In our busy modern world, the terms ADD (attention deficit disorder) and ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is sometimes overused. Teachers who find kids to be unruly and daydreaming send notes home to parents and tell them, “Your child is not functioning. You should have him tested for ADD (attention deficit disorder),” or something like that. The problem is that not all behaviors that are disruptive in the classroom are caused by attention deficit. That’s true of adults, as well. We may all experience ADD-type behaviors now and then, but the fact that we’re often distracted may not mean that we have attention deficit.
These types of symptoms may arise for many different reasons. In fact, some of us have strong ADD tendencies without having the disorder at all. In the case of kids misbehaving, they could be acting out their anger or frustration about something happening in school or even at home. Adults who have cluttered houses may just be slobby people. They don’t necessarily have attention deficit.
A major problem with finding out who does and who doesn’t have ADD or ADHD is that their are no blood tests, no...