RUNNING HEAD: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 1

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Jordan Norman
Salt Lake Community College
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 2

I find myself baffled quite frequently by how influential stereotypes and misconceptions can be

on our perceptions of the world. Beliefs such as, “all politicians are liars,” or, “therapy is for the

week,” run rampant in our society. Recently, diagnosis of my nephew with moderate attention-

deficit/hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, stirred some subconscious notions. When my sister told

me, I had a thought cross my mind that I knew was a stereotype creating a snap judgment. I had a

belief somewhere in the back of my head that my nephew’s ADHD would mean he would have

too much energy and be impossible to keep in line. I know better than that, so I decided to

educate myself.

As it turns out, the misconception that psychological disorders are black, and white seems to be

a commonly held belief in the U.S. For this paper I want to specifically reverence the impression

I had that ADHD is merely a state of inattention based on an individual having too much energy.

However, now I know there are two main categories of presentation with ADHD and they can

present together to varying degrees.

The first category is predominantly hyperactive/impulsive. According to the National Institute of

Mental Health (NIMH), hyperactivity, “means a person seems to move about constantly,

including in situations in which it is not appropriate.” (NIHM, 2018). This activity could include

acts such as fidgeting, or excessive talking. In adult life, this could present the same way or with

seemingly compulsive activity to the point of wearing others out. The impulsive part means that

the person has difficulty controlling their actions. The hyperactive/impulsive presentation seems

to be the stereotype for ADHD. The belief that the individual cannot control their energy and

therefore makes rash decisions.

The second category is predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD. Many of the symptoms

of inattention involve things like difficulty staying on task or focusing. The ADHD institute has
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an overview of the DSM-5 requirements for diagnosing ADHD (“DSM-5,” 2017). Failing to pay

close attention, difficulty sustaining attention, difficulty organizing tasks, and getting distracted

easily are common symptoms that present in this category. Diagnosis can become more difficult

with inattentive presentation because the individual may just be perceived as flighty or lazy

because they are not hyperactive. However, once a child begins school, it becomes more

noticeable.

For children younger than six years of age, hyperactive/impulsive seems to be the most common

diagnosis of ADHD (“Presentations of ADHD,” 2017). Inattention takes the lead after the

individual starts elementary school and their carelessness or distracted state becomes more

noticeable. However, the two specifiers can present simultaneously. This is called combined

presentation, which is the third form of the disorder. In this scenario, just as the name suggests,

the individual meets the criteria for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive presentations for

at least six months (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).

Before the news about my nephew this year, I admit I was one of those that held the

misconceptions and thought ADHD was the stereotypical hyperactive presentation and nothing

more. When we went over the diagnostic criteria in class though, I realized how flawed my

perception was. That epiphany also spurred me to look deeper into the disorder to better

understand the struggles my nephew will be striving to overcome.

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Works Cited

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In Desk

Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-5 (pp. 31–34).

DSM-5. (2017). Retrieved from http://adhd-institute.com/assessment-diagnosis/diagnosis/dsm-5/

NIHM. (2018). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved from

https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-

adhd/index.shtml

Presentations of ADHD. (2017). Retrieved from http://adhd-institute.com/burden-of-

adhd/epidemiology/presentations-of-adhd/