The ADHD Awareness Coalition has designated October as National ADHD Awareness Month

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), a neurodevelopmental disorder, affects millions of Americans regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. Recognized widely by medical organizations as varied as the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), ADHD causes significant impairment at work, in school, and throughout the daily lives of those in whom it is diagnosed.

When it comes to the issue of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), there have always been many misunderstandings, myths and untruths that abound...but it is the TRUTHS that need to be shared to help people understand more about this challenge.

For instance...

Myth -- ADHD isn't a real medical disorder
Myth -- ADHD is the result of bad parenting
Myth -- ADHD only affects boys
Myth -- Children who take ADHD medication are more likely to abuse drugs later in life
Myth -- Children with ADHD eventually outgrow their condition

"The Many Faces of ADHD," the theme for the 2013 ADHD Awareness Month, was chosen to reflect current research on the breadth and scale of this brain-based disorder. "While once thought that mainly boys were affected by ADHD and that they would grow out of it, this is not true. We now know that both boys and girls, as well as men and women, can all live with the effects of ADHD," said Michele Novotni, Coalition Chair. Ruth Hughes, CEO of CHADD (Children & Adults with ADHD) referred to current research, saying, "ADHD has many faces. It affects people of all ethnic backgrounds and all socioeconomic classes."

The 2013 ADHD Awareness Month website (www.adhdawarenessmonth.org) offers resources including authoritative fact sheets, posters, activity suggestions, and much more to empower the educational initiatives of local community groups and national mental health organization partners.

About the ADHD Awareness Coalition: The ADHD Awareness Coalition is comprised of leading organizations in the United States devoted to providing information, support, and advocacy for individuals, families, and professionals affected by ADHD.

Including:

ADHD Coaches Organization
Sarah D. Wright

Attention Deficit Disorder Association
Michele Novotni

Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Ruth Hughes

National Resource Center on AD/HD
Tim MacGeorge

ADDitude Magazine
Susan Caughman