According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders version 4 (DSM-IV) put out by the American Psychiatric Association in 1994, the official name is "Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder," (or AD/HD ADHD), although many people, and even some professionals, still incorrectly call it ADD or A.D.D. (The name given in 1980 but abandoned in 1994.) The disorder's name has changed as a result of scientific advances and the findings of careful field trials; researchers now have strong evidence to support the position that AD/HD is not one specific disorder, but one with different variations. In keeping with this evidence, AD/HD is now divided into three subtypes, according to the main features associated with the disorder: inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. The three subtypes are:

AD/HD [or ADHD] Predominantly Combined Type,

AD/HD [or ADHD] Predominantly Inattentive Type,

AD/HD [or ADHD] Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive Type.

These subtypes take into account that some people with AD/HD have little or no trouble sitting still or inhibiting behavior, but may be predominantly inattentive and, as a result, have great difficulty getting or staying focused on a task or activity. Others with AD/HD may be able to pay attention to a task but lose focus because they may be predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and, thus, have trouble controlling impulse and activity. The most prevalent subtype is the Combined Type. These people will have significant symptoms of all three characteristics.

Other Common ADHD Issues That Most People Don’t Know About

The above text is part of the medical diagnostic jargon and what most people think about when they think about ADHD. It’s also what most doctors think about too. But unfortunately the "attention" part of ADHD is usually not the only issue.

These are some of the other possible and less-well-known ADHD symptoms/behaviors. They can also be symptoms of other things too. So they don’t necessarily in and of themselves "diagnose" ADHD, but they can be part of the picture.

Some of these issues are also incorrectly diagnosed as things such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, or something else, when ADHD is in fact the core issue. It takes a really good doctor to help "tease out" what is and what isn’t.

• Insomnia or other sleep issues

• Emotional instability

• Irritability

• Drug/alcohol abuse

• Fast/reckless driving

• Risky sexual behavior

• Risky physical behavior – adrenaline junkies, taking "extreme sports" to the extreme

• Picking fights, causing argument

• Workaholism

• Over-active mind, racing mind

• Persistent relationship problems

• Make a lot of "careless" mistakes

• Often loses things (wallet, keys, purse, schoolwork. etc.)

• Often late

• Forgets to pay bills or turn in assignments

• Piles of junk, cluttered office, house, desk. etc.

• Bad memory

• Mood swings

• Doing things without the consequences

• Impulse buying

And on and on ….We’ll talk about more things later. But the point is to let you know that ADHD is much more encompassing than just "not being able to pay attention"

Is There A Cure For ADHD?

Well, if you mean "cure" as in take one pill and it’s gone forever, then no, there is no cure.

I’ve heard some people try to spin this in a bad way, trying to imply that if ADHD treatment doesn’t work forever and result in an instant and permanent cure, then by definition, ADHD medications and treatment don’t work at all. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is a simple-minded attempt at an "argument" against proper ADHD treatment. It doesn’t stand up in the real world though.

But the same thing is true with many issues we face. If you have a headache, take an asprin and the headache goes away, but then a week later you get another headache. Are you going to rant and complain that the asprin doesn’t work? I hope not because that would be unrealistic.

It’s the same way with the common ADHD treatments and medications. They’re short acting, usually between 4-12 hours. While they’re in your system, they work at controlling the ADHD symptoms. But when they wear off the ADHD symptoms return.

That’s the way it is with many disorders. Diabetics don’t just take one shot of insulin in their life. They have to treat it daily. And so it is with ADHD.

ADHD is not like an infection or the flu. You don’t just treat it once and it’s gone. It’s a condition that is ongoing, and as such, requires ongoing treatment.