During my childhood, I often heard people say; I’m so ADD right now!” when they had difficulty focusing. It was relatively common in the 90s and early aughts to involve ADD. It was common for others to refer to as “ADD meds, “like Adderall or Ritalin.
It is also called ADHD, or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. These days, people tend to refer to ADHD as ADHD.
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Billy Roberts, a therapist, said that ADHD terms have evolved with virtually every new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, or the DSM. A history of ADHD and ADD in the DSM dates back to the 1960s. Since 1952, the DSM has evolved considerably to become the standard manual for psychological diagnosis.
The term ADHD was used throughout the 1950s and 1960s by scientists for hyperkinetic reactions of childhood, hyperactive-impulsive disorders, and even “minimal brain dysfunction.” Today’s name evolved from the 1970s and early 1980s.
Roberts said, “Ultimately, the diagnosis was changed better to reflect the fluid nature of symptoms across the lifespan. Despite meeting ADHD criteria in adulthood, a person’s subtype of ADHD may change.”
There are many common ADHD symptoms, which vary by age and individual. Hyperactive and impulsive behavior is characterized by fidgeting, feeling restless, being prone to outbursts, interrupting other people, and talking excessively.
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You can be easily distracted, forgetful, unable to pay attention and follow through, procrastinate and avoid tasks that require sustained mental effort. If you are inattentive, paying attention and maintaining it during various tasks and activities might be difficult. A professional evaluation might be helpful if you’ve experienced multiple ADHD symptoms for a long time.
Rachael Bloom, a therapist, says ADD is synonymous with ADHD. It took longer to trickle down to mainstream language, even though it was recognized clinically a while ago.