October is ADHD Awareness Month, which seeks to educate the public about ADHD by providing reliable information based on scientific and peer-reviewed research. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting school-age children, with symptoms continuing into adulthood in more than three-quarters of cases. ADHD is characterized by developmentally inappropriate levels of inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. It also affects executive functioning, which includes organization, task management, short-term working memory, and the ability to focus.
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) did not include ADHD in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) until the 2nd edition in 1968. The 1980 release of the 3rd edition saw the condition renamed to attention deficit disorder (ADD), with variations marked as with or without hyperactivity. Eventually, the symptoms of impulsivity, hyperactivity, and inattentiveness were combined, and the APA changed the condition name to ADHD.
The 1994 release of the 4th edition of the DSM listed three types of ADHD: mostly hyperactive, mostly inattentive, and mostly impulsive, as well as a combined type for those with all three symptoms. This was also when the APA acknowledged that ADHD symptoms do not always cease in adulthood. The three main symptoms of ADHD are now designated as the three "presentations" of the condition, according to the 2013 edition of the DSM. This acknowledges that the disorder may affect people in different ways, and this could change over time.
Search the library catalog for materials on ADHD for all ages.
Informational Resources:
Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD: Tips and Tools To Help You Take Charge of Your Life and Get Organized
by
Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 3rd Edition offers cutting-edge strategies for anyone who wants to improve their physical space, time management, and peace of mind.
This revised and updated version also includes helpful assessments of the latest digital tools for organization and new research on the ADHD brain.
About 4.4% of the adult population—over 13 million Americans—have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD.) Yet four out of every five are not even aware of it, and how it can affect their professional and personal lives if not managed well. Written by professional organizer Susan Pinsky, Organizing Solutions for People with ADHD, 3rd Edition outlines a practical life management approach that emphasizes easy maintenance techniques and maximum efficiency, catering to the specific needs of the ADHD population.
Divided into two easy-to-read sections, the first covering this life-changing new method and the second showing how to implement it in each part of the home, Susan’s practical solutions address the most common organizing dilemmas among her ADHD clientele, while also drawing on her own personal experience as the mother of a child with ADHD.
Get your life in order with this witty and sympathetic guide to organization.
Self-Care For People With ADHD: 100+ Ways To Recharge, De-stress, and Prioritize You!
by
Destress, find your community, and practice self-love with these 100+ exercises to reinforce ADHD as a strength. When you have ADHD, it can be hard to stay on top of your wellness. Self-Care for People with ADHD is here to help! This book can help you engage in some neurodiverse self-care-without pretending to be neurotypical. You'll find more than 100 tips to accepting yourself, destigmatizing ADHD, finding your community, and taking care of your physical and mental health. You'll find solutions for managing the negative aspects of ADHD, as well as ideas to bring out the positive aspects. With expert advice from psychiatrist and clinician Sasha Hamdani, MD, Self-Care for People with ADHD will help you live your life to the fullest!
Dirty Laundry: Why Adults With ADHD Are So Ashamed and What We Can Do To Help
by
What if you stopped feeling ashamed of constantly being late or of getting so hyperfocused on a task that you drop everything else you had to do? How can you as a partner, parent, or friend better understand your neurodivergent loved one’s way of moving through the world? In Dirty Laundry, life partners Rich Pink and Rox Emery unapologetically guide you through the ups and downs of life with ADHD. Every chapter starts with a common symptom of ADHD, like impulsivity or struggles with finances, and an earnest moment from their own lives to show you how they navigate the symptom together. Rox reminds you to be kind to yourself and love yourself for who you are; Rich offers tips on how he uses compassion and honesty instead of jumping to conclusions. Whether it's helping your ADHDer with friendly time-checks before an appointment or reminding yourself to take breaks during hours spent hyperfocusing on a new project, Rox and Rich give you the tools to destigmatize and normalize life with ADHD.