{"id":120301,"date":"2023-02-23T15:25:23","date_gmt":"2023-02-23T20:25:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/?post_type=article&p=120301"},"modified":"2024-08-01T16:25:03","modified_gmt":"2024-08-01T20:25:03","slug":"why-do-so-many-people-have-adhd","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/screening.mhanational.org\/es\/content\/why-do-so-many-people-have-adhd\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfPor qu\u00e9 hay tanta gente con TDAH?"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019ve noticed a lot of people talking about ADHD lately, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n

ADHD diagnosis has been on the rise since at least the 90s. [1] In the past few years, it\u2019s become an especially hot topic. \u201cADHD TikTok\u201d has become a huge source of information (and sometimes misinformation) about ADHD. Many people have felt like everyone they know suddenly has ADHD.<\/p>\n

So, is ADHD really becoming more common? Or are we just becoming more aware of it? And does everyone who says they have ADHD really have it?<\/p>\n

What\u2019s behind the rise in ADHD diagnosis?<\/h2>\n

Many things can increase a person\u2019s risk of developing ADHD<\/a>. Most of them haven\u2019t changed much in the past few decades: genetics, environmental toxins, childhood trauma. [2]<\/p>\n

Some people have blamed the rise of stimulating technology like smartphones and video games. After all, the most successful companies in the history of the world are tech giants that constantly demand your attention and sell it to advertisers.<\/p>\n

These things most likely don\u2019t cause <\/em>ADHD. But it does seem like it\u2019s harder to avoid distractions today than it was 40 years ago. Add to that a global pandemic that left everyone bored at home for 2 years or so, and it makes sense why people are so curious about ADHD.<\/p>\n

Which brings us to the biggest reason more people are getting diagnosed with ADHD: awareness<\/strong>. People know more about ADHD now than they ever have in the past. They know what it is. They know it\u2019s common in both children and adults. And they know that treatment is available.<\/p>\n

For years, researchers have been saying that ADHD is underdiagnosed. [3] This is especially true for women, people of color, adults, and people with inattentive type ADHD<\/a>. Many people have been struggling with ADHD for years without realizing it. For them, greater awareness means access to life-changing options like medication, therapy, and support groups.<\/p>\n

Is there such a thing as too much awareness?<\/h2>\n

Mental health professionals are human, and sometimes they make mistakes. As more and more people get evaluated for ADHD, there will be some false positives\u2014people who really shouldn\u2019t be labeled as having ADHD, but are. [4]<\/p>\n

So how big of a problem is this? Is there a downside to increased awareness?<\/p>\n

The most common treatment for ADHD is stimulant medications, like Ritalin and Adderall<\/a>. These medications have proven to be safe and effective for people with ADHD. [5] But they do have side effects, and they can also be abused. For people with mild<\/em> ADHD, the side effects can sometimes outweigh the benefits. [4] Fortunately, people can often tell very quickly whether a medication will be helpful for them.<\/p>\n

Many of the other treatments for ADHD<\/a> are things that can be helpful for almost anyone:<\/p>\n