ADD vs ADHD: What’s the Difference?

Short answer: ADD and ADHD aren’t two different conditions. ADD (attention deficit disorder) is the older name: ADHD used to be called ADD.¹ When people say ADD today, they usually mean ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation, which is diagnosed when the symptom threshold for inattention is met but not the threshold for hyperactivity-impulsivity.² Every presentation is diagnosed against the same criteria.³

Is ADD the same as ADHD?

ADD isn’t a separate condition. It’s an older name for ADHD,¹ and it is no longer an official diagnosis. The DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), the manual clinicians use to diagnose ADHD, now describes one condition, ADHD, with three presentations.³

The confusion comes from the name. “Hyperactivity” is part of ADHD’s full name, but not everyone with ADHD is hyperactive: a person with the inattentive presentation can be easily distracted without being hyperactive or impulsive.¹ So someone who says “I have ADD, not ADHD” is usually describing the inattentive presentation of ADHD.

How the diagnosis has changed

The DSM has been revised several times since its third edition was published in 1980.⁴ The changes that explain today’s terms are:

• DSM-IV was published in 1994⁴ and divided ADHD into subtypes, which correspond to the three presentations used today.⁵
• DSM-5 was published in 2013⁴ and replaced the subtypes with “presentation” specifiers that map directly onto them. It kept the same 18 symptoms, split into inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity, and required several symptoms to be present before age 12 rather than impairment before age 7. It also allowed ADHD to be diagnosed alongside autism, and moved ADHD into the chapter on neurodevelopmental disorders.⁵
• DSM-5-TR, the current edition, was published in 2022.⁴

DSM-5 also set a lower threshold of five symptoms for adults, instead of the six needed for younger people, to reflect substantial evidence that adults with ADHD have clinically significant impairment.⁵ That change matters if you’re an adult wondering whether you have ADHD.

If you were told years ago that you had ADD, mention it when you see your GP, and bring any old reports you have.

What is ADD today?

When people say ADD, they usually mean the predominantly inattentive presentation of ADHD. In adults, inattentive symptoms can include:

• making careless mistakes at work
• finding it hard to sustain attention, or not seeming to listen when spoken to
• not following instructions or finishing tasks
• finding it hard to organise tasks, and avoiding tasks that need sustained mental effort
• losing things such as keys and paperwork
• being easily distracted and forgetful in daily activities.⁶

For adults, inattention can make it hard to manage time and stay organised.¹ A person with this presentation can still have some hyperactive or impulsive symptoms, just not enough to meet that threshold. Read more in inattentive ADHD in adults.

The three presentations of ADHD

• Predominantly inattentive: the symptom threshold for inattention is met. The main difficulties are with staying on task, focusing and organisation.
• Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive: the symptom threshold for hyperactivity-impulsivity is met. The main difficulties are excess movement and energy, such as fidgeting and talking a lot, and acting without thinking through the consequences.
• Combined: the thresholds for both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity are met.²³

For people aged 17 and over, the threshold is five symptoms in a group; for children it is six.³ The Australian ADHD Guideline notes that the inattentive presentation is the most prevalent.²

What hyperactivity and impulsivity look like in adults

Adults with hyperactive-impulsive symptoms may:

• fidget, or find it hard to stay seated
• feel restless or driven to stay busy
• be impatient, or have trouble waiting their turn
• talk more than they intended, or blurt things out
• interrupt conversations or speak before others have finished.⁶

Presentations can change

A presentation isn’t a fixed label. A child’s presentation can change as they grow and their circumstances change,⁷ and in adults hyperactivity and impulsivity may decrease or show up as extreme restlessness, while inattention may persist.³ If you think of yourself as “not hyperactive”, it helps to know that hyperactivity in adults can be subtle, such as feeling restless and unable to relax.² An assessment might find you meet the criteria for the combined presentation rather than the inattentive one. See combined-type ADHD.

