The Story of Different Minds  ·  ADHD and the Changing Names

From Hyperactivity to ADHD

How ADHD language changed across the twentieth century.

The child was always there. The name kept changing.

Simple version

ADHD traits were described using different names before ADHD became widely known. Hyperactivity, attention difficulty and impulsivity were framed in different ways across time.

Why it matters

Changing terminology can make people think a condition is new, when really the framework has changed.

Awareverse lens

Awareverse helps people understand that late recognition does not mean recent existence.

Question to ask

When looking at from hyperactivity to adhd, ask: who had power, who was being labelled, and what would have changed if the human being had been seen first?

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