Each October we observe ADHD Awareness (and Acceptance) Month. This year's theme is "Awareness is Key!" The goal is to provide reliable information and resources to help people thrive with ADHD.
Society often defines a person by the different mental abilities they have or behavioral challenges they face. For example, we may refer to a person as being "schizophrenic" or "bipolar" (often looking down our noses at them or keeping them at arm's length). Do we similarly refer to a person as being "cancerous" or an "ALS"? It seems that we reserve this sort of judgmental behavior for those who may not think like we do or who are not born with the same mental assets that we were lucky to inherit.
A person with ADHD is just that ... a person with ADHD. ADHD is a non-discriminatory disorder impacting people (and their families) of every age, gender, IQ, religious or socio-economic background.
An estimated 7 million (11.4 percent) of children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, according to a national survey of parents using data from 2022 (this is an increase of 1 million children from a similar survey conducted in 2016). About six in 10 of those children are considered to have moderate or severe ADHD. Boys are more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ADHD (15 percent vs. 8 percent).
Individuals with ADHD also frequently present with "comorbidities" (where two or more disorders occur at the same time). It is recognized that 60-80 percent of those with ADHD have co-morbid (or co-occurring) conditions. Among these co-occurring conditions are behavior or conduct problems, anxiety, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
In addition to these hard facts, there are a number of myths surrounding ADHD that must be dispelled. Among those are the following:
Myth: ADHD is caused by bad parenting. Fact: This disorder comes from an accumulation of many environmental and genetic risk factors (brain imaging studies have shown that differences in brain structure and "wiring" can cause problems with attention and impulse control).
Myth: Children grow out of ADHD. Fact: While some children may experience reduced hyperactivity in adolescence, challenges due to inattention and impulsivity persist in 80-85 percent of adolescents and in 50-85 percent of those reaching adulthood.
Myth: People with ADHD just cannot focus or concentrate. Fact: People with ADHD can concentrate when they are interested in or intrigued by what they are doing. New, unusual, or exciting things capture their interest, and their attention is directed there. When someone has ADHD, they have a different mental and emotional system of evaluating what to do and when to do it. Mostly, they prioritize tasks according to their emotional importance. Individuals with ADHD more easily concentrate on those things that are challenging, rewarding, and fast-moving.
In addition to the challenges that ADHD may present, many of the symptoms provide those with ADHD with certain benefits and strengths. These include the following:
Hyperfocus: The ability to tune out distractions and focus on a task for hours.
Resilience: Because those with ADHD may experience a number of challenges in their lives, they are frequently able to develop strategies and practices that allow them to move past these points and succeed, thus building up their resilience.
Creativity: Those with ADHD are often highly creative. Those with ADHD often view things in a novel way and from a unique perspective. Living with ADHD often requires the individual to approach tasks differently, allowing them to develop into effective problem-solvers;
Conversational skills and humanity: People with ADHD are often great conversationalists. This ability applies especially to those who have more of the inattentive type of ADHD. Studies have highlighted that people with ADHD may have higher levels of social intelligence, humor, and recognition of feeling, or empathy. Study participants recognized their own ability to have a more positive mental approach, and in turn, more "social success."
High energy: One of the hallmark attributes of some with ADHD is a high energy level. While this is often thought of in a negative context (e.g. disruptive behavior), many with this attribute are able to carry on and persevere when others have given up long ago.
We are encouraged, therefore, to take the opportunity during the month of October, ADHD Awareness (and Acceptance) Month, to learn more about this condition so that we may better appreciate those (many) within our midst who have ADHD and who are contributing so positively to our community. For starters, I would encourage you to go to the ADHD Awareness October 2024 website (https://www.adhdawareness month.org) as jumping off point and explore all the various topics within. You will be focused and fascinated.
M. Jeffry Spahr, Esq., serves on the Public Policy Committee for the organization Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) and is a former CHADD Board of Directors member. He currently is on the executive committee of the Connecticut State Advisory Council for Special Education and is the chairman of the Legislative Committee. He is also the proud father of an amazingly creative young man with ADHD.