I explain that ADHD is a neurological condition which includes symptoms of inattentiveness and hyperactivity. I then go onto listing the key traits that I struggle with such as: difficulties focusing, impulsiveness, procrastination and always feeling like I'm being 'driven by a motor'.
Keep it simple. Your child can say that they have ADHD, which makes it harder for their mind and body to stay still and focus. If their behavior causes a problem -- for example, they have trouble following rules during a game -- they can apologize and explain that their ADHD sometimes makes things harder for them.
People with ADHD aren't lazy.
It looks like they are unmotivated and unwilling to work, but it's really that they have trouble staying focused enough to get their work done. They can be easily distracted by sights or sounds.
Inattentive ADHD put simply, means your brain is rubbish at choosing what you focus on. It's the daydreaming type of ADHD, not the can't-sit-still type. It's not that you can't focus at all. You can focus alright, just not always on what you need to focus on.
ADHD brains are like a race car that suddenly has to drive on the same roads instead of on a race track. Sometimes they are going too fast, so they miss stop signs or directions. They don't see events or people happening around them, not because they don't care, but because they are moving too fast to notice.
Tasks in the neurotypical world have a beginning, a middle, and an end. Individuals with ADHD don't know where and how to start, since they can't find the beginning. They jump into the middle of a task and work in all directions at once.
Therefore, in some cases, a brief overview of ADHD may be necessary. Prioritise information on symptoms that will affect your day-to-day tasks. Explain the challenges your workplace presents, and what you can put in place to help you succeed.
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.
Don't put a label on her struggles right away. Just say that it seems that she has to work harder to stay on top of everything. If she opens up to you about it, suggest that ADHD may be causing her difficulties, and that perhaps she should be evaluated.
One type of this disorder is called ADHD Inattentive Type. This condition often is overlooked by parents, teachers and coworkers. Therefore, health care professionals often do not diagnose it until the person is older. Sometimes, individuals with ADHD Inattentive Type will be mischaracterized as shy or withdrawn.
People with primarily hyperactive-impulsive ADHD act “as if driven by a motor” with little impulse control — moving, squirming, and talking at even the most inappropriate times. They are impulsive, impatient, and interrupt others.
In girls, ADHD is often referred to as a “hidden disorder.” Most girls with ADHD have what's called the “inattentive” type. This means they have problems focusing, but are not hyperactive or impulsive. Even girls who are hyperactive or impulsive have less obvious symptoms than boys.
Other people describe their experiences with familiar examples: a browser window with too many open tabs, a cat unsure which red dot to chase, a tornado of thoughts or the constant feeling of forgetting what you went into a another room to get.
Many of the less-known ADHD symptoms — working memory and executive function deficits, difficulty sleeping, and irritability, for example — also show up with mood disorders, autism, anxiety, and other brain-based conditions.
ADHD challenges with working memory, long-term memory, processing speed, emotional regulation and distractions can make it difficult for you to organize your thoughts into words. Learn more about these ADHD challenges so you understand why it can be a challenge for you to organize your thoughts to speak effectively.
To truly accept yourself as a person with ADHD, it is important to be comfortable telling others your diagnosis. It is easier to tell when you truly believe having ADHD does not minimize who you are. As more and more people disclose their ADHD diagnosis, it becomes less mysterious and less stigmatizing.
The main signs of hyperactivity and impulsiveness are: being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings. constantly fidgeting. being unable to concentrate on tasks.
ADHD brains typically expect the worst, and stressful times and situations just further encourage and validate this negative thinking.
Having ADHD is in no way a justification to act a certain way. If anything, if you know about it, you have a responsibility to do something about the challenges. If you can't explain why you keep doing things that harm yourself or others, it's time to get some help – whatever that looks like for you.
Yes, ADHD is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). There are several types of disabilities, including but not limited to: learning disability. cognitive disability.
Hyper-focus, quality, and timeliness.
When focused on work that aligns with their interests and strengths, individuals with ADHD frequently draw upon their strength of hyper-focus and deliver results that easily offset any (often minimal) costs associated with accommodations.
Perception/observation/curiosity
The ADHD brain is hungry for novelty and dynamic activity. It sees and tolerates/appreciates new ideas, new movements, new visualizations, new concepts. Individuals with ADHD often perceive (intuitively) connections or “flows” that are not appreciated by others.
Although anxiety and ADHD may occur together, ADHD is not an anxiety disorder. Sometimes, anxiety can occur independently of ADHD. Other times, it can be as a result of living with ADHD. A person who has ADHD and misses a work deadline or forgets to study for an important exam can become stressed and worried.