# Have you heard of ADHD without the H? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 15, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772 "2010-11-15T20:27:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/21 "2010-11-16T20:12:43Z")
I’ve heard of ADHD-PI, but I’m not entirely convinced that it makes sense to consider the two disorders as subtypes of one thing. ADHD is a disorder of impulse control, not attention, and it’s not at all clear that that’s what’s going in ADHD-PI. I found a nice set of lecture notes from Russell Barkley where he talks about that idea in more detail, and I’ll post them later on if I remember. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/22 "2010-11-16T22:01:20Z")
The committee currently working on the DSM-V is keeping them as subtypes. There’s a copy of the working draft of the DSM-V available [online](http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx), and the ADHD page is [here](http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=383#), with a link to their rationale. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/23 "2010-11-16T23:55:03Z")
Per the link, I’d be Inattentive Presentation (Restrictive). I wonder if they keep them together because they often overlap and/or because the same drugs work on both. Oh, as homework I had to look up a list of the most commonly prescribed medications used to tread ADHD. Almost all of them included weight loss as a side effect. The horror. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/24 "2010-11-17T00:27:11Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Or constantly clicking on the computer screen and highlighting text, like I do all the time. I’m pretty sure that’s more of a tic than a manifestation of hyperactivity. Of course, tics are highly correlated with ADD/ADHD, so maybe this is a distinction without a difference. But anyway, when I do it, it feels more like a tic than like some kind of nervous energy or the like. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/25 "2010-11-17T01:29:15Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > Yes, ADHD has two subtypes, hyperactive and inattentive. The hyperactive subtype gets all the attention (no pun intended) for obvious reasons - those kids are the ones that are bouncing around, unable to sit still, impulsively blurting out answers or interrupting conversations or whatever. The inattentive subtype are the dreamers in the back row, unable to follow directions or pay attention but not making a spectacle… I was the latter type. Most of my grade school teachers were OK, but my 2nd grade teacher kept insisting that my parents medicate me or I’d end up in special ed. So they did (against their better judgment). Even my specialist warned them that he didn’t think medication was the best option. Somehow the medication turned me into the hyperactive type. Withing weeks that same teaching was literely begging my parents to take me off the meds because she couldn’t even keep order let alone teach the rest of the class. I hated that bitch (which is what my mother called her in front of me). ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2010, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/26 "2010-11-17T01:56:35Z")
> [@Yllaria](#): > > H **ave you heard of ADHD without the H?** “Advanced Dungeons & Dragons”. Think I just dated myself ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/27 "2010-11-18T01:29:53Z")
Yes, I’ve heard of it. 😉 I was diagnosed age 11. School was a nightmare and so was home life in many ways - my dad can relate very well to my issues but mom can’t understand me at all. But I’ve done pretty well for myself ever since I dropped out of high school and moved away from my parents. Thank goodness I was born with excellent self-esteem, my struggles with certain basic things have never made me down on myself. ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/28 "2010-11-18T05:22:44Z")
My brother was diagnosed with ADHD-PI when he was 22. It was a relief and also tough for him considering all the crap my parents gave him pre-diagnosis. His main issue was setting goals and accomplishing things. He was on Adderall for a while and lost a ton of weight. He went off it because the side effects started worrying him. He switched to [Vyvanse](http://www.vyvanse.com/) which isn’t addictive and metabolizes differently. Also it isn’t a controlled substance so cheaper and easier prescriptions. Now he goes on and off meds situationally. He read Driven to Distraction and also highly recommends [The Edison Gene](http://www.amazon.com/Edison-Gene-ADHD-Hunter-Child/dp/0892811285), In addition to medication, he has been in therapy. It’s a tough road especially as a newly diagnosed adult. But relief and support are there. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772/29 "2010-11-18T09:09:30Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > The committee currently working on the DSM-V is keeping them as subtypes. There’s a copy of the working draft of the DSM-V available [online](http://www.dsm5.org/Pages/Default.aspx), and the ADHD page is [here](http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=383#), with a link to their rationale. No wonder they had me diagnosed as ADHD-PI (or ADD as they called it then) back in the day. I have five of the required six criteria. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-heard-of-adhd-without-the-h/560772.md?page=1)