More and more, women are finding out they have ADHD as adults, most often after their child is diagnosed with ADHD.  When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, the doctor will often ask if the mom or dad has ADHD or recommend they get tested.

ADHD is highly hereditary and if a child has ADHD, experts say there's a 30-40% chance a parent has ADHD a well. If you're wondering what the difference is between ADHD and ADD, the terms have changed over the years.

During the 1980s, the name “Attention Deficit Disorder” (ADD) was defined as attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) in the 3rd edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM III)

In 1987, there was a revised edition of DSM III and the diagnosis changed to “Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” (ADHD) which includes these symptoms - inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, but there were no sub-types of ADHD.

Many continued to use the ADD term (and still do), but it hasn't been an official term in the US since 1987.

In 2000, the DSM-IV included 3 types of ADHD

• Inattentive Type

• Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

• Combined Type

Doctor Russell Barkley, says if a child has ADHD, there’s a 25% to 35% probability that a sibling has ADHD. The genetic link is even stronger in twins- between 78% to 92%.

25-35% of parents of ADHD children are adults with ADHD, 25-50% of siblings of children with ADHD have ADHD, and 70-92% of identical twins of a child with ADHD have the disorder.

ADHD can definitely run in families.

Researches indicate that approximately 20% of mothers and nearly one-third of fathers of kids with ADHD may also have ADHD.

Learning about the disorder is crucial for families who are dealing with ADHD. They need to expose their family members to some activities that they will find interesting. There are some strategies that have shown effectiveness:

• Establish a structured routine to provide consistency.

• Utilize reminders and organization tools, like alarms or sticky notes.

• Engage in open conversations about ADHD, normalizing the experience.

• Encourage self-advocacy and understanding among family members.

The techniques not only support the control of ADHD symptoms but also catalyze the emergence of a supportive environment in which everyone feels that they are understood and valued.

Grappling the hereditary nature of ADHD can change the lives of families. It is an entrance to communication about common experiences and becomes the right way to see the difficulties many people experience in their daily life.

Through the acceptance of our special brains and the various ways that they act, we can pave a path for the creation of an environment that is emotional support and that encourages power and wisdom.

Moving forward with our journey of discovery concerning ADHD and its effects on our life, let us not forget that our company in this is never the sole one. There are numerous who have gone through the same difficulties and it is only through working hand in hand that we would join forces to walk the ropes belonging to ADHD with understanding and experience.

Understanding OCD, OCPD, and ADHD is essential in recognizing how they can impact our lives and relationships.
While these disorders have similar traits from the outside, the motivations behind the behaviors and specifics of each can significantly differ.

If you think you may have OCD or OCPD in addition to ADHD, talk with your health professional.

If you don't have either, this may help you understand the challenges others' face.

— Renee