ADHD Awareness
May is Mental Health Awareness month, which has been celebrated in the United States since 1949. This is an important event because for too long mental health has been shrouded by stigma. Through awareness and education, we can turn the stigma into hope and start to address mental health in a supportive and holistic way.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is prevalent in 6-12% of American children and teens, and can vary depending on demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status (NCBI). 75% of those will continue to have significant symptoms in adulthood (chadd.org). ADHD has been misunderstood and stigmatized disorder for many years. For this reason, people with ADHD may receive inadequate treatment and end up suffering unnecessarily.
Let’s address some common misconceptions about ADHD:
People with ADHD are just don’t try hard enough
Contrary to what the name suggests, people with ADHD do not necessarily have a deficit of attention. Moreso, they have trouble directing their attention or sustaining their attention onto tasks that they don’t find interesting. Many people with ADHD can actually focus their attention very intently on enjoyable activities, which is why it can be challenging to recognize ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are not uncommon in people without ADHD, however the symptoms are more severe and impactful for people with ADHD.
ADHD is caused by poor parenting or the internet
While we don’t know exactly what causes ADHD, we know that the strongest predictor for ADHD is genetics. Children with ADHD often act impulsively which can lead some to conclude that ADHD is a result of poor parenting. However, we know from extensive research that while the parenting approach may need to be modified to support a child with ADHD, parenting is not the cause of ADHD. Additionally, while there are psychological impacts of using the internet and electronic games, these media do not cause ADHD but they can contribute to a manifestation of ADHD symptoms. People with ADHD may be able to hyperfocus on electronic media and have difficulty disengaging, which is why problematic screen use is higher in people with ADHD, but this media did not cause ADHD.
ADHD is a childhood disorder and children will grow out of it
ADHD is a lifetime disorder that begins in childhood and persists through adulthood. Adults tend to lose some of the hyperactivity over time and can learn how to manage their symptoms better as they age, which can make it appear that adults do not have ADHD. However many adults who were undiagnosed as children struggle to understand why they are having a harder time than their peers with things like work related tasks, impulsivity, and coping with stress.
ADHD medications cause addiction
Stimulant medications are the most commonly prescribed medications for ADHD and are considered the first-line treatment. When abused, these medications can be addictive. However, we know through numerous studies that children who have ADHD are not more likely to abuse stimulants. People with untreated ADHD may be more likely to use substances to self-manage their symptoms, so it is important to treat ADHD adequately.
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