Tests for AD(H)D focus on 2 different aspects: attention and hyperactivity/impulsiveness. Key to any diagnosis is not the occurrence of individual symptoms, but

Tests for AD(H)D focus on 2 different aspects: attention and hyperactivity/impulsiveness. Key to any diagnosis is not the occurrence of individual symptoms, but how many you have in each category, the degree to which you have them, whether they appear in different settings, for longer than 6 months and they are actually life impairing. Simply being forgetful/distracted/dyslexic/argumentative etc by itself isn't a clear cut sign that you have AD(H)D, as they may have entirely different causes. Slightly unrelated, but if anyone is interested in reading more about the topic, Edward Hallowell's 1994 book Driven to Distraction is a seminal book on the topic and includes some of the classic signs used to analyze the condition. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driven_to_Distraction http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Driven_to_Distraction His 2005 follow-up Delivered from Distraction, focuses on how to make the most out of it if you have it and harness your strengths (creativity, charisma, energy, intelligence).