Question: Hello Mr. Barkley. Thanks for using your precious time to answer some of our questions.
  
  I wanted to ask, what's your input regarding knowledge and acceptance of ADHD (and other mental disorders) in third world nations? I live in Argentina and people either think ADHD is just getting distracted easily or that it's an incredibly crippling condition; it's white or black, and most don't know about it anyway. When I was diagnosed as a child my mother was advised not to medicate me as she was told I'd "grow up out of it". I know that in many other places things like this are similar, and many many people go undiagnosed for their whole lives.
  
  Do you think this is due to any particular reason other than the socioeconomic conditions of these places? How do you think the medical standards in these places could be improved and the stigma of ADHD and other disorders in society be reduced?
  
  I really hope you have a nice week!
Answer: You are correct that less developed countries either don't identify ADHD at all or don't view it or that it the way that more developed or Westernized countries do.  While that is changing (such as currently in China) its still a problem.  I see it as socioeconomically driven because societies  have to solve certain problems of their survival and welfare before psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders become a higher priority for them to address.  Kenya, for instance, could care less about ADHD, has but one or two psychiatrists for the entire country, and is nearly a failed state so ADHD is no where on their social radar screen so to speak.  I think the same operates in South America but even there varies across countries, with more knowledge and resources and support groups for ADHD now existing in Brazil.  Less so in Argentina or Chile but that will change as more serious societal problems get addressed.
content: Q: Hello Mr. Barkley. Thanks for using your precious time to answer some of our questions.
  
  I wanted to ask, what's your input regarding knowledge and acceptance of ADHD (and other mental disorders) in third world nations? I live in Argentina and people either think ADHD is just getting distracted easily or that it's an incredibly crippling condition; it's white or black, and most don't know about it anyway. When I was diagnosed as a child my mother was advised not to medicate me as she was told I'd "grow up out of it". I know that in many other places things like this are similar, and many many people go undiagnosed for their whole lives.
  
  Do you think this is due to any particular reason other than the socioeconomic conditions of these places? How do you think the medical standards in these places could be improved and the stigma of ADHD and other disorders in society be reduced?
  
  I really hope you have a nice week!
   Ans: You are correct that less developed countries either don't identify ADHD at all or don't view it or that it the way that more developed or Westernized countries do.  While that is changing (such as currently in China) its still a problem.  I see it as socioeconomically driven because societies  have to solve certain problems of their survival and welfare before psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders become a higher priority for them to address.  Kenya, for instance, could care less about ADHD, has but one or two psychiatrists for the entire country, and is nearly a failed state so ADHD is no where on their social radar screen so to speak.  I think the same operates in South America but even there varies across countries, with more knowledge and resources and support groups for ADHD now existing in Brazil.  Less so in Argentina or Chile but that will change as more serious societal problems get addressed.