Attention To The Facts Videos
Myth busting
Mark Brandtman is a man on a mission - to demystify and destigmatise ADHD. A journey that began in 1994 when his son Patrick was diagnosed with the condition, just one year later, Mark was told something he'd long suspected: he also had ADHD.
Fast forward to 2007 and, with his other son Jack having also been diagnosed 10 years earlier, Mark decided the time had come to do what he could to help debunk some ADHD myths. The result is a series of short videos designed to tackle a number of the common misconceptions people have about ADHD.
- Video #1: Is ADHD overdiagnosed?
Mark Brandtman and his son Jack both have ADHD. Here, they share their thoughts on whether or not the condition is overdiagnosed in Australia.
- Video #2: Is ADHD only a childhood condition?
Mark's eldest son Patrick was diagnosed with ADHD in 1994. Now in his early twenties, both he and his father are still being treated for the condition. So does ADHD really only affect children?
- Video #3: Is ADHD just an excuse people use to justify poor parenting?
Together, Mark and Patrick address the thinking that a diagnosis of ADHD is just a "cover up" for poor parenting.
- Video #4: Do ADHD treatments lead to substance abuse?
Mark and Jack dispute the fact that the medications prescribed to treat ADHD make substance abuse more likely.
- Video #5: Is ADHD medication "kiddie cocaine"?
Find out why Mark believes this myth is more "media headline" material than actual fact.
- Video #6: Is ADHD a cop-out for antisocial behaviour?
Patrick and Jack explain why they believe being diagnosed with ADHD should never be used to justify antisocial behaviour.
- Video #7: Is being diagnosed with ADHD something to be embarrassed about?
Mark's sons refuse to feel embarrassed by their ADHD diagnosis - in fact Patrick believes it's one of his assets. Find out why.
- Video #8: Is ADHD medication addictive?
Patrick and Jack pose a question that will challenge the idea that ADHD medication is addictive.
- Video #9: Is taking ADHD medication always a life-long requirement?
Mark presents an interesting statistic, which show how the length of treatment varies between individuals diagnosed with ADHD.
About Mark Brandtman
Diagnosed with ADHD in 1995, Mark Brandtman has since become increasingly involved in the Australian ADHD arena. Able to draw on his experience working in the country's education sector, experience which saw him take on everything from teaching in the classroom to being an assistant principal, Mark is now an ADHD coach and mentor with Brandtman Educational Consulting, an organisation he helped establish.
Working exclusively with adults and children diagnosed with ADHD, the consultancy provides support and educational resources to schools, as well as directly to parents and their children, about how best to effectively manage ADHD.
In the last decade, Mark has also held a number of leadership positions on the boards of a variety of support groups and national bodies, including The Learning Difficulties Coalition of NSW and the ADHD Global Network, of which he is the immediate past chair.
About the videos
Content for the nine myth-busting videos was developed by Brandtman Educational Consulting, while an educational grant provided by Janssen-Cilag helped fund their production.