ADHD Glossary
Clear, practical definitions of the key terms used to understand ADHD — from the neuroscience to everyday life.
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Atomoxetine (Strattera)
Atomoxetine was the first non-stimulant medication approved for ADHD and is marketed as Strattera. Unlike stimulants, it…
See definition →ADHD accommodations
Accommodations are adjustments to the environment, tasks, or evaluation processes that offset the functional limitations…
See definition →C
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a structured psychotherapeutic approach that works on the relationship between thoughts,…
See definition →Comorbidity
Comorbidity is the simultaneous presence of two or more health conditions in the same person. In ADHD, comorbidities are…
See definition →Combined-Type ADHD
Combined-type ADHD is the most common presentation of the condition, characterized by a significant presence of both ina…
See definition →Cognitive load
Cognitive load refers to the amount of mental effort required to process information and carry out tasks. In ADHD, the c…
See definition →M
N
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline) is a neurotransmitter that works alongside dopamine to regulate attention, al…
See definition →Neurodivergent
Neurodivergent is a term describing people whose neurological development and brain function differ significantly from w…
See definition →Neurotypical
Neurotypical describes people whose neurological development follows patterns considered typical or expected — in contra…
See definition →Neuropsychological evaluation
A neuropsychological evaluation is a set of standardized tests that assess different cognitive functions: attention, mem…
See definition →Neuroaffirming approach
The neuroaffirming approach is a mental health perspective grounded in recognizing that conditions like ADHD and autism …
See definition →P
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation is the process of providing structured, accessible information about a mental health condition — its nat…
See definition →Prefrontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex is the front region of the brain, located just behind the forehead, responsible for the highest-le…
See definition →Predominantly Inattentive ADHD
Predominantly inattentive ADHD (formerly known as 'attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity,' or ADD) is the pre…
See definition →Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD is the presentation of the condition characterized mainly by hyperactivity and …
See definition →T
Time Blindness
Time blindness is a term popularized by Dr. Russell Barkley to describe the significant difficulty people with ADHD have…
See definition →The Pomodoro Technique, adapted for ADHD
The Pomodoro Technique is a time-management method that breaks work into 25-minute blocks separated by 5-minute breaks. …
See definition →Understanding is the first step
Balanced Mind puts this knowledge into practice with tools built for the ADHD brain.