4 weeks ago
Former rugby convention subordinate Willie Mason has spoken retired astir surviving pinch Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and really he doesn't judge medicating kids pinch nan information is nan champion option.
Mason, who was diagnosed pinch nan information successful 2003 while playing for nan Bulldogs, says he gets contacted by nan concerned parents of kids pinch ADHD who want his advice.
'I get a batch of emails from parents, a batch of DM's from parents, saying, "H6151ow did you woody pinch it? My son's sewage ADHD". They're trying to put him connected Ritalin, they're trying to put him connected this, they are trying to put him connected that",' said Mason connected nan connected his Levels pinch Willie Mason and Justin Horo podcast.
'I'm nary expert aliases thing for illustration that, but I would not propose putting him connected Ritalin aliases thing for illustration that.'
The rugby convention prima said nan information tin beryllium utilized for illustration a 'super power' erstwhile nan sufferer tin find thing to attraction connected that interests them - and for Mason this was rugby league.
Willie Mason has opened up astir surviving pinch ADHD and really it impacted his life
Mason was diagnosed pinch nan information successful 2003 while playing for nan Bulldogs
The 43-year-old said he recovered it difficult to attraction connected thing other increasing up, but shot was thing he could excel astatine because it willing him.
The Bulldogs nine believed nan information could person contributed to Mason's much-publicised off-field problems astatine nan clip - and nan ex-star says nan test gave him perspective.
'It made maine attraction much and go amended arsenic a person, because past I understood,' he explained.
Mason says now he's learned to 'be present' successful societal situations and understands really his ADHD impacts him and others astir him.
'They put maine connected Ritalin for a week. And Folkesy [former Dogs coach Steve Folkes], he was against it,' said Mason.
'I went from being fun, life of nan f**king place, to being for illustration that. Super flat.
'And they go, 'what nan f**k person you fixed him? And he [Folkes] grabbed nan vessel and threw it away. And each nan boys took it.'
Mason says he ne'er felt 'right' erstwhile taking nan medicine and implores parents to look astatine different options for their children.
Mason said that he didn't deliberation medicating kids pinch Ritalin was nan correct point to do
'When they supplier these young kids, they are conscionable sitting for illustration that. It's not good,' he said.
'There's different ways astir it. There's much holistic approaches and you've conscionable sewage to beryllium location pinch your kid.'
The NRL fable says that not each kid will beryllium a awesome rugby convention subordinate for illustration him, but astir will beryllium capable to find an liking successful something.
'Don't f**king medicate nan small kid and spell "good luck pinch life" because he's going to beryllium connected them forever,' said Mason.
'I'm not a expert but I cognize I usage it arsenic as superpower. It is simply a superpower. If you tin attraction connected things and you tin find thing that you emotion and are passionate about, you will put 150 per cent power into it, and focus.'
