Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common disorders in childhood characterized by a triad of symptoms: violation of attention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.
There are 3 types of ADHD:
- predominantly inattentive
- predominantly hyperactive/impulsive
- combined
ADHD affects around 8-11% of school-age children.
Usually, ADHD occurs twice as often in boys, although the norm varies depending on the type. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive occurs two-nine times more often in boys; predominantly inattentive type occurs with approximately equal frequency in both genders.
ADHD is both an independent pathology and a consequence of another disorder:
- genetic disorders
- mental disorders
- infectious disorders
Manifestations of attention disorders and/or hyperactivity are observed at the age of twenty, usually in the preschool or primary school period, even though people with this disorder can find out for the first time much later.
The severity of attention disorder and hyperactivity-impulsivity exceeds the standard values by age and intellectual development.
Attention disorder means significant obstructions in concentrating on tasks that require holding attention, increased distractibility, and difficulties in self-organization.
Hyperactivity means excessive motor activity and inability to stay calm which is more obvious in certain situations that require behavioral self-control.
Impulsiveness is defined as a tendency to act spontaneously in reaction to first-hand stimuli, without pondering or considering the risks and consequences.
The balance and exact manifestations of attention disorder and peculiarities of behavior by the type of hyperactivity-impulsivity can vary from person to person and change throughout the development.
Distractibility
- Don't notice or skip over the details, thoughtless mistakes in school assignments, at work, or other activities.
- Barely keep attention on the task or the game, also in conversation, listening to a lecture, or comprehending a text after reading for a long time.
- As if the person is not listening to the talk addressed directly to them.
- Don’t follow instructions or can’t complete educational tasks, household work, or duties at the workplace, or are quick to pick up a task but lose concentration very soon and get distracted easily.
- Struggle to organize tasks and actions, don’t know in what order to perform the task, can’t keep stuff and materials in order, very messy and bad at time management, and can’t complete tasks on time.
- Avoid and dislike tasks that require stable mental effort, classroom or homework assignments, or tasks related to the preparation of reports, filling out forms, or studying documents with large amounts of text in the case of adolescents or older adults.
- Lose stuff that is necessary to complete tasks or certain types of activities, school supplies, pencils, books, tools, wallets, keys, documents, glasses, or mobile phones.
- Easily distracted by extraneous thoughts or stimuli
- Forgetful when performing daily tasks, housework, when running errands, calling back and attending scheduled meetings.
Hyperactivity/Impulsiveness:
- Fussing and fidgeting when sitting on a chair.
- Get up from the seats when it is necessary to remain seated, in class, or the office.
- Run around, actively moving or climbing objects when this behavior is inappropriate, or in the case of adolescents or adults, often show restlessness.
- Can’t play games or do hobbies in peace.
- Always on the move or “ready to run”, or “rushing around like mad”.
- Talk non-stop.
- Shout the answer even before the question was asked, finish the sentences started by others, or talk without waiting for their turn.
- Struggle to wait for their turn.
- Interrupt others, interferes in the matters of others, as a part of a conversation, game, or events.
ADHD in adulthood
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) — is a condition that affects attention span, memory, and behavior. According to statistics, this disorder affects about one out of twenty adults, mostly men.
ADHD symptoms in adulthood:
- significant struggles with the attention span
- easily distractible
- low stamina
- no planning or organizing
- frequent lateness
- forgetfulness
- persistent mess
- distractibility/absentmindedness
- higher chance of accidents due to poor attention span
- the possibility of injury due to risky behavior (on the road, in sports, etc)
- quick overstrain under stress
- extreme impulsiveness
- aggressive behavior
- anxiety
- absolute lack of patience
- elevated irritability
- inadequate excessive strong reactions
- inability to work in a team
- drastically changing mood
- recklessness in actions
- the tendency to get angry
- high emotional sensitivity
- strong desire to interrupt others and speak out
- vivid imagination, great creativity
Hyperactivity in adults usually appears as anxiety and fussiness, unlike motor hyperactivity which appears in young children.
Adults with ADHD tend to have a higher risk of unemployment, lower educational level, also high levels of drug use and criminal activity. The most common criminal activities are traffic accidents.
It is much more difficult to diagnose ADHD in adults. Symptoms tend to be similar to mood and anxiety disorders.
Examples of hyperactivity symptoms:
- excited or nervous all the time — at work it can appear anytime, like the day when the person submits the report to the director, or on any ordinary day
- inability to stay still and concentrate — thoughts scatter and the person takes a lot of tasks and can’t finish them
- talk ceaselessly, ignoring others
- fast train of thought or inability to stop thinking — one of the implicit symptoms;
- constant problems with sleep
Examples of impulsiveness symptoms:
- doesn’t consider the consequences of their actions
- interrupts others all the time
- take responsibility for others’ actions
- often changes jobs
- uses narcotic substances and alcohol in large doses
- very hot-tempered and irritable
Examples of poor attention symptoms:
- inability to focus on one task for a long time
- disorganization (can’t use calendars or diaries regularly)
- constant obliviousness (forgets what was earlier this day, etc)
- easily distractible and unable to get back to the previous task
- delay in completing tasks and persistent lack of organization
- excessive clumsiness
- falling asleep in class or during meetings
- poor time management