How ADHD is diagnosed in adults

Whatever the presentation, the same criteria apply. For an adult diagnosis there need to be:

• at least five symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that occur frequently and have been noticeable over at least the past six months³
• several symptoms present before age 12⁵
• symptoms in at least two settings, such as home and work, with evidence that they interfere with or reduce the quality of social, study or work life⁸
• no other condition that better explains the symptoms.⁷

Poor concentration isn’t unique to ADHD. Some other psychological conditions look similar, and conditions such as anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties can also occur alongside ADHD,⁶ so an assessment checks for these rather than assuming ADHD.

Because ADHD begins in childhood, an adult assessment needs to establish that your symptoms started then, and you may be asked for school reports.¹ A detailed medical and family history, and interviews with people who know you well, such as a partner or family member, can also be part of the process.⁶ For an overview of types and causes, see what is ADHD?

Does the presentation change treatment?

No. The Australian ADHD Guideline’s treatment recommendations don’t differ by presentation.⁹ It recommends a plan built around the person’s preferences, needs and goals, which can combine education about ADHD, cognitive behavioural strategies, coaching, guidance on sleep, diet and physical activity, and medication where appropriate.⁹ Your doctor or pharmacist can explain the options and what they involve.

Why inattentive ADHD gets missed

Inattentive ADHD is easy to overlook, for several reasons:

• It’s quieter. Inattentive symptoms such as daydreaming, disorganisation and forgetfulness can be less obvious than hyperactivity.³ The Australian ADHD Guideline reminds clinicians that many children and adults with ADHD may not show the most visible hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.⁹
• It can surface late. Inattentive symptoms may not be identified until secondary school or later, once there are greater demands for organisation and independent study or work.⁹
• People compensate. Coping strategies that people develop can mask their symptoms.⁹
• Hyperactivity can fade. Adults may be more likely to keep inattention symptoms than overt hyperactivity,² so ADHD in adulthood can look less like the classic picture of a restless child.
• It’s more common in girls and women. Girls and women can have any presentation but are more likely to have the inattentive one,¹⁰¹¹ and ADHD is underdiagnosed in young females and in adults.¹ Girls with anxiety or depression may be treated for those conditions without ADHD being considered.¹²

If this sounds familiar, a GP can talk you through whether an ADHD assessment makes sense for you. If you’re struggling with anxiety or low mood in the meantime, Lifeline (13 11 14) offers crisis support, and in an emergency call 000.

Frequently asked questions

Is ADD the same as ADHD?

They are not separate conditions. ADD is the older name for ADHD, and what people call ADD today is usually ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation: ADHD without enough hyperactive or impulsive symptoms to meet that threshold.

Is ADD still a diagnosis?

No. ADD is no longer an official diagnosis. The diagnostic criteria used today describe one condition, ADHD, with three presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive and combined.

What is ADD called now?

ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation, often shortened to inattentive ADHD. It describes people whose difficulties are mainly with attention, organisation and forgetfulness rather than hyperactivity.

Can ADD turn into ADHD?

They aren’t different conditions, but the way ADHD presents can change over time. In adults, hyperactivity can become less obvious while inattention may persist, and inattentive symptoms can become more noticeable as life gets more demanding.

How is ADHD diagnosed in adults?

A clinician checks your symptoms against the DSM-5 criteria. For people aged 17 and over, that means at least five symptoms of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity over at least the past six months, several symptoms before age 12, and symptoms in two or more settings that affect daily life.

Next steps

Read ADHD symptoms in adults and how to get an ADHD assessment in Australia, or start with the free ADHD self-assessment.

This article is general information only and is not medical advice. Only a qualified health professional can diagnose ADHD. ADHD GP is a private telehealth clinic staffed by AHPRA-registered Australian GPs.

