We have some questions for you: do you or your child have trouble concentrating on a single task? Does it take you a few hours to do something that should only take a few minutes?
Have you noticed your child is having trouble sitting still? Are you constantly fidgeting with your hoodie strings or find yourself constantly tapping your pencil?
Last question, for now: have you noticed you’re able to recount memories from your childhood, yet you barely remember why you came into the kitchen?
ADHD may explain some of these things happening. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, affects millions of people each day. It impacts both children and adults in different ways.
While ADHD can leave you with feelings of frustration, overwhelm, and at its worst, hopelessness, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With help and guidance, we can navigate through these feelings together and find ways that best support people with ADHD.
In our ADHD 101 guide we cover the most common signs of ADHD, and what challenges are involved when navigating the signs. Like most mental health conditions, we’re not able to cover every single sign. However, we will cover the basics in helping you understand what you may experience or be experiencing currently if you have ADHD.
What is ADHD and What are the Signs and Different Subtypes?
ADHD is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder which affects behaviour, attention, and the ability to sit still. It’s one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in children, with diagnosis typically during early ages. ADHD is not to be confused with a curable disease, or something that is “contagious” or needs “curing.” It’s more widely known as a neurological condition similar to ASD, meaning it’s lifelong in the child who is born with it.
Early intervention with therapeutic techniques can help the child in their long-term development; that being said, there’s no harm in getting support as an adult with ADHD either. As for ADHD’s cause/causes, several studies are still being conducted to this day.
There are several different subtypes of ADHD, like many other neurological disorders. The most well-known subtype is ADHD-Combined, which is what most people think of when they envision someone with ADHD.
When you’re able to spot the signs and challenges, you’re able to find the right treatment plan for you, which may include therapy.
Misconceptions about ADHD
The most common misconception is that ADHD only occurs in children, and despite its high occurrence, very few adults with ADHD are accurately diagnosed and treated.
Did you know that 2.8% of adults worldwide have ADHD?(1) There’s research estimating 6.7% of adults globally (or over 360 million)(2) are affected by ADHD, with cases without a childhood diagnosis included in the percentage. Additionally, adults with ADHD will often struggle through other mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, making an ADHD diagnosis even more difficult to obtain, and often treatment received is targeted towards those issues rather than the ADHD.(3)
ADD vs. ADHD
ADD or attention deficit disorder is the outdated name for ADHD. Though hyperactivity was added to the name in 1987, some people will still use both names to speak of this one condition.
Signs and ADHD Subtypes in Children
Inattentive ADHD Subtype:
- Easily distracted
- Trouble finishing tasks or following directions
- Trouble listening
- Issues paying attention
- Easily forget things
- Issues organizing tasks for the day
- Issues sitting still
- Lose things often
- Daydream often
Hyperactive-impulsive subtype:
- When sitting, often bounce, fidget, or squirm
- Issue staying seated
- Unable to play quietly alone
- Moving frequently, running, or climbing on things
- Talks a lot
- Issues waiting their turn
- Blurt answers
- Interrupt others
Combined subtype: a person with combined ADHD (the most common type) will have symptoms of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive.
Signs of ADHD in Adults
ADHD signs may change as you start getting older. These signs as an adult can cause issues in relationships and at work. You might experience:
- Forgetting things or being late often
- Restlessness
- Issues with anger control
- Impulsiveness
- Issues staying organized
- Procrastinating
- Frustrated easily
- Bored often
- Issues concentrating when reading
- Mood swings
- Depression
These signs only scratch the surface as they’re the most common/stereotypical signs of ADHD.
So now we know the signs. Now how exactly does ADHD affect the brain, and what challenges can those with ADHD face in their daily lives?
How Does ADHD Affect the Brain?
ADHD is assessed by:
- Lacking impulse control- Acting without thought, verbal and physical.
- Hyperactivity increase- difficulties accepting gratification, indifference towards the future
- Attention issues- low attention span, is easily distracted, not always alert
ADHD affects different regions of the brain and influences how these regions communicate and coordinate with each other. Significant areas of impact include:
- The prefrontal cortex – responsible for executive functioning, which include decision-making and attention and impulse control
- The base ganglia – the communication regulator within the brain
- The reticular activating system – involved in alertness and attention
Research(5) suggests that those with ADHD might have less activity in these areas of the brain which leads to difficulties in being able to focus, control impulses, and organize tasks. Studies also show the differences in the brain’s neurotransmitter systems, especially dopamine, and norepinephrine, which play fundamental roles in regulating attention and behaviour.(5)
Due to the prefrontal cortex being impacted, people with ADHD often struggle with executive functioning.
What is Executive Functioning?
