Question 1

Is ADHD a Mental Illness?

Accepted Answer

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is classified as a mental disorder that can appear in both children and adults.

Many adults who have ADHD don't seek treatment, because they mistake it for another mental illness or don't believe ADHD is real.

See the 7 surprising symptoms of ADHD in adults, and find out why so many Americans seem to have ADHD.

While ADHD usually affects a person's executive functioning skills (i.e., motivation, focus, memory, organization, impulse control, etc.), the disorder can be managed effectively with the proper treatment.

Most people with ADHD benefit from a combination of medication, therapy, and by developing valuable life skills and healthy coping mechanisms.

Do I have adult ADHD?

Take this 3-Minute Adult ADHD Test to find out if you have the symptoms of ADHD.

Find a therapist who can help with ADHD

The Monarch Directory by SimplePractice makes it easy to find mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD, many with online booking, telehealth video appointments, and free 15-minute consultations.

Question 2

What Are the 9 Symptoms of ADHD?

Accepted Answer

There are some surprising symptoms of ADHD in adults.

Due to the evolution of mental health professionals' understanding of ADHD in the past decade more Americans than ever before are being diagnosed with ADHD- Find out why!

Do I have adult ADHD?

Take this 3-Minute Adult ADHD Test to find out if you have the symptoms of ADHD.

Find a therapist who can help with ADHD

The Monarch Directory by SimplePractice makes it easy to find mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD, many with online booking, telehealth video appointments, and free 15-minute consultations.

These are the signs and symptoms of ADHD:

Often fails to pay close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in their work or schoolwork.
Often has difficulty keeping their attention on the task at hand.
Often does not seem to be listening when directly spoken to even when there is no distraction present.
Often fails to follow through on tasks or fails to complete their work, schoolwork, or chores in a given amount of time, or gets easily sidetracked.
Often has poor time management and has trouble with planning, organizing, or prioritizing tasks, and may have a messy or unorganized workspace.
Often tries to avoid tasks that require prolonged concentration or focus, like schoolwork, preparing reports, etc.
Often misplaced important things (i.e., keys, school materials, tools, cellphone, wallet, paperwork).
Is often distracted easily by stimuli (i.e., video games, television, or may get easily lost in thought).
Is often forgetful during their daily activities, overlooking important details.

Question 3

What Causes ADHD?

Accepted Answer

Most research suggests ADHD is caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including problems during pregnancy (i.e., low birth weight, prematurity, mother smoked or used drugs), brain injury, exposure to toxins like lead, PCBs, or pesticides, and genetics.

In the past few decades, it was thought that watching too much television or consuming too much sugar resulted in ADHD in kids, but there is no proven scientific connection.

ADHD was previously thought to be a disorder that affected only children, and that they grew out of as they became adults. The APA's definition has evolved in the past 15 years, so we now understand it's a disease that affects people throughout their lifespans.

It can be challenging to parent a child with ADHD when the parent has ADHD themself - Here are some tips.

Do you know about the surprising symptoms of ADHD in adults?

Lately more Americans than ever before are being diagnosed with ADHD.

Do I have adult ADHD?

Take this 3-Minute Adult ADHD Test to find out if you have the symptoms of ADHD.

Find a therapist who can help with ADHD

The Monarch Directory by SimplePractice makes it easy to find mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD, many with online booking, telehealth video appointments, and free 15-minute consultations.

Question 4

What Is ADHD?

Accepted Answer

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a disorder that affects nearly 30 million American adults and children.

The common signs of ADHD include the inability to concentrate or focus, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. However, there are some surprising symptoms of ADHD in adults.

Due to the evolution of mental health professionals' understanding of ADHD in the past decade more Americans than ever before are being diagnosed with ADHD.

ADHD manifests in the following three subtypes

Predominantly inattentive
Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive
A combination of both

The inattentive type manifests through inability to pay attention, problems focusing, carelessness, problems organizing work, and being easily distracted.

Hyperactivity manifests through incessant movement, squirming, talking too much, and impatience. Impulsiveness manifests through hasty actions and being socially intrusive.

Do I have adult ADHD?

Take this 3-Minute Adult ADHD Test to find out if you have the symptoms of ADHD.

Find a therapist who can help with ADHD

The Monarch Directory by SimplePractice makes it easy to find mental health professionals who specialize in ADHD, many with online booking, telehealth video appointments, and free 15-minute consultations.

Is ADHD a Mental Illness?

Do I have adult ADHD?

Find a therapist who can help with ADHD

Related questions about ADD/ADHD

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