| ADHD, or what's more commonly referred to as | | | | ways to increase their release. Things such as |
| simply ADD, is one of the most misunderstood and | | | | movement, physical activity, focusing on things that are |
| misdiagnosed diseases in the world. The truth is, most | | | | stimulating or doing anything that causes stimulation are |
| people don't understand ADD and wouldn't recognize a | | | | various ways that people with ADD stimulate their |
| person with it if they saw one. It is the hope of this | | | | brains. In a sense this is more a reflex to their not |
| article and the series to follow, to educate you about | | | | getting the proper neuro-chemicals and not so much a |
| ADD, what it is, how it's diagnosed, how it's treated and | | | | conscious act, which is the reason that people with |
| several other topics that hopefully will aid in your | | | | ADD act in this way and really can't control their |
| awareness and understanding of this disease. | | | | actions. |
| Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, ADHD or ADD, | | | | The problems this action causes is that people with |
| is a condition where the person with it is unable to | | | | ADD, when confronted with a situation that doesn't |
| maintain attention for an extended period of time. | | | | stimulate them, such as school work, then focus their |
| Other symptoms are impulsive behavior and motor | | | | attention on something that does stimulate them. |
| restlessness. It is said that about 4.4% of all adults | | | | Obviously when this happens the school work is not |
| have ADD. | | | | attended to and this results in poor performance in the |
| ADD is what is classified as a neurobiological disorder | | | | classroom. An associate of mine related a story of |
| caused by problems in the dopamine neurotransmitter | | | | this to me, about a child who would get up in the |
| systems in the brain. Most cases of ADD are inherited. | | | | middle of the class, stand on his desk and start telling |
| If a parent or close blood relative has ADD then there | | | | jokes. At first it was thought that he was just trying to |
| is a 30% chance that a child will have ADD. In studies | | | | be funny and disrupt the class. As it turned out he |
| of twins it is shown that if one twin has ADD there is | | | | actually had ADD and couldn't help himself. This |
| a 50% chance that the other twin will also have ADD. | | | | occurred during a time when people really didn't |
| ADD is not caused by poor nutrition as it was once | | | | understand this disease. |
| believed. It is also not caused by bad parenting, drugs | | | | Other problems associated with people who have |
| or allergies. Other medical conditions may cause | | | | ADD is that they have difficulty with personal |
| symptoms similar to ADD such as severe head | | | | relationships and staying employed. Also people with |
| trauma, thyroid problems, foetal alcohol syndrome and | | | | ADD may do things to stimulate themselves that are |
| lead intoxication, so it is important to do a thorough | | | | actually reckless and dangerous and thus may further |
| analysis in order to determine if the person has ADD | | | | complicate their lives with legal problems. |
| and not one of these other problems. | | | | In the next in this series we'll discuss how to determine |
| What happens with ADD is that when a person does | | | | if someone has ADD and if diagnosed what steps can |
| not get adequate neuro-chemicals, or in other words, | | | | be taken to treat it. |
| the brain is not being properly stimulated, it tries to find | | | | |