Michael Phelps Praised by ADHD Organizations

CHADD and AACAP applaud the Olympics star for creating awareness of ADHD

Gold-medal swimmer Michael Phelps certainly made a splash at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, but it's his willingness to speak about his ADHD that's getting applause from two major health organizations.

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), a national non-profit education and advocacy group for people with ADHD, and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP), a medical association representing more than 8,000 psychiatrists and mental health practitioners, together released a statement on August 23 praising Phelps for educating the public about ADHD and being a positive example of succeeding with the condition.

The organizations hope that Phelps' openness about his ADHD will help erase the stigma, especially among men, who are often hesitant to get professional treatment.

Phelps will publish a memoir this December, titled Built to Succeed (Free Press), focusing on his Olympic success and his personal life, including his ADHD diagnosis.

Read the statement from CHADD and AACAP.