Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, is one of the most common mental health disorders in adults, which typically started out in childhood development.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people with ADHD experience patterns of symptoms such as having difficulty paying attention, having too much energy or moving and talking too much, acting without thinking, or having difficulty with self-control.
CHADD, or Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, outlines that there are approximately 10 million adults who have this disorder.
With its prevalence, ironically, many people in our society still hold countless misconceptions and general myths about ADHD, especially in adulthood.
1 Only children have ADHD, they will outgrow it.
According to the Child Mind Institute, about one-third of kids with ADHD will no longer have symptoms by the time they are adults. Another one-third will have symptoms of ADHD through adulthood, but they won’t be as impairing as they were in childhood. And nearly one-third will have significant ADHD symptoms throughout life.
As a child diagnosed with ADHD grows up, their symptoms are susceptible to change, but these changes might still put them at risk of social isolation, academic struggles, and other issues.
If not treated, ADHD in adulthood can bring them more discomfort and serious consequences.
2. ADHD is only an excuse to be lazy or rude.
People with ADHD and many neurodivergent people are constantly misunderstood and wrongfully judged because of their mental disorders.
ADHD makes people more impatient and less able to focus on their tasks, which doesn’t mean they can’t or don’t want to do the task.
3. Women are less affected by ADHD than men.
This misconception begins with the difference in ADHD diagnosis in girls and boys. Many studies have shown a drastic difference between girls and boys in ADHD and other childhood mental disorders.
Boys with ADHD have been found to have more externalizing disorders than normal developing boys, while females tend to show more internalizing disorders in comparison to normal developing girls In addition, adolescent females with ADHD are reported to show more internalizing symptoms than their male counterparts, leading to less clinical diagnosis and treatment.
4. ADHD and ADD are two different disorders.
The answer is no–they are the same thing. However, ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is an outdated term used to assess ADHD. Historically, doctors and pediatricians have diagnosed children with ADD, but the term gradually evolved into ADHD to best describe the disorder and give treatment to patients.
5. People are making it up for attention.
Just like any other physical and mental health compromise, people with ADHD, both diagnosed and yet to be diagnosed, suffer from many serious setbacks in their daily lives and work. The constant stigmatization of ADHD makes them less likely to receive the care they need, hence how many adults did not realize they have ADHD until older.
While there would still be a small number of people who are misled about their conditions, many with ADHD deserve accessible and equitable care and workplace accommodation, instead of being told they might be “faking it” or “delusional.”
According to American Psychiatric Association, ADHD is protected under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ruling that institutions receiving federal funding cannot discriminate against those with disabilities.
