Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Imagine living in a world where sights, sounds, images and thoughts are
constantly changing and shifting. Unable to focus on whatever task is at hand,
your mind wanders from one activity or thought to the next. Sometimes you become
so lost among all the thoughts and images that you don't even notice when
someone is speaking to you.
This is what it is like for many people who have Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. Once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain
dysfunction, ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders among children. It
affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, and it is likely to occur two to three
times more in boys than in girls.
People who have ADHD may be unable to sit still, plan ahead, finish
tasks, or be completely aware of what is going on in the world around them.
However, on some occasions, they may appear "normal", leading others to believe
that the person with ADHD can control such behaviors. As a result of this, ADHD
can hinder the person's relationships and interactions with others in addition
to disrupting their daily life and lowering self-esteem.
To determine whether or not a person has ADHD, specialists must consider
several questions: Do these behaviors occur more often than in other people of
the same age? Are the behaviors an ongoing problem, not just a response to a
[temporary] situation? Do the behaviors occur only in one specific place or in
several different settings?
In answering these questions, the person's behavior patterns are
compared to a set of criteria and characteristics of ADHD. The Diagnostic
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) presents this set of criteria.
According to the DSM, there are three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD:
inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
According to the DSM, signs of inattention include: becoming easily
distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds; failing to pay attention to details
and making... [continues]
Imagine living in a world where sights, sounds, images and thoughts are
constantly changing and shifting. Unable to focus on whatever task is at hand,
your mind wanders from one activity or thought to the next. Sometimes you become
so lost among all the thoughts and images that you don't even notice when
someone is speaking to you.
This is what it is like for many people who have Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD. Once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain
dysfunction, ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders among children. It
affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, and it is likely to occur two to three
times more in boys than in girls.
People who have ADHD may be unable to sit still, plan ahead, finish
tasks, or be completely aware of what is going on in the world around them.
However, on some occasions, they may appear "normal", leading others to believe
that the person with ADHD can control such behaviors. As a result of this, ADHD
can hinder the person's relationships and interactions with others in addition
to disrupting their daily life and lowering self-esteem.
To determine whether or not a person has ADHD, specialists must consider
several questions: Do these behaviors occur more often than in other people of
the same age? Are the behaviors an ongoing problem, not just a response to a
[temporary] situation? Do the behaviors occur only in one specific place or in
several different settings?
In answering these questions, the person's behavior patterns are
compared to a set of criteria and characteristics of ADHD. The Diagnostic
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) presents this set of criteria.
According to the DSM, there are three patterns of behavior that indicate ADHD:
inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
According to the DSM, signs of inattention include: becoming easily
distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds; failing to pay attention to details
and making... [continues]
Cite This Essay
- APA
-
(1999, 10). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd). StudyMode.com. Retrieved 10, 1999, from http://www.studymode.com/essays/Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder-Adhd-2155.html
- MLA
-
"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd)" StudyMode.com. 10 1999. 10 1999 <http://www.studymode.com/essays/Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder-Adhd-2155.html>.
- CHICAGO
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"Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (Adhd)." StudyMode.com. 10, 1999. Accessed 10, 1999. http://www.studymode.com/essays/Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder-Adhd-2155.html.
