Adults and children alike are affected by ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). This problem in kids has been known for a long time to interfere with their ability to concentrate and regulate their impulses. Recent years, however, have seen it acknowledged as an issue among adults as well. The root of the problem is a mismatch in the physical structure and electrical circuitry of the brain.
Everything began with ADHD Awareness Day. In 2006, the United States Senate approved a resolution proclaiming September 7 National Attention Deficit Disorder Day. By 2004, it had expanded to include a whole month. The objective of the campaign is to increase awareness about ADHD via the dissemination of credible information. The data is supported by study and scientific facts.
A coalition of organizations, including the ADHD Organisation (ACO), the Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA), and the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHASDD), are responsible for organizing several events across the globe.
The goal is to get the word out there that various resources are accessible. Many useful tools for spreading knowledge may be found on the web. Posters, drawings, logos, movies, and audio recordings all fall under this category.
7 Facts You Need To Know About ADHD
1) Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is Real.
Long ago, it was determined that Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Illness (ADHD) is a genuine, brain-based medical disorder by almost every major medical, psychiatric, and educational institution in the United States. Similarly, these groups found that both children and adults with ADHD benefited from receiving therapy.
2) ADHD Is A Frequent, Non-Discrimination-Based Disorder.
Those of any age, gender, intelligence level, faith or socioeconomic status may be diagnosed with ADHD. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 9.5% of American children have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point. There are two to three times as many diagnoses in males as there are in females.
The Harvard/NIMH National Comorbidity Survey Replication found that 4.4% of adults in the United States between the ages of 18 and 44 have symptoms and some kind of disability. All of these names for the same disorder are ADHD, AD/HD, and ADD.
The only difference is that some people are very active and others are not.
3) ADHD Is Hard To Diagnose.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, a person must have a lot of symptoms, have major problems with daily life in at least three important areas (work, school, or friends), and have had these problems for at least six months.
Many of the symptoms look like extreme versions of normal behavior, which makes it harder to figure out what’s wrong. ADHD is also like a number of other conditions. Before making a diagnosis of ADHD, it’s important to think about what else could be causing the symptoms.
ADHD is different from other conditions because its symptoms are frequent, severe, and long-lasting. That is, the behavior is more extreme, happens in more places, and stays the same over time.
No one test can prove that someone has ADHD. Instead, they use a variety of tools, the most important of which is information about the person, his or her behavior, and the environment. If a person meets all of the criteria for ADHD, they will be given a diagnosis of the disorder.
4) ADHD Is Often Accompanied By Other Mental Health Issues.
• Between 25% and 40% of children and adults with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder.
Approximately 70% of those diagnosed with ADHD will reportedly need treatment for depression at some time in their life, according to experts.
• People with ADHD are twice as likely as others to suffer from insomnia.
5. ADHD Is Not A Benign Condition.
When ignore or untreated ADHD has been linked to a number of negative outcomes, including but not limited to the following:
- Academic difficulties that make it difficult to get a diploma.
- Problems at work, lost productivity, and a lower ability to make money.
- Challenges in interpersonal connections.
- There are more traffic tickets and car accidents.
- Problems with eating too much and getting fat.
- Issues with the legal system.
Dr. Joseph Biederman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, says that ADHD may be one of the most expensive medical conditions in the world: “Evaluating, diagnosing, and treating this condition may not only improve the quality of life but also save billions of dollars every year.”
6) Nobody Is To BLAME For ADD/ADHD.
ADHD is NOT caused by bad parenting, family problems, bad teachers or schools, watching too much TV, having food allergies, or eating too much sugar. Instead, research shows that ADHD is both a genetic and a brain-based disorder. Most ADHD cases have a genetic component (with the symptoms of ADHD linked to many specific brain areas).
Some things that seem to make it more likely for a child to have the disorder are the child’s gender, family history, prenatal risks, environmental toxins, and differences in the brain’s structure.
7) There Are Many Facets To ADHD Treatment.
At the moment, treatments for ADHD focus on reducing the symptoms and making it easier to function. Medication, different kinds of psychotherapy, behavioral interventions, education or training, and educational support are all used as treatments. Most of the time, a person with ADHD gets more than one treatment.
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