ADHD Awareness
If you are seeing orange awareness ribbons around this month, they are not to raise awareness for Halloween. They represent ADHD awareness month.
I think October is an apt month for having ADHD awareness, as October is associated with Halloween and monsters. ADHD, when untreated can be a monster. On other hand, treated ADHD can be sweet as candy.
The common symptoms of ADHD are grouped into three categories. This includes inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Not all people have symptoms in the three categories. Basically, everybody who has ADHD will have inattentive issues.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition. It is a common condition (at very least 8% of kids) and it starts with an issue of activation of the prefrontal cortex. Kids with ADHD tend to have lower activity in this part of the brain for tasks that may require high mental energy and effort, and sustained attention for boring and not naturally stimulating tasks.
The result is that people will hyperfocus on what they are interested in and naturally drawn to at the cost of not shifting and regulating focus to things they need to attend to or take care of. Younger people have a harder time with this as the part of their brain that wants immediate gratification is very strong compared to an adult.
Procrastination is a common challenge in ADHD. The reason most people with ADHD tend to procrastinate is that another way they can focus on boring and high mental energy tasks is because now the deadline is here and it HAS TO be done. That is also naturally stimulating. The problem with that is that constant procrastination can lead to burnout and to poor quality of work and careless mistakes.
In short, life with ADHD can be very difficult.
For kids, it leads to behavioral and social problems in school and at home, academic challenges, anxiety and stress, and self-criticism. According to the CHADD website, author and psychiatrist William Dodson estimates that by age 12 a child with ADHD has endured approximately 20,000 more negative messages when compared to peers without ADHD.
This boils down to roughly 6-8 more negative messages daily starting at age 2. The messages are not necessarily severe or abusive. The messages are often from frustration and are intended to motivate the kid to change behavior. For example, the message can be in the form of, “I have asked you 10 times to put your coat away. What is wrong with you?” Or, from a teacher, “How many times do I have to tell you to turn in your homework at 8:30am in the blue basket?” In general, the message is, “You need to learn to be more responsible and less lazy.”
The problem is that with ADHD, just telling a kid to make a change will not work. The frontal lobe activation and focus regulation issues eventually lead to the same patterns, even after putting in effort to change over time. Because of that, people with untreated ADHD will underrate what they are capable of, not try new things or things they fear that are not good at for fear of failure and criticism. There is avoidance of work in school. The tendency to avoid criticism or failure can lead to lack of good boundaries and assertiveness as well.
These issues can lead to long – term problems into adulthood that include less education, low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, difficulty in relationships, job instability, substance misuse and health problems.
Yes, ADHD untreated can be a monster.
The good news is that there are effective treatments out there for ADHD.
ADHD is diagnosed with thorough clinical evaluation. Genetics is thought to be a significant factor in ADHD. Some experts suggest that if a child is diagnosed with ADHD, the parents should be evaluated as well. Brain injury may contribute to ADHD. Low birth weight, premature birth and stress or substance exposure in utero may contribute. Lack of nutrients such as iron, zinc and magnesium may worsen symptoms as well.
For starters, seek more information. The website adhdawarenessmonth.org is a good resource. This includes an adult ADHD self-screener and several links to credible information about ADHD.
Medications are considered critical for optimal ADHD management. Stimulants are first line because they increase neurotransmitters that help activate the frontal lobes more. This is mainly from Dopamine.
With the medication support, ADHD coaching, working on environmental and behavioral strategies, and learning good habits become more and more effective.
Finding a provider can be tricky. The Colorado Psychiatric Society keeps a list of members and where they are located so that website may be helpful. Talk to your social network and see if anybody has any good names or referrals. There is a general shortage of child psychiatrists, so you may have to do a web search and call multiple providers in your area.
Either way, the work is worth it. ADHD is a very real disorder, and the focus regulation issues can cause significant life disruption and distress. You will find that treatment can be life changing. People with ADHD have gifts of cognitive energy, empathy, resilience and creativity. The hyperfocus can be a superpower when the hurdles are managed well. People with ADHD can be incredibly imaginative and amazing problem solvers and out of the box thinkers. Some of the most amazing people I have worked with are the ones with ADHD.
Let’s get those orange ribbons out there and let’s get to the point of taking advantage of the fact there are good treatments for ADHD and that ADHD can be a gift. Life doesn’t have to feel so much like a monster but can also be sweet like candy.