It's because in the US, ADD/OCD-like behaviors are seen as a problem, while in Europe they're considered "natural" up to a pretty high point.

I don't even know which is worse - making kids with slight ADHD take stimulants (US) or ignoring the symptoms unless they're truly a problem (bad grades and behavior aren't - you're just mentally stupid or a culturally uneducated prick in Europe).

People with slight ADD/OCD can get by, but they'll always feel something is wrong and that no one understands them (plus some may never reach their full potential), while those on meds will suffer later on...

"in Europe they're considered "natural"

That is because when a majority of people exhibit certain traits, those traits do not constitute aberrance. Marketing, Pharma influence & FUD peddling can make a majority feel singled out. Fear & consumption 101.

Assuming ADD is real (and I strongly believe it is), that doesn't imply that the only alternative to medication is denial. In the US, besides Big Phrama, I think another big reason we reach for the pillbox is because it's a simpler and cheaper "solution" than trying to teach hyperactive children to better manage themselves and having other contingencies in place for when a child is not coping well.

I believe ADD is an umbrella diagnosis for a number of related/unrelated symptoms we do not fully comprehend, or want to comprehend. I'm sure nobody's brain reacts the same as any other, so 'imbalance' can easily be misconstrued to include everyone, not just extreme cases. It is an easily marketable diagnosis requiring little effort(patient's prerogative) and profitable returns(healthcare provider's prerogative).

I strongly agree with 2nd point, personal accountability and good stewardship/parenting are lost values in the western world. Our youth are bored and brainwashed by the media...I was too. We're constantly reminded we are 'special'(individually, just like everyone else), we can buy happiness/solutions to our problems if we have the latest/greatest (*) and 'Not my kid' is almost a national anthem. Perception is everything & it too is easily manipulated by selfish and external influences. I too am impressionable and find much of marketing insulting, sometimes assaulting. That's why I do not watch commercial television and browse the Tubez w/ AdBlock & NoScript...I am startled sometimes when I browse without them, it's a completely different experience.

edit: reworded last two sentences

That's because people like to equate wanting their desk to be neat with OCD.

I do think that TV and internet have done nothing to help my attention span, but it might just be that I dismiss things I have no interest in. When I am doing something interesting I can focus easily for a long time.

I've got my doubts on a whole lot of psychiatric disorder diagnostics. That said: I really hate any sort of intrusive distractions. Nothing but nothing but nothing will convince me to kill a browser tab faster than that kind of crap.

I too question "a lot of psychiatric disorder diagnostics". I even question if Psychiatry even deserves it's own speciality. Maybe they deserve a speciality in medicine, but their training needs a revival--a serious restructuring of all teaching requirements in order to obtain a license to call themselves specialists? Actually, I would like to see all medications that don't work, or work slightly better than placebo( in a bunch of "cherry picked" studies, by drug companies); made illegal to sell. I still can't believe their are Psychiatrist out their who claim to know how a particular drug works in the brain. I literally want to throw up when I hear a Doctor who claims to be an expert in their esoteric field of medicine. Especially, when every other month a study comes out questioning the validity of a medication, or the efficacy of Therapy. Yes--I will take my expensive, addictive medications--like I do every day. Sorry, for my rant. Oh yea, why am I still paying for doctors, and meds? Because, insurance companies just flat out refuse to cover certain medications, and limit doctor visits. I don't blame Obama--the Republicans fought his original bill at every step. I am grateful that people won't lose their home in collections if they get serious ill.

This subthread has nothing to do with the original article...

Let's please avoid hijacking this discussion and avoid arguing about the prevalence of things like ADD (as richly ironic as these discussions may be :-)

If you think advertising and psychology have nothing to do with one another, you're suffering from delusional disorder (DSM IV 297.1).