October 7, 2025 Despite decades of reputable, illuminating research on ADHD and its treatments, misinformation and stigma are making a comeback. A widely read New York Times Magazine article published earlier this year titled "Have We Been Thinking About ADHD All Wrong?" is a prime example.The article, which generated a lot of controversy and response from clinicians and advocacy groups, suggested that ADHD treatment need only address daytime challenges for school children, minimized the benefits of multimodal care, and understated the harms of untreated ADHD.
It notably ignored the social, emotional, professional, psychological, and other benefits individuals experience while receiving approved ADHD treatments.Below are 11 key, evidence-based facts about ADHD that better serve and reflect the communities of patients and providers I know.The hallmarks of ADHD — excessive hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity — have been described in medical literature since the 18th century. Before the term “ADHD” was coined, the condition was described and later conceptualized through a variety of labels, including “hyperkinetic disorder,”1 minimal brain dysfunction, attention deficit disorder, and ADHD.As our understanding of ADHD has evolved, diagnostic rates have risen, reflecting increased awareness and a greater recognition of symptoms beyond hyperactivity in historically overlooked groups.Most cases arise from a combination of genetic and environmental factors.[Read: Prenatal and Early Life Risk Factors of ADHD]Family, twin, and adoption studies show that ADHD is highly heritable — almost as heritable as height.2 ADHD both runs in families and impacts families.3About 80% of children with ADHD have a co-occurring condition
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ADHD Awareness Month