A genuine case of A.D.D. is no laughing matter and can do serious damage to personal lives and careers.
Until a few years ago, the medical establishment believed A.D.D. (the full name of the condition is attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder or A.D.H.D. and not all who have it exhibit the hyperactivity symptoms so it is often referred to as A.D.D.) was a pediatric disorder that kids grow out of. The irony is that because it's hereditary, many adults began to recognize its symptoms in themselves only after it was diagnosed in one or more of their children.
Only 15 percent of an estimated eight million people in the United States actually know they have A.D.D. but all are looking for a label for their lifelong restlessness, spaciness, jumping from one subject to the next, easily distracted from completing tasks and meeting deadlines that adversely affect their world of work. For help, first check out What is A.D.D. and then get a clinical diagnosis and begin working with a personal coach to help you function socially and at work.
The use of prescription drugs for A.D.D. is rising with the increasing popularity of brand-name versions that last all day, limiting ups and downs of symptoms. In a study released today by Medco Health Solutions Inc. of Franklin Lakes, N.J., the use of drugs for A.D.D. rose 113% among women 20 to 44 years old and 104% among women 45 to 64, both far more than among men. "We're seeing about 1% of adults being treated," but four times as many are estimated to have A.D.D., said Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer.
People with A.D.D. tend to be creative, tenacious, energetic and sensitive, said Dr. Edward Hallowell, author of the book, "Delivered from Distraction." Awareness of the disorder is increasing and that is good since you can't run away from A.D.D.
For more information, go to: www.WhatisADD.info
Source: The Wall Street Journal, September 15, 2005