Book your ADHD assessment

References

1. healthdirect (Australian Government). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 2025. www.healthdirect.gov.au — ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that begins in early childhood; around 1 in 20 people in Australia has ADHD; it is partly genetic; an adult diagnosis requires evidence that symptoms began in childhood; learning difficulties can occur alongside it.
2. Australian ADHD Professionals Association. About ADHD (Australian ADHD Guideline). 2022. adhdguideline.aadpa.com.au — ADHD affects 6–10% of Australian children and 2–6% of adults; heritability 70–80%; symptoms begin before 12 though diagnosis may come later; 60–86% persist into adulthood; inattentive presentation most prevalent; up to 80% of adults have another mental health condition; describes executive-function, brain-maturation and dopamine differences.
3. American Psychiatric Association. What is ADHD?. 2022. www.psychiatry.org — ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children; symptoms must be present before age 12; an estimated 8.4% of children and 2.5% of adults have ADHD.
4. American Psychiatric Association. DSM History. 2026. www.psychiatry.org — DSM-III was published in 1980, DSM-III-R in 1987, DSM-IV in 1994, DSM-5 in 2013 and DSM-5-TR in March 2022.
5. American Psychiatric Association. Highlights of Changes from DSM-IV-TR to DSM-5. 2013. www.psychiatry.org — DSM-5 kept the same 18 ADHD symptoms but replaced subtypes with presentation specifiers, required several symptoms before age 12 (previously 7) and set a five-symptom threshold for adults.
6. Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). ADHD — adults. 2026. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au — About 7 in 10 children continue to experience ADHD symptoms as adults; treatment can include education, psychological support, coaching, practical strategies and medication.
7. Better Health Channel (Victorian Government). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 2026. www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au — ADHD has a strong genetic component and is not caused by parenting style.
8. Parliament of Australia — Senate Community Affairs References Committee. Assessment and support services for people with ADHD — Chapter 1. 2023. www.aph.gov.au — ADHD occurs in about 6–10% of Australian children and adolescents and 2–6% of adults; heritability is estimated at 70–80%; Deloitte estimated 814,500 Australians living with ADHD in 2019 at a cost of $20.42 billion.
9. Australian ADHD Professionals Association. Australian ADHD Guideline — summary of recommendations. 2022. adhdguideline.aadpa.com.au — Medication is the most effective treatment for core symptoms, with non-medication treatments adding support (3.1.1); diagnosing clinicians should be registered and trained in ADHD assessment (2.1.1); the diagnosis must be confirmed before starting medication (5.1.2); CBT should be offered to adults (4.2.11); stimulants are first-line for impairing adult ADHD, with heart rate, blood pressure, weight, sleep, mood and anxiety monitored during titration; co-occurring conditions get best-practice treatment.
10. Parliament of Australia — Senate Community Affairs References Committee. Assessment and support services for people with ADHD — Chapter 3: barriers to assessment and diagnosis. 2023. www.aph.gov.au — Almost all adult ADHD assessment and diagnosis in Australia is done through the private sector, and cost is a barrier to diagnosis. The committee heard that gender bias has led to under- and misdiagnosis of ADHD in girls and women, who are commonly misdiagnosed with other mental health conditions first and often learn to mask their symptoms.
11. Hinshaw SP, Nguyen PT, O’Grady SM, Rosenthal EA. Annual Research Review: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls and women: underrepresentation, longitudinal processes, and key directions. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2022. PubMed PMID 34231220 — Review of presentation, under-identification and outcomes of ADHD in girls and women, including the predominance of inattentive symptoms.
12. Quinn PO, Madhoo M. A Review of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Women and Girls: Uncovering This Hidden Diagnosis. Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders. 2014; 16(3):PCC.13r01596. PubMed PMID 25317366 — ADHD is 2–9 times more common in boys than girls in clinical samples but 2–3 times in population samples, and less than twice as common in men as women (5.4% vs 3.2%); women tend to be older than men when diagnosed, girls with anxiety or depression may be treated without ADHD being considered, and more girls than boys were treated with antidepressants before ADHD treatment (14% vs 5%).

Sources were last checked on 5 October 2026. See all sources used on this site on our Sources page.