Attention Deficit Hyeractivity Disorder (ADHD), is neither a “new” mental health problem nor a disorder created for the purpose of financial profit by pharmaceutical companies, the mental health field, or the media. It is a very real behavioral and medical disorder that affects millions of people nationwide. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders in children and adolescents. The estimated number of children with ADHD is between 3% – 5% of the population, while the adult population rests at an estimate of 4.1%.

Although it has taken quite some time for our society to accept ADHD as a bonafide mental health and/or medical disorder, it is a problem that has been noted in modern literature for at least 200 years. As early as 1798, medical literature by Dr. Alexander Crichton, would describe ADHD and refer to it as “Mental Restlessness.” A fairy tale written in 1845 by Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, entitled, “The Story of Fidgety Philip, would tell the tale of an apparent ADHD youth. In 1922, ADHD would be recognized as Post Encephalitic Behavior Disorder. In 1937, stimulants would be discovered that would help control hyperactivity in children. In 1957, the drug methylphenidate (Ritalin), would become commercially available to treat hyperactivity in children. In the early 1960s, ADHD would be referred to as “Minimal Brain Dysfunction.”

In 1968, the disorder became known as “Hyperkinetic Reaction of Childhood.” At this point, emphasis was placed more on the hyperactivity, than the inattention symptoms. In 1980, the diagnosis was changed to “ADD–Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without Hyperactivity,” which placed equal emphasis on hyperactivity and inattention. By 1987, the disorder was renamed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and would be subdivided into four categories (outlined below). Since that time, ADHD would be considered a medical disorder that results in behavioral problems.

Currently, ADHD is defined by the DSM IV-TR, (the accepted diagnostic manual), as a disorder subdivided into four categories:

1. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Inattentive Type – marked by impaired attention and concentration.
2. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Predominantly Hyperactive, Impulsive Type – marked by hyperactivity without inattentiveness.
3. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type – involves all of the symptoms, which include inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
4. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. This category is for the ADHD disorders that include prominent symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity, but do not meet the DSM IV-TR criteria for a diagnosis.

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