Attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder as cultural-historical phenomenon

Authors

  • Rolf Haubl

Abstract

This paper does not talk about attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder as a clinical but as a cultural-historical phenomenon. I put forward the hypothesis that the symptoms of children and adolescents who are diagnosed can be put into the history of modern nervousness which dates back to the 19th century. Nervousness is an arousal which - influenced in the typical manner of an epoch - appears during times of radical social change and points to attachment insecurity. Therefore, it is a social problem which is shifted to medicine, where it is treated with drugs. Adults then engage in a controversial discussion regarding effective medical treatment of the condition instead of looking at the social pressures exerted on their sons and daughters.

Keywords Attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder; Nervousness; Attachment; Cultural history; Social change; Medicalization

Author Biography

Rolf Haubl

Prof. Dr. Dr. Rolf Haubl, Professor für Soziologie und psychoanalytische Sozialpsychologie an der Johann-Wolfgang-Goethe-Universität in Frankfurt am Main und Direktor des dortigen Sigmund-Freud-Instituts; Gruppen-lehranalytiker (DAGG); Supervisor (DGSv). Arbeitsschwerpunkte unter anderem: Krankheit und Gesellschaft, sozialwissenschaftliche (historische) Emotionsforschung. Letzte Buchveröffentlichungen: „Hass und Gewaltbereitschaft“, zusammen mit Volker Caysa (Göttingen, 2007); „Neue moderne Leiden“, herausgegeben mit Elmar Brähler (Gießen, 2008).

Korrespondenz: Sigmund-Freud-Institut, Myliusstraße 20, 60323 Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland

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Published

2008-04-01

How to Cite

Haubl, R. (2008). Attention deficit and/or hyperactivity disorder as cultural-historical phenomenon. Psychotherapie-Wissenschaft, (2), 85–91. Retrieved from https://psychotherapie-wissenschaft.info/article/view/93

Issue

No. 2 (2008): Psychotherapie Forum 16/2 (veröffentlicht bei Springer Wien New York)

Section

Original Work

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