Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is not technically a mental health disorder since it is categorized as a behavioral disorder in children. However, it is related to mental health and must be diagnosed by a child psychiatrist. As such, it is a disorder deserving attention during Mental Health Awareness Month. ODD is a disorder in which the child exhibits symptoms, such as frequent temper tantrums, arguing with authority figures, disregard for rules and laws, not taking responsibility for misbehavior, irritable and easily annoyed, and being vindictive.

I don’t like Sally because she breathes really loud, so

I kicked her under our desks but my teacher said it’s not allowed.

I don’t want to do my homework so I throw it away,

but my teacher assigns me new stuff every single day anyway.

I don’t care if my humming during our tests is annoying, but

if you need me to stop, I’ll throw everything I see on the ground as I’m leaving.

I don’t want Carl to play on the trees without getting caught, so

I grab the nearest teacher I see and point out that he’s being a snot.

I don’t want to go to school today so that I can sleep more, but

I can’t go home unless I do something naughty – so I called someone a whore.

I don’t like that everyone is constantly asking me questions about my life, and

I don’t like that everyone is passing me to a bunch of different doctors one at a time.

I don’t like that they’re saying that there’s something wrong with me, and

I don’t like that they keep telling me that I have O.D.D.

#Poetry #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #mentalhealthawareness #oppositionaldefiantdisorder