ADHD or ADD – Which Is It?
No. ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – applies to both the syndrome of disruptive or hyperactive behavior, as well as the syndrome that does not include hyperactivity. The latter is characterized by wandering attention, with no hyperactivity whatsoever. The first is called ADHD, combined subtype (inattention combined with disruptive behavior), and the second is […]
No. ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – applies to both the syndrome of disruptive or hyperactive behavior, as well as the syndrome that does not include hyperactivity. The latter is characterized by wandering attention, with no hyperactivity whatsoever. The first is called ADHD, combined subtype (inattention combined with disruptive behavior), and the second is called ADHD, primarily inattentive (daydreamy but not hyperactive).
The term ADHD itself is misleading, not just because of the subtypes. There is no deficit of attention, but a wandering of the brain. If there were a deficit, ADHD would be a type of dementia, which it certainly is not. People with ADHD have an abundance of attention; they just have trouble controlling it.
