There are several common misconceptions about ADHD.
A very common misconception and one that many parents of neurodivergent parents will be quite familiar with is that it is a behavioural problem that can be cured by punishment or willpower alone. In reality, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the brain’s ability to regulate attention and behaviour. While behaviour therapy and other interventions can be helpful for managing the symptoms of ADHD, there is no cure for ADHD. That doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of strategies and tools that can be really useful for managing the challenges of ADHD but anyone selling you a cure is not being completely honest.
Another common misconception is that only children can have ADHD. While it is true that ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, it can also affect adults. In fact, many adults with ADHD do not realize they have it until they are in their 30s or 40s, when they start to have difficulty managing their time and attention. Many women find that the onset of perimenopause or menopause exacerbates their ADHD symptoms. There are many cases of ADHD diagnoses in late adulthood. Another common period when ADHD is diagnosed in adults is when parents have their child assessed and they discover that not only does their child have ADHD but so do they.
Some people also believe that ADHD is caused by poor parenting or a lack of discipline. However, this is not the case. ADHD has a strong genetic component, and it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. As mentioned earlier, it’s quite common for parents to discover that they have ADHD when they have their children assessed for ADHD.
Many people believe that people with ADHD are less intelligent or less capable than those without the disorder. This is not true. People with ADHD are just as intelligent and capable as anyone else, and many of them are highly successful in their chosen fields. It is important to remember that ADHD, like many other neurodivergent traits, is a disorder that affects attention and behaviour, not intelligence.