Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects the way people behave. People with ADHD are often restless, finding concentration difficult and may act impulsively. We at ADHDadultUK are not alone in finding the name very unhelpful, as when you examine ADHD, its not about a deficit in attention, in fact someone with ADHD can show incredible focus (hyperfocus), it is just that the choice of what someone with ADHD focusses on is often not their own. We have a short video on this subject here.
ADHD is more commonly associated with childhood, but evidence suggests that around a third of children with ADHD go on to be adults with ADHD, meaning somewhere between 2-5% of adults may have ADHD.
There are 3 types of ADHD:
- Predominantly inattentive ADHD
- Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive ADHD
- Combined type ADHD (signs of both inattentiveness and hyperactivity/impulsivity)
Diagnosis is based upon…
The signs of inattentiveness are:
- a short attention span and being easily distracted
- making careless mistakes
- appearing forgetful or losing things
- inability to stick to tedious or time-consuming tasks
- inability to listen to or carry out instructions
- constant changing of activities or tasks
- difficulty organising tasks
The signs of hyperactivity/impulsivity are:
- inability to sit still
- constant fidgeting
- inability to concentrate on tasks
- excessive physical movement
- excessive talking
- inability to wait their turn
- acting without thinking
- interrupting conversations
- little or no sense of danger