7 Facts About ADHD! (Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder)

We’re in October everyone! That means...get ready! Woohoo! ADHD Awareness Month. A whole month devoted to sharing reliable and scientifically proven information on ADHD. This post is inspired by the website "adhdawarenessmonth" , whose theme this month, is #ReframingADHDAndDiscoveringNewPerspectives.

Obviously the year is 2021 but I thought it would be nice to display both ribbons side by side.

Image Credits: Posted by MHIIR on Twitter. All credits to the creator. I don’t own this image.

Before we start, how about a little background? What is ADHD?

• Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that is characterised in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders Version 5 (DSM-V) by inattention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

In the spirit of ADHD awareness month, this October, here are 7 facts about ADHD:

1. ADHD is real.

   This one seems obvious right? Yes, but there’s more to it! ADHD is a genuine medical condition. As stated in an article by Medical News Today (2021), there are often differences in the brain development, structure, and function of people with ADHD. Both adults and children can benefit from the right support measures, though not all choose to seek it or require it. Each person is unique.

2. ADHD is common, and it doesn’t discriminate!

   ADHD affects persons of all ages, gender identities, races, IQ, religious and socio-economic backgrounds, you name it. A common misconception is that you can’t have ADHD if you’re “smart” but IQ/intelligence—which are arbitrary and controversial constructs—have nothing to do with ADHD! ADHD is more often diagnosed in those identifying as male, but it is possible that because it often looks different in people identifying as female, it goes under the radar and might be underreported. The “World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement” (Faraone et al., 2021) suggests that “ADHD occurs in 5.9 % of youth and 2.5 % of adults.”. Estimates of how common it is vary based on how it is measured.

   
   

3. Diagnosing ADHD is quite a complex process.

   Importantly, not everyone has ADHD. You might receive a diagnosis of ADHD if you show: a clinically significant level of symptoms, experience sizable problems with daily life in several major areas—such as work, school, or friends—and a childhood history of symptoms. No single test will confirm that a person has ADHD. A diagnosis should be made by someone with expertise in assessing people with ADHD, by combining multiple sources of information such as report cards, parents/caregivers, teachers, and the individual themselves using different methods such as interviews and scales. A number of other conditions resemble ADHD so it is often underdiagnosed/ misdiagnosed: this is important to consider while assessing a person for ADHD.

   
   

4. You can only have ADHD and you can’t have anything else.

   Recent changes have been made to the DSM-V as it has recognized that having comorbidities—i.e. multiple neuropsychiatric conditions at once—is often the rule rather than the exception. Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASCs), Specific Learning Differences like Dyslexia, Tourette’s Syndrome, Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), Affective conditions like Depression or Bipolar and Anxiety related conditions are some of the common ones that present with ADHD (Gnanavel et al., 2019)

5. ADHD isn’t that big of a deal...

   Specifically, when ADHD goes unrecognized, it can contribute to many difficult outcomes such as poorer academic performance, problems at work, run-ins with the law, and more driving citations or accidents. Remember, correlation is not causation. Having ADHD doesn’t “cause” these things to happen to you: these are events which are more common in people with people with ADHD but it is not entirely clear why.

   According to Dr. Joseph Biederman, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, ADHD may be one of the costliest medical conditions in the United States: “Evaluating, diagnosing and treating this condition may not only improve the quality of life, but may save billions of dollars every year.”

6. ADHD is caused by “XYZ unscientific reason” and it’s a really bad thing!

   ADHD is not something that occurs because of too much TV, excess sugar, moral failings, bad parenting, or inadequate teachers. It has genuine biological causes as mentioned. Moreover, some people believe their ADHD is central to their identity or believe there are strengths that come along with it rather than “deficits”. This relates to the Neurodiversity movement. It is crucial to respect how each person feels.

7. ADHD treatment is just stimulant medications.

   Currently, available treatments focus on reducing symptoms of ADHD, improving functioning, or helping people tap into their full potential. Some interventions include medication, various types of psychotherapy, coaching, behavioral interventions, education, and educational support. Usually a person with ADHD receives a combination of these options measures. Of course, not everyone needs or wants treatment as it is not something that always needs to be treated.

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