It’s strange that I have been living with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis for 20 plus years and yet I don’t quite know how I would sum up what it actually is. So…..I have been scouring many different sites, many different articles and the common theme I am finding is that ADD/ADHD as currently defined, is a subjective description, not a specific disease.

The criteria for diagnosis is also quite subjective and could include behaviors that may be caused by a wide variety of factors, ranging from brain defects to allergies to giftedness. Therefore, ADD/ADHD is now divided into three subtypes, according to the main features associated with the disorder: Inattentiveness, Impulsivity and Hyperactivity.

The three subtypes are: Predominantly Combined Type, Predominantly Inattentive Type and Predominantly Hyperactive Type. The most common subtype found in people that have been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD is the Combined Type, where you would have significant symptoms of all three characteristics, inattentiveness, impulsivity and hyperactivity.

All of this sounds so complex…right? Well, I am learning and realizing now, how truly individualized a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD actually is. There is a lot to know and there is a lot learn about this disorder. Hopefully through this website, we can all help each other, understand and thrive while living every day under the diagnosis of ADD/ADHD!

Please feel free to check out the individual stories of ADD/ADHD found on this website and contribute if you have any!

UPDATE: Here’s another great overview on ADD