What is ADHD?

ADHD is an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and it is a neurodevelopmental Disability. The name for ADHD can be quite misleading, as ADHD is not a matter of being attention deficit, but rather a challenge of attention regulation.

Our struggles with hyper fixation are one good example illustrating our abundance of attention, but our inability to control it. (Hyper fixation is when you're completely engrossed by something, to the point where it becomes all-consuming and disrupts your day-to-day functioning.) ADHD is categorized by restlessness, impairments in concentration, and/or impulsive behaviors.

There are 3 presentations of ADHD:

1. Predominately Inattentive Presentation - The individual has challenges organizing and/or completing tasks, following conversations and instructions, overcoming distractions, and remembering details of daily routines.

2. Predominately Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation - The individual has challenges with impulsive behaviors and/or restlessness; this may manifest in the individual frequently interrupting, speaking at socially inappropriate times, and/or excessively moving around.

3. Combined Presentation: The individual has an equal presentation is inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive behaviors.

While ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed neurodevelopmental disabilities in children, it remains a highly misunderstood and stigmatized condition. Some people don't even believe it to be a real condition, but there are more than 100,000 articles in scientific journals on ADHD, with medical textbook references dating back to 1775.

ADHD is an empirically researched and verified medical condition that impacts millions of people of all ages, races, ethnicities, and genders, across the globe.

SOURCES:

“A Brief History of ADHD.” WebMD, 13 July 2020, www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adhd-history.

“Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD | CDC.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 July 2022, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/diagnosis.html.

“What Is ADHD?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 26 Jan. 2021, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/facts.html.