Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) includes a mix of ongoing challenges, such as having difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. In the U.S., ADHD afflicts an estimated 7 million children, ages 3 to 17. According to one study, among American children, the prevalence of this diagnosis rose from 6.1 percent in 1997-1998 to 10.2 percent in 2015-2016.[1] Children with ADHD often struggle with low self-esteem, have troubled relationships, and demonstrate poor school performance. Symptom severity and frequency may lessen with age, and while some people never completely "outgrow" their ADHD symptoms, they can develop ways to live with them successfully.
While the catchphrases have evolved - "How does that make you feel?" has been replaced more recently by "Notice, don't evaluate" - the core idea remains the same. And this approach isn't a modern invention. Even as far back as the Stoics, we've recognized that a great deal of anxiety and suffering come from how we evaluate and label things.
To rise to the level of psychiatric concern, symptoms must be out of proportion to any evidence; e.g., a grandfather suspects his 33-year-old grandson Eric asking questions about family generations.