Wednesday, March 8, 2023

  • 03/08/2023 - 12:00pm to 1:00pm
    Attention-deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) continues to be one of the most misunderstood, underdiagnosed, and underappreciated neurodevelopmental conditions in mental health. Given the high comorbidities present, clinicians cannot avoid working with these individuals and often do so unknowingly. This results in - at best - attenuated outcomes and - at worst - a worsening of the patient’s condition from misattributing the patient’s presenting symptoms and concerns to other factors. Part of the problem stems from misconceptions and biases influencing clinical practice (and even clinical education) for one of the highest genetically inherited psychiatric conditions contained in the DSM. This presentation endeavors to increase participants’ awareness of the clinical issues and challenges in identifying ADHD later in life, as well as to some of their own possible biases/misconceptions, through a series of illustrative clinical vignettes. Ultimately, it is hoped that this presentation will stimulate curiosity, further inquiry, and collegial discussion that will improve diagnostic identification, treatment outcomes, and the quality of life for those with ADHD.