“BRIGHT BUT DOESN’T APPLY THEMSELVES!”
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychiatric disorder that begins in childhood and can affect a person throughout their life. The disorder generally presents with impulsivity, hyperactivity and attention difficulties.
Not All Inattention Is ADHD!
Distractibility or other difficulties with concentration can occur in many situations and in many mental health conditions. Not every instance of inattention means attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
What Does Inattention in ADHD Look Like?
The person struggles to pay attention to details, frequently makes careless mistakes at school, at work or during play, and has difficulty sitting at a desk and sustaining attention while studying. People talking to someone with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder often complain, ‘you’re not listening to me’. The person appears not to be listening and has difficulty following the conversation. They cannot complete tasks assigned at home, at work or at school, or find it very difficult to complete them.
A person with ADHD avoids tasks that require mental effort and becomes bored with them. They frequently lose belongings, forget things and are easily distracted by external stimuli.
Hyperactivity and Impulsivity
Hyperactivity and impulsivity in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder generally take the form of restlessness, an inability to remain quiet during activities that require quiet, an inability to remain seated when expected, and climbing or running in inappropriate places despite the risks involved. The person often fidgets while sitting or standing, constantly moving their hands and feet. They struggle to wait their turn in a conversation, frequently interrupt others and may have difficulty waiting. They often act as if driven by a motor.
How Common Is ADHD?
The prevalence of ADHD in the general population is reported to be approximately 8% in childhood, 6% in adolescence and 4% in adulthood. It is generally more common in boys during childhood, while no difference between the sexes is observed in adulthood.
Inattention in Girls May Be Recognized Later!
At a young age, disruptive behavior or risky situations caused by hyperactivity and impulsivity generally prompt families to seek medical support more often for boys than for girls. In girls, ADHD may present more often with signs such as quietness, efforts to fit in, absent-mindedness and internalizing difficulties. Teachers sometimes describe these girls as “having their head in the clouds”. These girls may work much harder than their peers to achieve the same academic performance or try to compensate for the effects of ADHD. However, ADHD can cause serious difficulties with academic achievement later in life for girls whose condition remains undiagnosed and untreated.
Is There a Test or Investigation to Diagnose ADHD?
There is no psychometric or laboratory test that can definitively diagnose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. The diagnosis is based on the clinician’s observations and the history taken. Psychometric tests or self-report scales may be requested to support the diagnosis.
Hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention do not have to be present to the same degree in this disorder. Some people have the predominantly inattentive presentation, while others may have the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive presentation or the combined presentation.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is relatively easier to recognize in childhood than in adulthood because hyperactivity is more apparent in children. As adulthood approaches, hyperactivity decreases and inattention often becomes more prominent.
What Causes Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?
The exact cause of ADHD is not known. It is generally described as arising from the effects of genetic, biological and psychological factors. Genetic studies have not produced consistent findings.
Does Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Affect Intelligence?
Some studies have found statistically significantly lower IQ scores in students with ADHD than in those without it. Other studies have found that the average IQ of people with ADHD falls within the normal range but is lower than that of the control (healthy) group.
Most research in this area concludes that people with ADHD have normal levels of intelligence.
Overall, research indicates that ADHD does not cause intellectual disability; it suggests that children with intellectual disability may experience inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
Does My Child Have ADHD? How Can We Recognize ADHD in Children?
ADHD is usually noticed when children start school. These children stand out as unable to remain seated in class, constantly on the move, impatient and fidgety. Families of children with ADHD often seek medical help only when hyperactivity is prominent.
If your child shows signs such as risky behavior, frequent conflict and fights with peers or delays in learning to read, also observed by their teacher, ADHD is a condition that needs to be considered and may affect your child throughout their life.
How Can We Recognize Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults?
ADHD becomes harder to recognize than in children because hyperactivity becomes less prominent with age. The symptoms of the disorder often become relatively less pronounced with age. Common symptoms in people with ADHD include difficulty starting tasks, leaving many tasks unfinished, struggling to complete tasks, being unable to remain seated for long periods, anger, anxiety, attention difficulties and problems with planning skills.
An adult with ADHD spends much more time completing the same task than someone in similar circumstances. For example, they need to put more effort into reading and understanding a text or studying for an exam. Sometimes, the results of their work may also fall short of the time and effort they have invested.
Which Conditions Can Co-Occur with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?
Depression, dysthymia, anxiety disorders, OCD, alcohol and substance use disorders, impulse-control disorders, conduct disorders and tic disorders are the main mental health conditions that can co-occur with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.
Can Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Be Treated?
The mechanisms underlying ADHD are not fully understood, and it requires a comprehensive treatment approach. A co-occurring diagnosis in adulthood is almost the rule. Medication must also be supported by problem-focused, structured cognitive behavioral psychotherapy.
In people with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, difficulties with planning their lives, coping effectively with problems, impulsivity and distractibility can lead to problems with self-confidence and self-esteem. In this context, medication should be supported by psychotherapy, taking co-occurring conditions into account.
Can Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications Cause Harm?
Medications used for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder can cause side effects, particularly loss of appetite and weight loss, as well as insomnia, headaches, abdominal pain, irritability and palpitations. These medications are available in short-acting and long-acting formulations. Weight-based dose adjustments must be made by a mental health specialist, taking possible side effects and risk factors into account.
Are Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Medications Addictive?
No, medications used for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are not addictive.
