ADHD is a neuropsychiatric disorder developed in childhood. There are three major types of core neuropsychiatric impairments tied with ADHD: hyperactivity, impulsivity, and poor attention. Most people with ADHD have at least some symptoms of all three categories, but many people experience symptoms that are predominantly from one category. As the current clinical diagnosis procedure goes (after having met certain evaluating criteria for symptoms relating to the three categories), one’s ADHD would be evaluated as:

1. Predominantly inattentive presentation (formerly known as ADD)

2. Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type

3. Combined type presentation

If someone has been clinically diagnosed with ADHD, it’s because the underlying symptoms have significantly impacted some aspect of the person’s life (work, school, relationships).

These core ADHD symptoms develop in childhood. Over time, cognitive components (our thoughts and beliefs) begin to come into play. Experiences of sustained achievement with a history of repeated "failures" result in developing limiting beliefs about oneself and the world around us. While untreated, these cognitive components begin to compound and likely worsen the underlying symptoms.

An adult with untreated ADHD is more susceptible to coping with these challenges by masking and/or avoiding these unsettling thoughts, feelings, and emotions with unconscious-harmful practices; culminating with a higher risk of dependence on controlled substances and further developing related psychiatric conditions.