Understanding ADHD

By LaKeisha Fleming

From having trouble focusing to feeling overwhelmed by multistep instructions, there are a lot of ways attention difficulties can affect you.

When those kinds of experiences regularly impact your daily life, you may be showing symptoms of ADHD. ADHD is different from occasionally forgetting something or feeling scatterbrained or stressed about your responsibilities. ADHD can have a profound impact on your ability to function at school or work, manage day-to-day tasks, and communicate and connect effectively in your relationships. In many cases, people with ADHD have experienced symptoms since childhood.

What Is ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It can be marked by impulsivity, inattentiveness, or being unusually active in movement or thinking.

It is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, which are conditions that impact the way a person’s brain matures and develops. Most people with ADHD experience symptoms as children that continue into adulthood.

There are three types of ADHD:

Predominantly inattentive presentation (easily distracted, trouble focusing)
Predominantly hyperactive or impulsive presentation (restlessness, frequently interrupting, making decisions without thinking them through)
Combination presentation

As the demands of life increase, the signs of ADHD can become more pronounced. Symptoms can look different as you get older, causing difficulties with work, school, home life, and relationships.

Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Everyday Life

Signs of ADHD can appear in children as young as 3 years old. In childhood, behaviors associated with ADHD may include:

Being fidgety and having problems sitting still
Forgetfulness
Making a lot of careless mistakes
Taking unnecessary risks
Talking excessively
Having problems getting along with other children
Difficulty focusing
Being messy or frequently misplacing items
Impulsive actions
Having a hard time exercising self-control
Being easily distracted by things in their environment or their own thoughts

At school, it may be hard to sit at a desk all day or follow multistep instructions from teachers. Students with ADHD may also have a hard time working with others on group projects because they may have trouble staying on task or interrupt others frequently.

In young adulthood, signs of ADHD are similar, but they may show up differently. Symptoms may include:

Difficulty staying organized
Inability to focus
Making impulsive decisions
Having a hard time keeping appointments
Difficulty maintaining relationships
Frequently interrupting others while they are speaking
Responding to questions before processing them

Young adults with ADHD may have trouble meeting workplace or school deadlines. It can be challenging to stay focused on the assignment at hand. Relationships with colleagues and friends can also be trying, since some young people with ADHD struggle with communication.

What Causes ADHD?

No single cause leads to someone having ADHD. Experts say there are a variety of factors that can make someone more prone to the disorder.

If you have a family member who struggles with ADHD, you may be more likely to also deal with the disorder. A child who had exposure to lead before being born or at a young age, a child whose mother used tobacco or alcohol during pregnancy, or someone who suffered head injuries as a child may also have a higher risk of developing ADHD.

How Is ADHD Related to Other Mental Health Conditions?

ADHD can occur with other mental health conditions, and it can also share symptoms with other mental health conditions, making accurate testing and diagnosis a key part of getting the right treatment.

Challenges with focus and feelings of restlessness, for example, can be part of both ADHD and generalized anxiety disorder. If you go to the doctor with those symptoms, your doctor should have you provide a detailed medical history and use evidence-based rating scales to determine an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.

In the adult population, common conditions that occur with ADHD — which makes them “comorbidities” — include mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders. Among children, common comorbidities with ADHD include other neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disorders.

How Is ADHD Diagnosed and Treated?

There are questionnaires and rating scales that health-care providers use to assess for ADHD. Going through neuropsychological testing (assessing how your brain works) is more comprehensive, however, and it’s an important part of the diagnostic process. The tests measure attention span, working memory, processing, and other areas that can be impacted by ADHD.

In general, a mental health clinician can use rating scales and questionnaires to test for symptoms and the severity of those symptoms, but only a neuropsychologist can perform comprehensive testing.

Treatment depends on the individual. Different types of therapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), can help with retraining patterns of thinking and coping skills. Occupational therapy can help with completing daily activities or functioning more productively in a workplace environment. Someone with ADHD often will work with a mental health therapist and occupational therapist, as well as a psychiatrist for medication management.

Learn about the different types of therapy.

Medication can also help you manage symptoms of ADHD. It should be prescribed by a health-care professional who is able to monitor your progress.

Learn more about how ADHD is diagnosed and treated.

Finding Balance Again

ADHD can cause symptoms that pose challenges in your daily life, but with the right treatment and support, you can absolutely live a balanced, productive, fulfilling life. Even if you have lived with symptoms for years and have learned to work around them, it’s never too late to seek help.

No matter what course of treatment you take, it’s important to work with a professional and use a team approach to find the best options for you.