May We Introduce You To: ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association) and Understood.org

by Lee Gehrls R&D Coordinator (Volunteer)

In our last two issues, we introduced you to ADDitude Magazine https://www.additudemag.com/ and CHADD https://chadd.org/ – both resources are packed with lots of ADHD information that the whole family and all professionals can use. This month I want to introduce you to the other two resources our nonprofit recommends to families and professionals which are each unique in their own way.

ADDA (Attention Deficit Disorder Association)

ADDA deals only with adult ADHD and they offer their services worldwide. They are an international nonprofit founded 25 years ago. Here are four facts from their About and Policies pages on their website which I recommend that you read:

  • 4-8% of the general population is estimated to have ADHD.
  • 4.4% of adults in the United States have ADHD. It is estimated that eight million (or 1 in 20) adults in our country have ADHD and 85% have never been officially diagnosed or received any treatment.
  • Health care and mental health care professionals who are not experts on ADHD frequently misdiagnose someone as having ADHD.
  • 25-40% of people in our criminal justice system are estimated to have ADHD and most are undiagnosed and have never received treatment.

This is the perfect time to become familiar with the educational and support services ADDA provides as you explore their new website which they launched a few weeks ago. The new website is well organized and easy to use. The Home page has information boxes that you can zero in on and go right to the type of resources and information you are looking for:

  • The ADHD virtual groups – They have a strong peer support program – 17 virtual support groups and 12 virtual workgroups.
  •  Library: ADHD articles, stories, science-based ADHD information.
  • Their mobile app. 
  • A healthy ADHD answer section.
  • ADHD and managing your finances section.
  •  In development: a recommended product section and an archive of webinar courses.

ADDA does require membership in order to take advantage of all the webinars, virtual support groups, library, and other services. They offer five different membership levels. Membership information can be found here.

Understood.org

15 nonprofit organizations joined together in 2014 to form Understood to offer support to those who learn differently and who have attention issues. You can read about these founding partners here. According to their Mission page, “1 in 5 people have learning and thinking differences, like dyslexia and ADHD, and 1 in 4 adults have some type of disability.” We encourage you to read this section where they describe learning and thinking differences.

Understood provides information to families, educators, and young adults. Be sure to check out the Workplace Initiative. Their Home page is easy to use. You can sign up to receive weekly updates for the specific area of interest. They currently have a Back-to-School section you may want to check out. The other sections on their website include:

  • Learning and Thinking Differences
  • School and Learning
  • Friends and Feelings
  • You and Your Family
  • Community & Events
  • Through Your Child’s Eyes

We encourage you to check out the Community & Events Section where they will be offering webinars and live expert chats. They also offer information in Spanish. 

Additional Information

I hope as you get ready for a new school year or you are returning to work or starting a new job, you will take time to study the four ADHD websites we have featured in the last three months. You can find the other feature articles in our newsletter archive. Our nonprofit has recommended these four resources for many years whether you are new to learning about ADHD or you have been living with it for years.

There is no cure for ADHD. The first step is getting a correct diagnosis from professionals who know the disorder and the coexisting conditions that can accompany it. Those who have ADHD need to work with professionals who can develop a treatment and management program that meets their needs. ADHD requires life-long learning of parents, adults who have it, the entire family, and extended family members. Everyone who lives with ADHD needs to have a support system, a habit of continuous learning, and acquiring resources for their ADHD toolbox and ADHD library. ADHD information is not in place of nor a substitute for working with trained and experienced ADHD professionals. Having knowledge about the disorder allows you to work effectively with your ADHD team.  Our mission is to support those with ADHD, their families, and the professionals so all have easy access to sound information. Having knowledge and working closely with your ADHD team will help you and your family live successfully with ADHD.

Disclaimer: A-D-A-M℠ provides information about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the form of resources, including articles, books, videos, and websites, as well as links to directories to help you find health professionals, services and facilities that provide services for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. This information and these directories are provided as a convenience and for informational purposes only; they do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by A-D-A-M℠; and to the best of A-D-A-M’s knowledge are true and accurate at the time of publication. A-D-A-M℠ makes no claim, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the contents found in this information and in these directories, and expressly disclaims liability for errors and omissions. Although great care is given to the composition and contents provided, A-D-A-M℠ cannot guarantee the correctness of the nature and contents of the information. Any person or entity that relies on any information obtained through these resources does so at his or her own risk.