ADHD is a social construct

A theory surrounding ADHD is that the disorder was “invented”, not discovered. This suggests that ADHD is a social construct that explains behaviors viewed as abnormal in society and not an actual pathology. ^[1] ADHD was “discovered” in 1902, when Sir George Still, a British pediatrician, classified it as “an abnormal defect of moral control in children”. He coined the term “Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder” as a way to describe hyperactive children who are intelligent but cannot concentrate. ^[2] But wouldn’t the symptoms that Sir George Still categorized as ADHD be considered normal behavior for children? This argument has been made to counter-argue the existence of ADHD and would make sense as to why ADHD would be considered a social construct. As a society, we often like to give a name to behaviors that are considered abnormal. Hyperactivity shouldn’t necessarily be regarded as abnormal for children, since they are usually full of energy, and concentrating is difficult for many at a young age. The number of children and adults with ADHD are exceedingly higher than any other part of the world, which can also back up the theory of ADHD being a social construct. Why is it so prevalent in one area, but not so much in almost every other country? Perhaps, ADHD is an American creation and cultural condition, rather than an actual brain disorder.