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Hi neurodivergent twt, allow me to introduce you to a disorder no one rlly talks abt called Oppositional Defiant Disorder. Below are the symptoms, but this thread goes more in depth abt it. also, if you have ADHD, you might wanna read this.
I’m literally just making this thread because ODD is quite common, especially in teenagers but no one talks about it because adults often chalk it up to ”my kid is in their rebellious phase”
Oppositional defiant disorder has 4 types: Stimulus Dependent, Cognitive Overload, Fearful, and Antisocial.
Antisocial: they may present symptoms that are more common in antisocial personality disorder or conduct disorder, they’re resistant to change and go against authority by using methods that are more charm and wit than vindictiveness and rage. teens with this subset may +
Have comorbid mood or psychotic disorders. They may be more prone to committing unlawful acts.
Stimulus Dependent: Stimulus Dependent type ODD have noticeably impairing ADHD and have ODD behaviours in multiple settings. Oppositionality reflects low dopaminergic tone hence low reward sensitivity, behavioural disinhibition and impaired behavioural learning.
^ all that alphabet soup just means stimulus dependent kids are seen as “headstrong“, get irritated easily and have trouble learning due to comorbid developmental or intellectual disorders. They show defiant traits in more than one setting, such as school, work and home
Fearful ODD: this includes stress reactive children, who can do well in many contexts, but present with ODD symptoms when threat is present, typically with caregivers. Often they have histories of trauma and mistrust authority +
indeed their behaviours reflect a profile of anxious or ambivalent attachment.
Cognitive Overload: struggles with learning, language and social processing difficulties far in excess of ADHD, and usually meets criteria for learning disability and anxiety disorder not otherwise specified. +
This group has poor executive functioning skills even under low demand conditions and their oppositionality appears for no clear reason beyond resistance to change. They have poor social perspective taking abilities, and are socially awkward.
teens with oppositional defiant disorder are often viewed as “bratty” or “going through a phase” rather than mentally ill, so their symptoms are left unchecked and may develop into personality disorders as an adult.
ODD can vary in severity:
- Mild. Symptoms occur only in one setting, such as only at home, school, work or with peers.
- Moderate. Some symptoms occur in at least two settings.
- Severe. Some symptoms occur in three or more settings.
- Mild. Symptoms occur only in one setting, such as only at home, school, work or with peers.
- Moderate. Some symptoms occur in at least two settings.
- Severe. Some symptoms occur in three or more settings.
Researchers don’t know what causes ODD. But there are 2 main theories for why it occurs:
- Developmental theory. This theory suggests that the problems start when children are toddlers. Children and teens with ODD may have had trouble learning to become independent +
- Developmental theory. This theory suggests that the problems start when children are toddlers. Children and teens with ODD may have had trouble learning to become independent +
from a parent or other main person to whom they were emotionally attached. Their behavior may be normal developmental issues that are lasting beyond the toddler years.
Learning theory. This theory suggests that the negative symptoms of ODD are learned attitudes. They mirror the effects of negative reinforcement methods used by parents and others in power. The use of negative reinforcement increases the child’s ODD behaviors. +
That’s because these behaviors allow the child to get what he or she wants: attention and reaction from parents or others.
ODD needs to be talked about more, especially in neurodivergent communities, it’s often overshadowed on the basis that it doesn’t even exist and is simply the result of a “bad kid”. This isn’t fair to people with it, as we often have it because of comorbid developmental disorders
