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In addition to being Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the month that the Pumpkin Spice Latte returns to coffee shops everywhere, October is also ADD/ADHD Awareness Month. In fact, 2014 marks the tenth anniversary of ADD/ADHD Awareness Month, which started as ADHD Awareness Day back in 2004. To commemorate the month, here are a few facts about the disorder.

Attention-Deficit Disorder and Hyperactivity Disorder, abbreviated ADHD, is a real, brain-based medical disorder that’s been recognized by medical, psychological, behavioral health services and educational organizations in the United States.

1. ADHD affects people of every age, gender, IQ-level and race. Boys are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD. Today, 9.5% of the population of the United States has been diagnosed with ADHD.
2. No single test can diagnose ADHD. Diagnosing ADHD is a complex and can take up to six months.
3. ADHD often occurs with other disorders, including anxiety, depression and sleep disorders.
4. When ADHD goes untreated, it can affect everything from success at school to problems with relationships and even trouble driving.
5. ADHD is highly genetic, which means it’s nobody’s fault, the result of poor parenting or teachers, too much television or excess sugar. It’s a brain-based disorder.
6. Treatment for ADHD is multi-faceted, combining medication along with psychotherapy, education, behavioral modifications and more.