Most common misconceptions about ADHD
- ADHD is not real.
- ADHD is over-diagnosed.
- People with ADHD just need to try harder and/or focus more.
- ADHD does not affect adults and/or ADHD goes away with time.
- People with ADHD can't finish college, become doctors, go to graduate school, earn good grades, or otherwise succeed.
- Doctors understand ADHD.
- My teachers (or my kid's teachers) know what to look for and would know if my kid or I had ADHD.
- If you have a high GPA, you can't possibly have ADHD.
- ADHD folks have endless amounts of energy.
- ADHD is more commonly found in boys than in girls and gender minorities.
The reality is
- ADHD is real.
- While it is possible that ADHD is over-diagnosed in some populations, it's often missed entirely in many populations. As we understand it better we're more likely to diagnosis it correctly, leading to more diagnoses now than 20 years ago.
- People with ADHD are trying hard and are trying to focus. Our brains are wired differently, and motivation and attention differ between neurotypical folks and ADHD folks.
- ADHD affects adults (only 10% kids outgrow it). Plus, we learn to mask and work with our ADHD over time.
- People with ADHD can finish college, become doctors, go to graduate school, earn good grades, and succeed.
- The science on ADHD is still very much in development, so even the best doctors are working with a disorder that isn't entirely understood.
- My teachers (or my kid's teachers) may or may not remember what training they've received on ADHD and they may be influenced by stereotypes (see "Race, culture, socioeconomic status, and ADHD" below).
- If you have a high GPA, you may very well have ADHD and you've developed coping skills for your ADHD and/or are good at managing it and hiding it.
- ADHD folks do not have endless amounts of energy and in fact may be exhausted from managing and hiding their ADHD.
- ADHD is more commonly diagnosed in boys than in girls and gender minorities. I don't think we have a broad enough global sample to say it is definitely more common in boys.
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