A disorder relating to impulsiveness was first documented in 1902, in Britain. It was diagnosed by Dr. Still, who called it "Defect of Moral Control" and believed that the diagnosed individual had a medical disorder beyond their control.

The next documentation of similar symptoms was in 1922; here, the symptoms we associate with ADHD were given the name "Post-Encephalitic Behavior Disorder".

The next event in the history of ADHD was in 1937, where Dr. Charles Bradley introduced the use of stimulants in children who were hyperactive. It is interesting that stimulants were used to treat hyperactive children, when these were already bouncing off the walls. While it is true that stimulants calm down hyperactive kids, how did someone hypothesize that this would occur? About two decades later, in 1956, Ritalin was introduced as the drug of choice to treat hyperactivity.

In the early 1960s, the disorder was called "Minimal Brain Dysfunction". At the end of the decade, though, the name of the disorder was changed to "Hyperkinetic Disorder of Childhood". The only symptom that was really documented at this point was hyperactivity. During these years, stimulants were used by a wider population.

Somewhat later, new symptoms were added to this hyperactivity disorder: lack of focus and "spaceiness" associated with impulsiveness. Impulsiveness now included verbal, cognitive and motor impulsiveness.

In 1980, the disorder was given its current name of Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This was documented in the DSM-III put out by the American Psychiatric Association, with ADD and ADHD being two different diagnoses.

Next, in 1987, ADD was changed to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The American Psychiatric Association noted that this was a medical diagnosis, and not a purely psychological one. It also noted that ADHD could cause behavioral issues.

In 1996, a new medication called Adderall was approved by the FDA for the treatment of ADHD. After a period of time, it was thought to be better at treating the disorder, since its effect lasted longer and it was easier to come down off of. In 1999, other medications were added to treat ADHD such as Concerta and Focalin. In 2003, Strattera was introduced as the first ADHD medication that was not a stimulant, but rather, it acted like an antidepressant, but increased the amount of norepinephrine in the brain.