Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, misdiagnosis can happen because many of its symptoms overlap with those of other conditions. The symptoms of ADHD — such as difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and finding it hard to respond to instructions — can all arise from a wide variety of causes.
Misdiagnosis can occur because symptoms of ADHD can mimic other conditions. Also, ADHD is multifaceted, and symptoms often present differently from person to person.
ADHD is not overdiagnosed, but it may be often misdiagnosed. Sometimes people think ADHD is overdiagnosed because diagnoses have increased over time. It could be true that some diagnosed people do not really have ADHD.
Findings. In this systematic scoping review of 334 published studies in children and adolescents, convincing evidence was found that ADHD is overdiagnosed in children and adolescents. For individuals with milder symptoms in particular, the harms associated with an ADHD diagnosis may often outweigh the benefits.
— Nearly 1 million children in the United States are potentially misdiagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder simply because they are the youngest – and most immature – in their kindergarten class, according to new research by a Michigan State University economist.
Indeed, if the TOVA test is used as the sole criteria to diagnose or rule out ADHD, it is quite possible that because of “false negatives” from the T.O.V.A assessment, the patient's ADHD may remain undiagnosed without treatment.
Instead, the rapid increase in people with A.D.H.D. probably has more to do with sociological factors — changes in the way we school our children, in the way we interact with doctors and in what we expect from our kids. Which is not to say that A.D.H.D. is a made-up disorder.
Rather, the rise seems to be due to an increase in access to healthcare; a decrease in stigmatization about receiving mental health care; and greater awareness of the symptoms of ADHD among clinicians, guardians, educators, and patients. In the past, ADHD was only diagnosed in children who were hyperactive.
“Get a second opinion.” Even if managed care has largely decimated the idea of second opinions, it's still important. Especially when you suspect you have ADHD but are dismissed without much thought from a professional.
Misdiagnosis is not uncommon when high IQ and ADHD collide. Very bright children who are also highly active are sometimes misdiagnosed with ADHD. On the other hand, some highly intelligent children with ADHD can focus on things that interest them for an extended period of time, which can lead to misdiagnosis as well.
Symptoms of Mood Swings in ADHD
Switching from excited one moment to sad, angry, or anxious the next. Fluctuating between having trouble paying attention and hyperfocusing on an activity. Having bursts of energy and fatigue through the day. Feeling emotions intensely and having difficulty regulating them.
Studies have shown that symptoms of bipolar disorder often overlap with those of ADHD, making it hard to diagnose both of these disorders. Bipolar disorder is marked by mood swings between periods of intense emotional highs and lows.
Effects of masking your ADHD
ADHD that is undiagnosed can prevent people from receiving support that studies have shown to be beneficial. The stress of masking untreated or undiagnosed ADHD might contribute to anxiety and depression, similar to the way 2021 research demonstrates this connection in autistic people.
Here is a truth that people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) know from an early age: If you have an ADHD nervous system, you might as well have been born on a different planet. Most adults with ADHD have always known that they think differently.
Attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are indeed the same condition, it's just that ADHD has had several name changes in the last three decades. 1 This is because as more research is carried out, understanding grows and the name has been changed to reflect that knowledge.
Genetics. ADHD tends to run in families and, in most cases, it's thought the genes you inherit from your parents are a significant factor in developing the condition. Research shows that parents and siblings of someone with ADHD are more likely to have ADHD themselves.
What's behind the rise in ADHD diagnoses? It is also possible that diagnosis in children could be driven by parents' desire to secure extra support for them. Getting a diagnosis of ADHD can unlock extra funds from local government that can be invaluable to children struggling at school.
Several factors apply: Manufacturing delays have risen during the pandemic due to international supply chain issues, and, as a result, so have medication shortages. Since the pandemic began, more people are also being diagnosed with ADHD, although that's not a new trend.
The gold-standard diagnostic procedure for ADHD is an interview and physical exam to identify ADHD symptoms and other potential mental and physical health conditions.
There's no one test. Instead, doctors and psychologists get information about what and how many symptoms you have, when they started, how long they've lasted, and how severe they are. In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, you need to have several symptoms, not just one or two.
Diagnosis of ADHD in adults can be difficult because certain ADHD symptoms are similar to those caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or mood disorders. And many adults with ADHD also have at least one other mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.
The ADHD iceberg is an analogy representing the visible and invisible symptoms of ADHD. Above the water, the tip of the iceberg represents the external symptoms of ADHD many people recognize.
Masking is when a person with ADHD acts in a “socially acceptable” way to fit in and form better connections with those around them. This usually involves camouflaging their symptoms by controlling their impulses, rehearsing responses, and copying the behaviors of those who don't have ADHD.