Dr. Hallowell is the Harvard trained physician who wrote over 40 books on ADHD and is passionate about sharing what he knows, demystifying core concepts and debunking myths.

The word ADHD elicits some specific images in many people’s minds: they think of hyperactive little boys, people who fidget constantly, or maybe someone who’s always talking. But while these images can reflect some people’s reality at least partly, there’s more to this disorder than these stereotypes. 

In this guide, we’ll cut through the noise and go through the basics of ADHD to help you understand yourself or a loved one better. We’ll give you the facts and figures on ADHD and go through some of the ways you can manage the condition and thrive.

ADHD manifests uniquely for each individual, with a diverse range of symptoms, challenges, and coping strategies. While every person therefore has a different set of traits and symptoms, and will need a different personalized approach, it is helpful to create broad categories. There are three distinct types of ADHD, which we’ll go into more detail in the next section: hyperactive/ impulsive, inattentive, and combined. 
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When a clinician diagnoses ADHD, they’ll also designate whether its “mild,” “moderate” or “severe”. This is essentially determined by how many symptoms  and what level of impact they have on your life.

The predominantly inattentive presentation makes up about 20-30% of all people with ADHD. People with inattentive ADHD struggle with retaining focus, which can lead to difficulties in carrying out everyday tasks that aren’t very exciting. People with this subtype may jump from task to task and get bored easily. Inattentive symptoms can be harder for outsiders to notice, delaying diagnosis for many. 

Inattentive symptoms can make you feel extremely frustrated with yourself, as you can struggle with things that seem second nature to most people. It’s vital to remember that you aren’t any less intelligent or thoughtful than your peers; you might just need to find some extra tools to thrive in your everyday life.

On a side note, it’s worth noting that many people still use the term “ADD” to refer to inattentive type ADHD. However, this term has been retired despite the fact that people with this subtype don’t present many hyperactive symptoms (which is what the “H” is ADHD stands for).