ADHD

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Introduction

Attention deficit Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has become, in recent years, almost a childhood epidemic. Those diagnosed with the disorder exhibit difficulty paying attention, disorganization, impatience, forgetfulness, distractibility, fidgeting, excessive talking, and impulsiveness. Much controversy surrounds ADHD —both in the diagnosis and in the treatment of the disorder. Treatment of ADHD generally involves medication. Recent treatment options take a more holistic approach, focusing on dietary needs and restrictions rather than medications.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the name given to a group of behaviors found in many children and adults. People with ADHD are hyperactive or distracted most of the time. Even when they try to concentrate, they have a difficulty in paying attention. Adult People with ADHD have difficulty organizing things, listening to instructions, remembering details and controlling their behavior.

Therefore, people with ADHD often have trouble getting along with others at home, at school or work. There are three main types of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), inattentive type, the hyperactive /impulsive and combined type (there are discussions about the compatibility of the inattentive type and hyperactive). Between 50, and 70% of patients diagnosed with ADHD, presents problems of social adjustment and or psychiatric problems in adolescence and young adulthood, although 20-30% continues to suffer from this condition during adulthood. It is essential to analyze the risk factors and cognitive strategies of those affected by ADHD.

Discussion

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neuropsychological disorders in childhood and adolescence. It is now commonly accepted, in contrast to previous belief that ADHD often persists into adulthood. The National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) estimates a 3% adult prevalence of ADHD versus about 7% in childhood.

Thus one might conclude that about half the children with ADHD continue to experience those symptoms into adulthood. Some analysis of research data indicate, however; that 86% of those adults diagnosable with ADHD are also diagnosable with either uni-polar major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder. This leaves us with two possibilities: Either almost all patients with adult ADHD also have mood disorders owing to the fact that they have very bad luck (or that these illnesses are always “comorbid”), or there is no such thing as adult ADHD. One should not diagnose ADHD in the presence of active mood disorder.

Thus the co-occurrence of the two should be interpreted as merely mood disorders with cognitive symptoms (i.e., concentration impairment in depression and distractibility in mania) unless proven otherwise. Unfortunately, many psychiatrists assume the reverse. They tend to always diagnose ADHD if any cognitive impairment with concentration is present (Greene, 2001).

If two sets of symptoms overlap 86% of the time, it does not make sense to me to persist in viewing those symptoms as separate, as opposed to one overall set of symptoms. Hence, if there is such a thing as adult ADHD, then people are referring to perhaps 14% (excluding the mood disorder overlap group) of the original 3% prevalence rate, which is ...