ADHD vs. ADD: What's the Difference? - Healthline

Originally, ADD described the inattentive type of ADHD. A doctor or mental health professional might have diagnosed ADD when someone had persistent symptoms of ... HealthlineHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectSubscribeADHDvs.ADD:WhatYouNeedtoKnowMedicallyreviewedbyKarinGepp,PsyD—WrittenbyTriciaKinmanandCrystalRaypole—UpdatedonNovember8,2021TypesDiagnosisAdultADHDSeverityTakeawayWhatarethedifferencesbetweenADDandADHD?Attentiondeficitdisorder(ADD)isanoutdatedtermforwhatexpertsnowcallattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD).ThetermADDfirstappearedinthethirdeditionofthe“DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders(DSM-3),”areferencemanualthathelpsmentalhealthprofessionalsdiagnosementalhealthconditions.Expertsseparatedtheconditionintotwosubtypes:ADDwithhyperactivityADDwithouthyperactivityWhentheAmericanPsychiatricAssociationreleasedarevisededitionin1987,theycombinedthesetwosubtypesintoonecondition:ADHD.Today,ADHDisoneofthemorecommonchildhoodmentalhealthconditions.TheCentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention(CDC)saysthatabout9.4percentofchildrenandadolescents(justover6million)intheUnitedStateshaveADHD.AdultscanhaveADHD,too.Accordingtoa2021review,nearly2.6percentofadultsgloballyhavepersistentADHDfromchildhood,whileabout6.7percentofadultshavesymptomsofadultADHD.Sincetheseestimatescomefromreportedsymptomsanddiagnoses,somebelievetherealprevalenceofADHDcouldbehigher.TypesofADHDExpertshaveidentifiedthreetypesofADHD,basedonthemainsymptomsinvolved:inattentionimpulsivityandhyperactivityacombinationofinattentionandhyperactivityInattentivetypeOriginally,ADDdescribedtheinattentivetypeofADHD.AdoctorormentalhealthprofessionalmighthavediagnosedADDwhensomeonehadpersistentsymptomsofinattentionanddistractibility,butfewsignsofhyperactivityorimpulsivity.Now,they’dmostlikelydiagnoseADHDwithapredominantlyinattentivepresentation.Symptomsoftheinattentivetypeinclude:easydistractibilityfrequentforgetfulnessindailylifetroublepayingattentiontodetailsorlisteningwhenotherpeoplespeakdifficultyconcentratingontasksoractivitiestroublefollowinginstructionsandcompletingtasksasdirectedatendencytolosefocusorgetsidetrackedeasilydifficultystayingorganizedormanagingtimeatendencytoputofforavoidtasksthatrequirelongperiodsofmentaleffort,suchashomeworkorworkprojectsahabitoflosingvitalthingsneededfordailyroutinesandactivitiesThesesignsmightshowupatschool,work,home,orinpersonalrelationships.WiththistypeofADHD,you(oryourchild)might:havetroublekeepingtrackofspecialdateslikebirthdaysandanniversariesalongwithduedatesforworkassignmentsandbillpaymentsfinditdifficulttocompletetasksontime,andprocrastinateonschoolwork,chores,orevenprojectsyouenjoyhaveahardtimepayingattention,eventothingsthatinterestyou,likethelatestbookinafavoriteseriesorafriend’sdescriptionofarecenttripmakefrequentmistakesinyourworkHyperactivetypeThistypeofADHD,alsocalledthehyperactive-impulsivetype,involvessymptomsofhyperactivityandimpulsivity.Keysymptomsinclude:difficultysittingquietly,remainingstill,orstayinginoneplaceexcessivetalkingdifficultywaitingpatientlyortakingturnsfrequentfidgeting,squirming,ortappinghandsandfeettroublestayingseatedinschool,work,orothersituationspersistentfeelingsofrestlessness,whichmightshowupasatendencytorunorclimbininappropriatesituationstroubleplayingquietlyorparticipatinginrelaxingactivitiesahabitoffinishingothers’sentencesorgivingananswerbeforesomeonefinishesaskingaquestionahabitofinterruptingothers,intrudingonconversationsandactivities,orusingothers’belongingswithoutpermissionAgain,thesesymptomswillshowupinmultipleareasoflife.Youmight,forexample:needtopacetheroomormovearoundalot,orfeelasifyoucan’tstopmovinghavetroublewaitinginlonglines,traffic,orforappointmentsjumpinwithyourownthoughtsandideaswhenothersaretalkingmakedecisionsorshopimpulsivelyhaveemotionaloutbursts,orfindithardtomanageextremeorintenseemotionsCombinedtypePeoplewiththecombinedtypeofADHDhavesymptomsfromboththeinattentiveandhyperactive-impulsivecategories.Childrenundertheageof17needtohaveatleast6symptomsfromeachcategory.Adultsages17andolderneedtohaveatleast5symptoms.SomeexpertssuggestthatthecombinedtypeofADHDismorecommonthantheothertwotypes,especiallyinadults.Inanolderstudyof107adultswithADHD:62percentofadultswithADHDhadthecombinedtype31percenthadthepredominantlyinattentivetype7percenthadthehyperactive-impulsivetypeButamorerecentreviewexploredtheprevalenceofADHDinchildrenandadolescentsinAfrica.TheyfoundevidencetosuggestcombinedADHDwastheleastcommontype.Accordingtodatafrom12studies:2.95percentofchildrenandadolescentswithADHDhadthepredominantlyinattentivetype2.77percenthadthehyperactive-impulsivetype2.44percenthadthecombinedtypeIt’spossiblethatparentsandteachersmaysimplyfindsignsofcombinedADHDeasiertorecognize.Asaresult,peoplewiththecombinedtypecouldhaveabetterchanceofgettingtherightdiagnosis,sincetheirsymptomsalignwithbehaviorsmostpeopleassociatewithADHD.ThiscouldgivetheperceptionthatcombinedADHDismorecommonthanothertypesofADHD.HowADHDisdiagnosedAdiagnosisofADHDrequiresmorethanthekeysymptomsofinattention,hyperactivity,orimpulsivity.Notonlydochildrenneedtohave6ormoresymptoms(5ormoreforadults)foratleast6months,theyalsoneedto:havesomesymptomsbeforetheageof12showsymptomsinatleasttwodifferentsettings,includingatschool,home,work,withfriends,orduringotheractivitieshavesymptomssevereenoughtointerferewithfunctionatschool,work,orinsocialsituationsandaffectqualityoflifeBeforemakingadiagnosisofADHD,amentalhealthprofessionalwillalsoruleoutothermentalhealthconditions,including:moodoranxietydisorderssubstanceusedisorderspersonalitydisordersdissociativedisordersDoesADHDshowupdifferentlyforadults?ParentsandteachersmaynotalwaysnoticesymptomsofADHDinchildren,especiallywhenthosesymptomsarelesseasytoobserveanddon’tdisturbothers.Researchfrom2020notes,forexample,thatinattentivesymptomsoftengounrecognized,especiallyingirls,sincethesesymptomsgenerallydon’tdisruptothers.AchildwithinattentiveADHDmightseemdreamyordistant.Theymightalsoseemintentlyfocusedonwhatlookslikeclassnoteswhenthey’reactuallydoodlingorzoningout.Ifyoudon’tgetadiagnosisinchildhood,youmightnotseeksupportunlessyoubegintohaveproblemsatworkorschool,orinyourrelationshipswithfriendsandromanticpartners.ManypeoplewithADHDfindtheirsymptomsimprovewithage.Thatsaid,ifyounevergettherightdiagnosisortreatment,youmightcontinuetofindthosesymptomsdifficulttocopewith.Asaresult,youmightfeelasifthey’regettingworseovertime.Othermentalhealthsymptoms,likeanxietyanddepression,nottomentiontheeverydaystressorsthatcomewithbeinganadult,canalsoaffectyoursymptoms.Thesefactorscouldleadtochangesinthesymptomsyouexperience.Generallyspeaking,thesymptomsofADHDremainmuchthesameforchildrenandadults.Butifyouhavemoreresponsibilitiesasanadult,yoursymptomscouldhavemoreofanimpactonyourlife.Inchildhood,itmightmatterlessifyoufrequentlyforgetdatesorloseyourkeys,ifyouhaveparentsandsiblingstohelpyouout.Asanadult,forgettingtopayyourrent,losingyourwallet,orfrequentlyshowinguplateforworkcouldhavemoreseriousconsequences.LearnmoreaboutkeysignsofADHDinadults.Aretheredifferencesinseverity?YoumighthaveheardADD(theinattentivetypeofADHD,thatis)describedasa“lesssevere”formofADHD,orsomethingalongthoselines.Inreality,though,noneofthethreeADHDtypesarenecessarilyanymoreorlessseverethantheothers.Still,symptomseverityabsolutelycandifferfrompersontoperson,eveninthesamefamily.YouandasiblingcouldbothhavethecombinedtypeofADHD,forexample,butoneofyoumayhavemildersymptoms.Theso-called“milder”inattentionsymptomscanstillhaveabigimpact.Thesesymptomsmaynotaffectyourconductorbehavioratschoolorworkinanyobviousway.Butyoumightstillfaceplentyofdifficultiesfocusing,stayingorganized,orcompletingtaskscorrectlyandontime.Thesesymptomsmightnotimproveiftheygoundiagnosedanduntreated,sotheycanlastintoadulthoodandcontinuetocreatechallengesinyourlife.Gettingthecorrectdiagnosisandfindingthebesttreatmentforyoucangoalongwaytowardhelpingyoumanagethesesymptomseffectively.LearnmoreabouttreatmentoptionsforADHD.ThebottomlineMentalhealthprofessionalsnolongerdiagnoseADD.Instead,they’lldiagnoseoneofthreetypesofADHD—inattentive,hyperactive-impulsive,orcombined—basedonyour(oryourchild’s)symptoms.Sharingallofthesymptomsyounoticewithyourtherapistordoctorcanhelpthemtoarriveatthecorrectdiagnosis.Attheendoftheday,whatmattersmostisfindingatreatmentthatworksforyou,whetherthatinvolvestherapy,medication,orboth.DeterminingthetypeofADHDyouhavecanputyouonestepclosertofindinganeffectivetreatment.LastmedicallyreviewedonNovember8,2021MedicallyreviewedbyKarinGepp,PsyD—WrittenbyTriciaKinmanandCrystalRaypole—UpdatedonNovember8,2021ReadthisnextAdultADHDMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDADHDisaneurodevelopmentaldisordercommonlyassociatedwithchildren,butapproximately4percentofAmericanadults(asmanyas9millionpeople)…READMOREConditionsThatMimicADHDManymedicalconditionsinchildrenhavesymptomsthatmirrorthoseofADHD,whichcanmakeacorrectdiagnosisdifficult.Herearealternative…READMORE14SignsofAttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder(ADHD)MedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDSymptomsofAttentionDeficitHyperactivityDisorder(ADHD)canvaryandbedifficulttorecognize;whatsignstoobserveinachild.READMOREAsperger’sorADHD?Symptoms,Diagnosis,andTreatmentsMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDBothAsperger'sandADHDareconditionswhichmaybediagnosedearlyinlife,andtheymaysharecertainsymptomswhichmayappearsimilar.Butthere…READMOREIsItBipolarDisorderorADHD?LearntheSignsMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDBipolardisorderandattentiondeficithyperactivitydisorder(ADHD)areconditionsthataffectmanypeople.Learnthedifferencesbetweenthetwoand…READMORETheBenefitsofADHDMedicallyreviewedbyAlexKlein,PsyDADHDcancreateitsownchallenges,butithasadvantagestoo.DiscoverADHDbenefitslikehyperfocusandspontaneity,celebritieswithADHD,andmore.READMORETheFourGreatestMythsAboutADHDMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDPeoplewithADHDareoftenmisunderstoodbyothersunfamiliarwiththecondition.We'lllaytorestfourcommonmythsassociatedwithADHD.READMORESignsandSymptomsofADHDinToddlersMedicallyreviewedbyTimothyJ.Legg,PhD,PsyDIt’snotalwayseasytotellifatoddlerhasADHD,sincetheytendtohavedifficultypayingattentioningeneral.Impulsivity,beingoverlyfidgety…READMOREThe11BestADHDAppsfor2022MedicallyreviewedbyDani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