ADHD: Myths vs. Facts

Posted on October 19, 2016

“ADHD is a very real neurodevelopmental disorder that affects people of every age, gender, IQ, religion and socioeconomic background,” says David W. Goodman, MD, FAPA, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of CHADD’s Board of Directors. “It’s characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning and life’s achievements, and can have potentially devastating consequences when not properly identified, diagnosed and treated.”

Following are some of the most common myths about ADHD and the facts debunking those myths.

Myth #1: ADHD is an American disorder that results from our hyper-fast lifestyle.

Fact: ADHD is recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a neurodevelopmental disorder of international proportions, with scientific research conducted on every continent.

Myth #2: Bad parenting is the cause of ADHD in children.

Fact: ADHD is found around the world in a diverse range of cultures, economies, social and educational systems. It is not the result of bad parenting.

Myth #3: There is no clear medical proof for ADHD.

Fact: Thirty years of medical imaging proves that there are multiple differences in the ADHD brain versus the normal brain.

Myth #4: Children outgrow ADHD.

Fact: At least 60 percent of children with ADHD will continue to exhibit symptoms of the disorder to an impairing degree during adulthood.

Myth #5: If you weren’t diagnosed with ADHD as a child, you cannot have ADHD as an adult.

Fact: In the largest U.S. study of psychiatric disorders among the general population, 75 percent of adults with ADHD were never diagnosed as children.


Category(s):Adult ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Source material from Business Wire