Definition
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental difference in how the brain regulates attention, impulse, and activity. It shows up as difficulty sustaining attention on non-preferred tasks, intense focus on preferred ones, impulsivity, restlessness, and challenges with executive function and time.
Why It Matters
ADHD is one of the most common conditions to co-occur with autism, and it shapes daily life, school, and work in ways that supports and accommodations can meaningfully ease. Recognizing it as a regulation difference, not a character flaw, changes how a person is understood and treated.
Common Misconception
ADHD is not a deficit of attention so much as a difficulty regulating where attention goes, which is why hyperfocus and distractibility can coexist. It is not caused by laziness, poor discipline, or too much screen time.