ADHD is among the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood, per the DSM-53. While figures vary, the worldwide ADHD prevalence in children is estimated at about 5 percent4.
ADHD Grows Up
About 4% of adults also have the disorder. To officially meet the criteria for ADHD as an adult, your symptoms must have started by age 12, even if you were never properly diagnosed in childhood.
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University estimate the true percentage of people with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, in the United States is approximately 3.5% of the population — substantially lower than many common estimates.
Living with ADHD is about monitoring your traits and actively working toward finding what works best for you. With the right support and treatment, you can create a life that allows you to reach your greatest potential.
Millions of US children have been diagnosed with ADHD
Boys (13%) are more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls (6%). Black, non-Hispanic children and White, non-Hispanic children are more often diagnosed with ADHD (12% and 10%, respectively), than Hispanic children (8%) or Asian, non-Hispanic children (3%).
Social media has also propelled ADHD into popular awareness, as it has taken over platforms like TikTok and Twitter. As of May 2022, the hashtag #adhd has 11.4 billion views on TikTok. Many people credit these platforms with helping them realize they had the diagnosis and subsequently seeking treatment for it.
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.
Entrepreneurs. There are some well-known very high-achieving ADHD entrepreneurs including Richard Branson, Bill Gates and Walt Disney. Richard Branson had no interest in anything academic. Still, once he was able to harness his talents and imagination in his own way, he began to build a phenomenal business empire.
At Work or School
Research has found that people with ADHD have more creativity and idea generation than people without the disorder. 3 This can lead to outside-the-box thinking that is so important for innovation. Hyper-focus: Many people with ADHD become hyper-focused on things that interest them.
Research has shown that, if left untreated, ADHD can destroy a person's mental and physical health for decades before they even know they have it.
Kids with ADHD often feel emotions more deeply than other kids do, and love is no exception. When teens with ADHD fall in love, the good — and bad — feelings that come with it can be even more intense and more disruptive. New relationships or crushes are exciting and (mostly) enjoyable.
Autism is very distinct from ADHD, but the core symptoms of ADHD-Combined type, i.e., attention deficit, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, would appear to also be features of autism. ASD and ADHD are neurobiological disorders characterized by similar underlying neuropsychological “deficits”.
Similar to the hyperactive symptoms, impulsive symptoms are typically seen by the time a child is four years old and increase during the next three to four years to peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age.
Genetics. ADHD tends to run in families and, in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
This list shows some of the highest population percentages of countries with ADHD in 2019: Australia – 3.72% Cuba – 3.28% Grenada – 3.26% Dominica – 3.25% Trinidad and Tobago – 3.25% Bermuda – 3.24% Saint Kitts and Nevis – 3.24% Puerto Rico – 3.23% Barbados – 3.23% Saint Vincent and the Grenadines – ...
Doctors more commonly diagnose ADHD in male children than female children. The CDC reports that doctors diagnosed around 13% of boys with DHD in 2016–2019, whereas only 6% of girls received the same diagnosis. This has led many people to mistakenly believe that ADHD is a “boys' disorder” that rarely occurs in girls.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do. People with ADHD do think differently though, in a sense.
Is ADHD considered a mental illness or disorder? ADHD is considered a psychiatric disorder because its symptoms involve mental functioning and cause significant impairment.
ADHD can make completing tasks such as school work, homework, or work projects much more difficult. However, there is no clear link between ADHD and IQ. A person may have a high, average, or low IQ score and also have ADHD. ADHD may cause a person to interrupt in class or perform poorly on tests.
For instance, among the 18 studies under scrutiny that did not explicitly state an IQ cut-off point the mean range of IQ among individuals with ADHD reported in the studies is from 102 to 110. Given that lower IQ is associated with ADHD this suggests that individuals with ADHD may be inaccurately represented.
A lack of self-acceptance. Prohibitively expensive medications. Here, commiserate with fellow ADDitude readers as they share some of their biggest challenges of managing life with ADHD or ADD. > Creating rituals to keep track of things.
ADHD can make you forgetful and distracted. You're also likely to have trouble with time management because of your problems with focus. All of these symptoms can lead to missed due dates for work, school, and personal projects.
Untreated ADHD can lead to poor work performance and jeopardize an individual's employment. If you or someone you know has ADHD, it is important to seek treatment from a qualified mental health professional. With proper treatment, individuals with ADHD can learn how to manage their symptoms and lead successful lives.