SUPPORTING EVIDENCE: DSM Misuse, Misdiagnosis, and Emotional Harm in Adult ADHD ________________________________________ I. Clinical...

Operator Syndrome (OS) is a term that describes a group of issues affecting many special operations veterans. It includes things like memory problems, sleep issues, depression, chronic pain, emotional instability, substance use, and feeling completely burned out. Most people assume it's just from stress, combat, and repeated head injuries. And yeah—that’s a big part of it. But there’s another piece of the puzzle almost no one is talking about: undiagnosed ADHD

Veterans of the Storm: Why Every Diagnosis Needs a Different Response When a veteran is misdiagnosed — or when the real condition is missed — the treatment fails, the emotional damage grows deeper, and the risk of suicide increases. Below is a breakdown of how each mental health condition screened by Veterans of the Storm requires a different type of support, and what happens when it is misunderstood or treated incorrectly.

This guide helps peer coaches and clinicians identify emotional patterns across major diagnostic categories based on written responses in the unified assessment. These patterns reflect underlying emotional injuries and neurological traits commonly misdiagnosed or overlooked in veterans.

Key Statistics:- Adults with ADHD are five times more likely to attempt suicide compared to those without ADHD.- Approximately 25% of women with ADHD have attempted suicide.- More than 50% of adolescents with ADHD report suicidal ideation.- Among adults with ADHD, over 33% report suicidal thoughts, and 16% have attempted suicide. Contributing Factors:- Impulsivity and emotional dysregulation inherent in ADHD can lead to spontaneous suicide attempts.-