What is ADHD? The Top 10 Facts About ADHD

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ADHD is a common term is a term thrown a lot. However, what is ADHD? Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental type of mental disorder. In general, some common characteristics include being over active, having a hard time paying attention, and not being able to control age appropriate behavior. With that in mind, check out the top 10 facts about ADHD below to learn a little bit more.

#10. What is ADHD? It is the same thing as ADD

When most people think about what is ADHD, they tend to assume that it is not the same thing as ADD. However, that is not the case. In fact, ADHD and ADD are just two different names for the same mental disorder. As more research on the condition has been done over time, the name for the disorder changed to reflect the new findings.

Between 1980 and 1987, most people used the term ADD or attention deficit disorder, to describe the mental condition. However, in 1987, after new research came out, it was found that hyperactivity was in fact a very important part of the mental disorder.^[1]Untapped Brilliance – 7 Interesting Facts About ADHD Therefore, researchers decided to rename it ADHD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in order to reflect these new findings.

#9. People with ADHD don’t have trouble paying attention

A common misconception about people with ADHD is that they have trouble paying attention. However, this is actually a misunderstanding of the disorder. Rather, they just have a hard time paying attention to the “right” things.^[2]wbur – 10 Facts You May Not Know About ADHD In fact, they can spend hours writing, playing video games, or tinkering. The big problem is that they can’t control what they pay attention to. In fact, if something does not interest them personally, it is almost impossible to get them to pay attention. Sometimes, this can make them seem uncaring and dismissive to those around them. One great way to help people with ADHD is through music therapy. Check the following for the best instruments for ADHD.

#8. Your DNA is the biggest factor in causing ADHD

A common misconception that many people have about ADHD is that is many caused by your environment. However, according to study of twins and families by Dr. Russel Barkley there is an estimated 75 to 80% “variation int he severity of ADHD traits” as a direct result of genetics. In addition, statistical survies show that around 80% of people with ADHD have inherited this mental disorder.

However, scientists don’t think that there is an “ADHD gene”. Rather, they believe that a combination of genes as well as environment factors that can trigger those genes are to blame.^[3]ADDITUDE – Culture Vs. Biology: What Really Causes ADHD?

#7. Intelligence or lack of intelligence is not related to ADHD

ADHD and intelligence or lack thereof are not related. In fact, in 2011, Dr. Thomas E. Brown said “ADD has nothing to do with how smart a person is. Some individuals with ADD are super-smart on IQ tests, many score in the average range, and some are much lower.”^[4]free to be coaching – ADHD Fact #25 – ADHD Has Nothing To Do With Intelligence

It is commonly stated that people with ADHD are not as smart because they don’t perform well in school. However, this has nothing to do with actual intelligence, but rather executive functions. According to psychologists Dr. Peg Dawson and Dr. Richard Guare there are 12 different executive functions that many people with ADHD have a problem with, making it seem that they might be not as smart. This can even be in cases of people with extremely high IQs. The executive functions include:

Emotional Control
Flexibility
Goal-Directed Persistence
Metacognition
Organization
Planning/Prioritization
Response Inhibition
Stress Tolerance
Sustained Attention
Task Initiation
Time Management
Working Memory

#6. ADHD is linked with short term memory problems

According to a 2012 review in the Clinical Psychology Review journal, there is a statistically significant relation between people with ADHD and problems with short term working memory.^[5]Everyday Health – Tooth Grinding, Poor Memory, and More: 5 Surprising Facts About ADHD On the other hand, people suffering from ADHD don’t tend to have problems with their long term memory. What this ends up meaning is that ADHD sufferers tent to have difficulties completing or remembering assignments that require concentration and focus.

#5. TV and sugar don’t cause ADHD

A common scapegoat for parents when talking about their children’s ADHD is that it is the TV and sugar’s fault. However, according to Dr. Wolraich, “the overwhelming number of studies have not been able to demonstrate behavior changes due to sugar consumption in children.”^[6]Health – What Causes ADHD? 12 Myths and Facts While it may be good for your child to cute back on sugar and TV for their physical and mental health, it doesn’t help with their ADHD.

In addition, according to a study in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, it was found that mothers who thought that their children had been given sugar versus woman who thought that their children had been given a sugar substitute, regardless if their children really had been given sugar, tended to rate their child as more hyperactive.

#4. The link between tooth grinding and ADHD

A child’s ADHD doesn’t necessarily stop when they sleep. In fact, research studies show a link between grinding teeth in your sleep and ADHD. According to neurospsychologist Dr. Susan Walsh, people with anxiety, such as those with ADHD, tend to clench their jaw when they are under stress. This is because the nerves in the brain that deal with stress, the flight or fight mechanisms, are linked to the jaw. Walsh says that “if we’re too much in the fight mode and we’re chronically stressed, we feel it in our bodies 24 hours a day, even when we go to sleep.”^[7]Untapped Brilliance – ADHD and Teeth Grinding, Sleep Apnea and Restless Leg Syndrome

In the 2009 study on this problem, researchers found that people who were diagnosed with ADHD earlier in life were more likely to also have sleep disorders such as sleep terrors, insomnia, teeth grinding, and snoring.

#3. What is ADHD? It is not just one thing

What is ADHD? In popular culture it is a broad term that incorporates many things. For example, a boy may be hyperactive while a girl may be calm, but just have a hard time focusing. In fact, according to the American Psychiatric Association, there are three different types of ADHD.^[8]Everyday Health – What’s ADHD? Everything You Need to Know About Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Hyperactivity is characterized by being fidgety, climbing or running around at inappropriate moments, and not being able to take part in quite activities or play.
Impulsivity is characterized by interrupting, saying inappropriate things without thinking about it first, an having trouble waiting.
Inattentiveness is characterized by avoiding things that require concentration and focus, having trouble organizing things and paying attention, being easily distracted, and not listening to people when they speak to you.

As such, it is important to understand that since there are several different types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, that there is no one size fits all solution to the problem. Rather, doctors need to understand the particular situation of each patient in order to develop a customized treatment plan.

#2. Medication isn’t the answer to ADHD

Medication isn’t the answer to ADHD. Or rather, more accurately, it isn’t enough. In fact, many doctors will prescribe some medication at the beginning in order to help, but it isn’t the only answer to fixing the problem.^[9]HealthyPlace – ADULT ADHD AND HOW IT CAN’T BE FIXED

Rather, it is important to help by understanding what is ADHD. It is a mental disorder where a person hasn’t developed the correct way to think. Only then can you people with ADHD by:

Teaching the right ways to prioritize decisions and organize
Giving emotional support in order to help block the negative messages that they receive from the world when they can’t perform according to other’s standards due to their ADHD

#1. What is ADHD? It is not benign

A common misconception about ADHD is that it is a benign mental disorder. Perhaps you are a bit over active, but that is about it. However, that is far from the truth. In fact, it is quite bad for people, especially in people who have gone untreated and undiagnosed.

In fact, if can contribute to a lot of negative things such as:
Having a hard time doing well in school
Having more driving accidents
Not doing as well in work, which can lead to reduced earning potential
Having trouble with your relationships
Having problems with obesity
Being more likely to get in trouble with the law

In fact, according to Dr. Joseph Biederman of the Harvard Medical School, says that ADHD is one of the most costly conditions in the US due to the above reasons. In fact, if we preemptive in “Evaluating, diagnosing and treating this condition may not only improve the quality of life, but may save billions of dollars every year.”^[10]ADHD Awareness Month – 7 Facts You Need To Know About ADHD