What can ADHD be confused with?

Conditions that mimic ADHD symptoms may include...
  • Asperger's Syndrome.
  • Attachment Disorders/Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD)
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder.
  • Biochemical imbalances.
  • Borderline Personality Disorder.
  • Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (DMDD)
  • Executive Function Difficulties.
  • Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

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What can ADHD get mistaken for?

5 common problems that can mimic ADHD
  • Hearing problems. If you can't hear well, it's hard to pay attention — and easy to get distracted. ...
  • Learning or cognitive disabilities. ...
  • Sleep problems. ...
  • Depression or anxiety. ...
  • Substance abuse.

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What conditions are similar to ADHD?

If your child seems hyperactive--fidgety, impulsive, and inattentive--don't automatically assume that they have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Anxiety, depression, learning disorders, physical health, and many other conditions can cause symptoms that look like ADHD but aren't.

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How do you know if it's ADHD or something else?

In the attention domain, children with ADHD often show some of the following:
  1. Difficulty paying attention to details.
  2. Unable to maintain attention to the tasks at hand.
  3. Not listening when spoken to.
  4. Trouble following through on instructions.
  5. Difficulty organizing him- or herself.

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Why do I act like I have ADHD but I don t?

ADHD can be similar to other mental health conditions, so it's easy to misdiagnose. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can have some crossover symptoms with ADHD, like inability to focus and impulsivity. So can learning disabilities.

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Anxiety vs. ADHD - The Difference - How You Can Tell

18 related questions found

What does misdiagnosed ADHD look like?

ADHD symptoms may overlap with the signs of other conditions, leading to misdiagnosis. For example: Feeling distracted or having difficulty focusing can be a symptom of ADHD and symptoms of depression and anxiety.

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What are non obvious symptoms of ADHD?

Here are some of the subtle signs you may have ADHD.
  • Having an altered sense of time. ...
  • Lack of executive functioning skills. ...
  • Hyperfocus. ...
  • Frequent job changes. ...
  • Feeling restless and needing to stay active. ...
  • Emotional sensitivity. ...
  • Difficulty keeping friends and romantic partners.

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How anxiety can look like ADHD?

On the surface, ADHD and anxiety can look similar. It's not uncommon for people with anxiety to be misdiagnosed with ADHD, or vice versa. Take trouble with paying attention, for example. Both anxiety and ADHD can cause people to tune out and get caught up in their emotions — just for different reasons.

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Is it obvious if you have ADHD?

Though it manifests in disparate and dichotomous ways, ADHD is often associated with only a handful of stereotypical behaviors and presentations. So when not-so-obvious ADHD symptoms show up in broad daylight, they may go ignored or misdiagnosed.

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What ADHD is and isn t?

ADHD is Not Laziness

Often, when a person with ADHD is not interested in doing a particular task, some people would immediately conclude that the person is just lazy. However, ADHD is not laziness at all. Many people with ADHD often find it hard to focus and retain information due to their hyperactivity or impulsivity.

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What are the symptoms of ADHD in female adults?

Though not often listed as symptoms, other indications of ADHD in girls and women include co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships that can lead to intimate partner violence, trouble maintaining friendships, and at least one space in her life in disarray (messy house, messy bedroom, or ...

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What is odd personality disorder?

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) is a type of behavior disorder. It is mostly diagnosed in childhood. Children with ODD are uncooperative, defiant, and hostile toward peers, parents, teachers, and other authority figures.

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What is masking ADHD?

Masking is when a person with ADHD acts in a “socially acceptable” way to fit in and form better connections with those around them. This usually involves camouflaging their symptoms by controlling their impulses, rehearsing responses, and copying the behaviors of those who don't have ADHD.

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What is ADHD often misdiagnosed as in adults?

Remember that depression, anxiety, PTSD, dementia, and mild cognitive impairments can be misdiagnosed as ADHD. Adult ADHD is real and of great life importance, but quite rare and easily overdiagnosed.

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Can you have ADHD and not be diagnosed?

A person may not be diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood because teachers or family did not recognize the condition at a younger age, they had a mild form of ADHD, or they managed fairly well until they experienced the demands of adulthood, especially at work.

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Do I have ADHD or is it just anxiety?

ADHD vs Anxiety: What's the Difference? The difference between ADHD and anxiety ultimately comes down to whether or not the individual is not focused because of fearful, apprehensive thoughts, or is not focused because of being easily distracted even though their mind is calm.

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Does ADHD cause overthinking?

However, it can also lead to potential misinterpretation of symptoms. Take, for example, ADHD. While most people associate ADHD with hyperactivity and impulsivity, it can also manifest in more subtle ways, such as through intrusive thoughts and overthinking.

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What does a mild case of ADHD look like?

In adults, the main features of ADHD may include difficulty paying attention, impulsiveness and restlessness. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge.

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What is the rarest form of ADHD?

The rarest type of ADHD diagnosed is the hyperactive-impulsive type with no indication of inattentive or distracted behavior, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

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What does ADHD look like without hyperactivity?

People with inattentive ADHD make careless mistakes because they have difficulty sustaining focus, following detailed instructions, and organizing tasks and activities. They are easily distracted by external stimuli, and often lose things. They may leave projects unfinished and appear not to listen when you speak.

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What are weird behaviors of ADHD?

Hyperactivity (talks a lot, fidgets, always on the go, etc.) Impulsivity (blurts out, interrupts, lies, angry outbursts, difficulty waiting, etc.) Inattention (forgetful, loses things, disorganized, makes careless mistakes, etc.)

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What happens to adults with untreated ADHD?

Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.

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How do people with ADHD think?

The mind of a person with ADHD is full of the minutiae of life (“Where are my keys?” “Where did I park the car?”), so there is little room left for new thoughts and memories. Something has to be discarded or forgotten to make room for new information. Often the information individuals with ADHD need is in their memory…

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