medicate on the drug by exception and still compete in tournaments.
Girls are underdiagnosed
Simone is the most decorated American gymnast in recent history. Born on March 14, 1997, she has won over 30 medals, including 4 golds in the Olympic games and 19 golds in world championships. Simone chose to switch to home-schooling from a young age, to be able to better adjust her schedule to her 25-30 hour a week workout demanding routines. Her open disclosure that she is being treated for ADHD has been an inspiration to many girls and women all over the world.
While boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed than girls, this does not mean that ADHD is not prevalent amongst females. Symptoms for ADHD in boys are “louder” – hyperactivity, being disorderly, “annoying others”; whereas in girls, ADHD can often manifest differently: withdrawal and being quiet, lack of focus, appear as though they are not listening, anxiety, or verbal aggression (“name-calling”), to name a few. As a result, many women get undiagnosed with ADHD as the symptoms are not as pronounced and obvious as the ones for men.
Education on symptoms and early treatment for your child is crucial in order to realise their life to their fullest potential and excel. As Simone Biles demonstrates, destigmatising the condition and proactively treating it are part and parcel of a high achiever’s portfolio. To put it in a subsequent tweet: “Having ADHD, and taking medicine for it is nothing to be ashamed of, nothing that I am afraid to let people know [sic].”
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