ADHD/ADD

ADHD/ADD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common psychiatric disorder in children and one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults, affecting between 5-10% of the general population.

What is ADHD? Simply put, ADHD is characterized by:
• Persistent short attention span
• Distractibility
• Disorganization
• Procrastination
• Problems with forethought and judgment
• Impulse control

Please note: Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), the "inattentive" subtype of ADHD, is similar, although it is characterized mainly by inattentiveness without impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Having untreated ADHD affects nearly every aspect of a person's life and has been associated with:
• Failure to reach potential at school or work
• Family conflict
• Drug abuse
• Legal and criminal problems
• Low self-esteem
• Chronic stress
• Suicide

Outside of the Amen Clinics, the mainstream treatments for ADHD in both children and adults—given without a clear picture of brain activity or a diagnosis of the sub-type of ADHD—have been stimulant medications, such as Ritalin or Adderall. These medications are helpful for some people, but they also make many others with typical ADHD worse. Side effects of these medications include hallucinations, violent outbursts, volatile temperaments, psychosis, and suicidal behavior.