system
What is the difference between ADD and ADHD?
human
My 29 year son was diagnosed 3 years ago with add....the doctor had him on Adderall which he abused with drinking and smoking pot.....he quit smoking 2 months ago....and quit drinking a month ago....Doctor has him on focalin now for a year and I'm being told that it isn't working...My son is upping the dose on his own thus running out of pills....what is the difference between add and adhd....does adhd meds help with add?  He has also been diagnosed with ocd...clinical depression and anxiety...He is on klonopin and clamepramine as well....he has a dr's apt on the 9th and wants to switch the focalin for Dexedrine...what do I do?
gpt
Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.I understand that you are concerned about your son's diagnosis and his drug abuse problems. Now, regarding your question about his diagnosis, ADD and ADHD refer to the same condition. They are just different terminology used in different classificatory systems.ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder and is a diagnosis under the WHO diagnosic classificatory system (ICD-10). ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and this is a diagnosis under the American classificatory system (DSM-IV TR). Both diagnoses share common characteristics and the treatment is almost the same.Regarding his medication, I would not be in a position to say which medication would be appropriate for him without knowing a detailed history and a proper psychological assessment. So, I would advise you to discuss about his medication with his treating doctor.Wish you all the best.Regards,Dr. Jonas SundarakumarConsultant Psychiatrist