Adult ADHD

August 4, 2009

TV star talks about having adult ADHD
Howie Mandel raises awareness through public service announcements

Emmy nominated Howie Mandel, host of "Deal or No Deal," is raising awareness about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults through the national multimedia public service announcement campaign "Adult ADHD Is Real."

This campaign and its Web site, AdultADHDIsReal.com, have been developed by a coalition of groups dedicated to ADHD education and awareness and made possible by Shire, according to a press release. As an adult living with ADHD, Mandel has been tapped to encourage adults who think they may have ADHD to seek diagnosis and evaluation.

"When I was in high school, my impulsivity led me to all kinds of acts and pranks. I had trouble sitting still and could hardly focus or pay attention in class. It wasn't until I was an adult that I was diagnosed with ADHD," Mandel said in the press release. "I'm involved in the Adult ADHD Is Real campaign because I want adults to know that it's never too late to seek help for ADHD. I hope that sharing my story encourages people to seek help. I didn't let ADHD prevent me from achieving my goals and neither should anyone else."

According to the press release, many people may think of ADHD as a childhood disorder, but up to 65 percent of children with the disorder may still exhibit symptoms into adulthood. In U.S. adults, aged 18 - 44, the disorder affects approximately 4.4 percent of this population based on results from the National Co-morbidity Survey Replication, a nationally representative household survey, which used a lay-administered diagnostic interview to access a wide range of DSM-IV disorders.