Executive functioning is referring to the cognitive skills impacting memory, self-control, and thinking. Common challenges for those with executive dysfunction include tasks like prioritizing activities and assignments, completing mundane daily tasks (such as brushing your teeth), and managing tasks that are time sensitive.
Executive functions are:
- Insight or self-awareness
- Impulse control and self-consciousness
- Short-term memory (working memory)
- Emotional self-regulation
- Problem solving
- Preplanning and organization
Signs of executive dysfunction include the following:
- Challenges starting and finishing projects
- Forgetfulness, such as not remembering appointments, commitments, deadlines, or making mistakes at school or work
- Losing or misplacing things frequently
- Greater difficulty following a proper routine
- A sense of overwhelm when faced with tasks, even simple ones
Due to the struggles with executive functioning is why those with signs of ADHD have challenges with relationships, school, and work.
What are the Challenges That People with ADHD Face, and What Do They Look Like?
School Challenges
Whether you’re a child just entering school, senior in high school, or university as an adult, those with ADHD have their own challenges as a student which include:
- Issues meeting deadlines for assignments, homework, or school projects
- Issues focusing during lectures, classes, or exams, which may contribute to poor grades
- Irregular schedules (sleeping and eating)
- Self-distrust and difficulty regulating emotions such as worry and stress
- May have issues working with peers on group projects
- May be often isolated and possibly avoid interactions with peers, which leads to issues with social interactions and connections
Work Challenges
Adults with ADHD may face issues in their careers. These work challenges include:
- May have issues maintaining a job (full or part time)
- May have issues getting hired and/or experience discrimination in employment
- May change jobs more frequently
- May have issues meeting deadlines and completing work on time
- Forgetting details of tasks, meetings, or important dates
- May have issues following instructions or paying attention to details
- May make careless mistakes
- May have conflicts with colleagues or unable to control anger within the workplace
- May become easily stressed and overwhelmed to the point of ADHD paralysis.(6)
While these are serious challenges, many adults with ADHD will have successful careers. There are many positive characteristics of having ADHD that can truly be assets in many careers, including being able to hyperfocus on interesting projects or the ability to produce creative ideas and solutions to problems.
Relationship Challenges
It can be tricky navigating and maintaining healthy relationships with friends, family, or a partner for someone with ADHD.
They may face or be navigating the following relationship struggles:
- Issues listening during conversations, which may leave the other party feeling ignored
- May unintentionally blurt out harmful statements on impulse
- Issues remembering important dates, like anniversaries and birthdays
- Have difficulty talking about conflicts calmly, may experience emotional outbursts, which can lead to unresolved issues
- Struggles completing chores, which can cause resentment for others who end up taking over the task(s)
Despite these struggles, people with ADHD can be amazing parents, spouses, and friends. By learning to communicate, respond to conflicts, and overcome challenges in positive and productive ways, you can help in building healthy long-lasting relationships with these people you love.
Therapy can help with the many challenges that people with ADHD face, including stress, depression, anxiety, and learning how to be better communicators.
Therapy and Support for ADHD
If you suspect your child or you have ADHD, Hopewoods is here to help. We can assist in diagnosing ADHD through psychoeducational assessment.
Treating ADHD can involve medically prescribed stimulants. However, it’s not the only form of treatment. The type of treatment you may need will depend on how severe you experience your symptoms and whether there are other issues as well. Since ADHD is a complex neurological condition, the best treatment plan for you may be a combination of therapies from different modalities.
Even severe forms of ADHD can be treated, and the challenges ADHDers face can be addressed through the help of therapy. The benefits of therapy for ADHD can include assisting you in:
- Improving your ADHD signs and quality of life
- Increasing your ability to focus
- Improving concentration and the ability to focus and pay attention
- Improving emotional regulation
- Gaining a better understanding and control of your ADHD
- Building upon your strengths
- Increasing your ability to self-regulate feelings of overwhelm
- Improving your relationships
- Developing adaptive executive functioning skills and strategies
Therapy can also be helpful in addressing other mental health struggles that tend to come alongside ADHD, such as depression and anxiety.
At Hopewoods, we are here to support you in navigating your mental health needs. We offer individual sessions for yourself or your spouse if you suspect you have ADHD or you’re looking for support for it. Therapy for children/teens can be beneficial with neurodivergent affirming support and assisting in learning to self-regulate emotions and improving executive functioning. Finally, if you’re the parent of a child with ADHD, you might be interested in joining the waitlist for our up-and-coming ADHD Parenting Program.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our psychotherapy sessions, or any assessments or services we offer, contact us today or book a free 30-minute consultation.
Sources:
(1) What is ADHD?
(3) Adult ADHD in the WHO Mental Health Surveys
(4) Structural differences among children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD
(5) The Roles of Dopamine and Noradrenaline in the Pathophysiology and Treatment of ADHD
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