ADHD

ADHD, or Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder (meaning that it typically appears in childhood and continues throughout someone's life). In the past, it was also known as ADD, or Attention Deficit Disorder. Now, most people refer to it as ADHD. There are three types of ADHD:

• Hyperactive/impulsive: Characterized by impulsive behaviors and hyperactivity (Think "bouncing off the walls" or "can't stay still").

• Inattentive: Characterized by difficulties with regulating focus, including struggles with working memory and staying on task.

• Combined: Characterized by a combination of the above two types.

ADHD is heritable - meaning it can be passed down from parent to child. Researchers estimate that the risk of inheriting ADHD is between 77-88%, which implies a high likelihood that a parent with ADHD will have a child with ADHD[1]. There are some environmental factors that can also "flip" the genetic switch for ADHD, including premature birth, the birthing parent smoking while pregnant, the baby having a low birth weight, or the baby/child having epilepsy, according to the DSM 5 TR.

In people with ADHD, their brains struggle to regulate the hormone dopamine. Dopamine is a "reward" hormone, and plays a role in things such as movement, memory, motivation, mood, attention, and more. For people with ADHD, the brain has a hard time "catching" the hormone and using it appropriately. This often causes frequent need for movement, having difficulty thinking before acting, a hard time focusing on uninteresting tasks, or spending too much time focusing on very interesting tasks. It also causes difficulty with regulating emotions, sleep, remembering things, and more.

No. ADHD is a lifelong condition that can be managed, but never "cured." Managing ADHD symptoms can significantly increase quality of life in those with this disability, often through a combination of medication and therapy. ADHD that is accommodated by these things can help people at home, in their work and school, and in their relationships.

Milder forms of ADHD can often be managed through therapy alone, where people will learn skills to accommodate themselves outside and inside the home, or gain resources to access supports to accommodate their ADHD. More severe symptoms are often managed by a combination of medications and therapy. Common medications include stimulants, which may not be appropriate for everyone, and their prescription and use should be monitored by a doctor or psychiatrist. Other medications used to treat ADHD may include non-stimulants, which should also be prescribed and monitored by a doctor or psychiatrist.

Therapy is helpful when managing ADHD. Individual therapy can equip an adult with life skills and techniques they can use to accommodate for their disability in everyday life. Couples therapy can help partners where one or both have ADHD learn how to manage their disabilities and how they show up in their relationship. Family therapy can also equip parents/guardians and children with the skills needed to manage a child's ADHD and how to manage parenting as an ADHD parent as well. The most important thing about therapy is that you feel safe and that you can trust your therapist. 

ADHD is a spectrum - meaning that people can experience the symptoms in a variety of ways. No two people with ADHD are exactly alike. Here are some examples of how it potentially could look in a child or adult's life, based on some of my experiences:

Child:

• Being unable to break their focus from something they find entertaining or interesting, such as reading, video games, and other activities.

• Forgetting something that was just said to them or forgetting items (such as forgetting homework, pencils, items for extracurriculars such as special shoes or equipment).

• Being unable to complete homework without someone ensuring that they get their homework done.

• Appearing to "daydream" or "zone out" at home when talking to them or at school.

• Switching interests rapidly - for example, being really into making bracelets, and then a month later being really into drawing, and then a month later being really into painting.

• Being unable to stay in a seat for long periods of time.

• Speaking before they think, or acting before thinking.

Adult:

• Struggling to remember deadlines and due dates for homework, work tasks, and bills, or important dates such as birthdays and anniversaries, without the aid of a calendar.

• Difficulty completing homework or work tasks without a structured work day/time or someone holding them accountable.

• Forgetting to eat, drink water, exercise, etc. when invested and focused on something. 

• Forgetting important items such as their keys, wallet, work/student ID, umbrellas, jackets, water bottles, and more when leaving the house.

• Difficulty completing uninteresting or boring tasks such as the laundry, dishes, vaccuming, sweeping, etc.

• Forgetting to feed pets at the same time every day, or forget to fill up their water bowl. 

• Inability to focus on lectures or meetings without frequent breaks.

This is NOT an exhaustive list - many people may experience other things or only some, but not all of these things.

You can reach out to a therapist to get into services to begin to help you manage your ADHD. That therapist can refer you to someone who can assess for ADHD (if you live in Texas, I'm an option for those 12 and up.) or can assess you themselves. After that, you and your therapist can figure out if you can manage your ADHD without medication, or if medication might be helpful to manage your symptoms. Remember, if you're getting medication first, you should always pair it with therapy for the best outcomes. You can think of medication like using a mobility aid like a cane or wheelchair - it provides you access to do things that you can't do or would find extremely difficult without them, and you still have to do the work to get to that destination.

Got questions about the information on this page? Email kaity.sweck@a-new-chapter-therapy.com and I'll be more than happy to answer your questions!

1. Grimm, O., Kranz, T. M., & Reif, A. (2020). Genetics of ADHD: What Should the Clinician Know?. Current psychiatry reports, 22(4), 18. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-020-1141-x