| ADHD has clearly been around for quite some | | | | documented at this point was hyperactivity. |
| time, but it was only recently given the name | | | | During these years, stimulants were used by a |
| Attention Deficit Disorder. Previously, the | | | | wider population. |
| disorder had various names, which changed | | | | |
| over the years. | | | | Somewhat later, new symptoms were added to |
| | | | this hyperactivity disorder: lack of focus |
| A disorder relating to impulsiveness was | | | | and "spaceiness" associated with |
| first documented in 1902, in Britain. It was | | | | impulsiveness. Impulsiveness now included |
| diagnosed by Dr. Still, who called it "Defect | | | | verbal, cognitive and motor impulsiveness. |
| of Moral Control" and believed that the | | | | |
| diagnosed individual had a medical disorder | | | | In 1980, the disorder was given its current |
| beyond their control. | | | | name of Attention Deficit Disorder, with or |
| | | | without hyperactivity. This was documented |
| The next documentation of similar symptoms | | | | in the DSM-III put out by the American |
| was in 1922; here, the symptoms we associate | | | | Psychiatric Association, with ADD and ADHD |
| with ADHD were given the name | | | | being two different diagnoses. |
| "Post-Encephalitic Behavior Disorder". | | | | |
| | | | Next, in 1987, ADD was changed to Attention |
| The next event in the history of ADHD was in | | | | Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The American |
| 1937, where Dr. Charles Bradley introduced | | | | Psychiatric Association noted that this was a |
| the use of stimulants in children who were | | | | medical diagnosis, and not a purely |
| hyperactive. It is interesting that | | | | psychological one. It also noted that ADHD |
| stimulants were used to treat hyperactive | | | | could cause behavioral issues. |
| children, when these were already bouncing | | | | |
| off the walls. While it is true that | | | | In 1996, a new medication called Adderall was |
| stimulants calm down hyperactive kids, how | | | | approved by the FDA for the treatment of |
| did someone hypothesize that this would | | | | ADHD. After a period of time, it was thought |
| occur? About two decades later, in 1956, | | | | to be better at treating the disorder, since |
| Ritalin was introduced as the drug of choice | | | | its effect lasted longer and it was easier to |
| to treat hyperactivity. | | | | come down off of. In 1999, other medications |
| | | | were added to treat ADHD such as Concerta and |
| In the early 1960s, the disorder was called | | | | Focalin. In 2003, Strattera was introduced as |
| "Minimal Brain Dysfunction". At the end of | | | | the first ADHD medication that was not a |
| the decade, though, the name of the disorder | | | | stimulant, but rather, it acted like an |
| was changed to "Hyperkinetic Disorder of | | | | antidepressant, but increased the amount of |
| Childhood". The only symptom that was really | | | | norepinephrine in the brain. |