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Fight Misinformation with These 11 Facts About ADHD

Unravel ADHD untruths and myths with these evidence-based facts.

Despite decades of evidence-backed research on ADHD and its treatments, misinformation and stigma are making a comeback.

ADHD is not a new or made-up condition. The hallmarks of ADHD — excessive hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity — have been described in medical literature since the 18th century. Before the term “ADHD” was coined, the condition was conceptualized through other descriptions, including “hyperkinetic disorder.”

As our understanding of ADHD has evolved, diagnostic rates have risen, reflecting increased awareness and a greater recognition of symptoms beyond hyperactivity in historically overlooked groups.

In this download, you will learn 11 irrefutable facts to challenge untruths and disinformation about ADHD. You can use the research findings to challenge untruths and disinformation about ADHD today.

For more essential facts about ADHD, see the World Federation of ADHD’s international consensus statement detailing more than 200 findings about the disorder.

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17Sibley, M.H., Arnold, L.E., Swanson, J.M., Hechtman, L.T., Kennedy, T.M., Owens, E., Molina, B.S.G., Jensen, P.S., Hinshaw, S.P., Roy, A., Chronis-Tuscano, A., Newcorn, J.H., Rohde, L.A., & MTA Cooperative Group (2022). Variable patterns of remission from ADHD in the multimodal treatment study of ADHD. The American Journal of Psychiatry, 179(2), 142–151. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2021.21010032

18Sibley, M.H., Kennedy, T.M., Swanson, J.M., Arnold, L.E., Jensen, P.S., Hechtman, L.T., Molina, B.S.G., Howard, A., Greenhill, L., Chronis-Tuscano, A., Mitchell, J.T., Newcorn, J.H., Rohde, L.A., & Hinshaw, S.P. (2024). Characteristics and predictors of fluctuating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the multimodal treatment of ADHD (MTA) study. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 85(4), 24m15395. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.24m15395