ADHD Answers and Information

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a unique brain condition that affects over 5% of our population. These percentages are not specific to the United States, but cross cultural boundaries in all parts of the world. ADHD and its accompanying symptoms are the result of deficiencies of certain neurotransmitters in your brain. The exact reasons for how you acquire ADHD or why some people produce an insufficient amount of the neurotransmitters are still not 100% known, but studies suggest a high incidence of genetic inheritance. In other words, it is likely that someone else in your immediate or extended biological family is living with ADHD.

ADHD is typically characterized by distractibility, impulsivity, difficulty paying attention, restlessness and/or hyperactivity. This hyperactivity can be experienced with an inner need to keep moving, the inability to stop talking or the difficulty some people have of "turning off" their over active brain. ADHD is more than having a few bad days, getting easily distracted or not remembering certain dates and details. The big distinction for those who meet the criteria for a diagnosis of ADHD is that the symptoms and challenges associated with ADHD affect the QUALITY of their lives on a regular ongoing basis.

The diagnosis of ADHD can be made by trained mental health professionals including; psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and psychiatric nurse practitioners. Similarly to how a medical doctor distinguishes a physical diagnosis by comparing certain symptoms, mental health professionals also rely on specific criteria in order to diagnose someone with ADHD. These criteria can be found in any DSM-IV, which is the diagnostic manual for mental health conditions. There are actually three types of ADHD. One is the hyperactive type, the second is the inattentive type and the third is a combination of the hyperactive and inattentive type. Again, these distinctions must be made by a mental health professional trained in the diagnosing of mental health disorders.

Below you will find lists of typical symptoms experienced by persons living with ADHD. Some reflect the specific criteria used in the diagnosis of ADHD and many are the symptoms reported consistently by clients I work with.

Typical ADHD Symptoms in Adults Include:

  • Difficulty paying attention to details
  • Often finding it hard to sustain attention on boring tasks
  • Often finding it hard to follow through on projects or meeting deadlines
  • Frequent job changes
  • Low self-esteem along with feeling of shame or guilt
  • Frequent mood changes;anger and frustration
  • Frequently losing or misplacing things
  • Difficulty planning ahead
  • Procrastination
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Attraction to high risk activities
  • Current of past use of illegal substances
  • Easily bored
  • Spends a large amount of time watching television or on the computer
  • Lack of awareness of time
  • Difficulty with completing ordinary, everyday tasks such as laundry
  • Poor money management
  • Difficulty with relationships, personal and/or professional
  • Difficulty with social situations especially waiting in line or paying attention to conversations

Typical ADHD Symptoms in Children and Teens Include:

  • Difficulty making friends
  • Actual academic performance is less then their "potention"
  • Frequent trips to the principal’s office
  • Reluctant to do tasks that require sustained mental effort such as homework
  • Easily bored in class
  • Easily distracted by external stimuli
  • Fidgety, squirmy, is in and out of seat in class
  • Constantly talking to neighbors in class
  • Runs around, jumps or climbs when it’s not appropriate
  • Daydreams or "spaces out"
  • Often blurts answers without hearing the question
  • Difficulty remembering to turn in completed homework
  • Preference for "white noise" in the background when trying to concentrate or do homework
  • Procrastination
  • Spends a large amount of time on the computer or video gaming
  • Easily frustrated
  • Difficulty sleeping
  • Propensity for arguing
  • Difficulty with getting going in the morning, frequently late for school
  • Increased sensitivity to noises, lights, smells or textures
  • Eats a large amount of sugary or simple carbohydrate foods such as candy or junk food

 

If you recognizeyourself or someone you love displaying many of the typical ADHD behaviors listed above, take the next step and contact Laurie Dupar at: LDDupar@changeoffocus.com to find out more about ADHD and what coaching can offer you.