An insight into ADHD
By: Rola Ashraf
What is ADHD?
ADHD, short for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is one of the most common disorders worldwide today; however, it is often misunderstood and not everyone has knowledge of its existence.
It is a type of neuropsychiatric developmental disorder where the diagnosis typically occurs during childhood. Many people at some point in their lives wonder if they have ADHD when they struggle to focus on things on occasion, but it’s not possible that they do have it because symptoms are present at a very young age.
Why is ADHD important?
Many people assume that ADHD only affects academic performance negatively, but this is not the case. It affects social, occupational, and of course academic functioning as well. Some studies have even investigated whether ADHD is linked to Antisocial Personality disorder, and the results were surprising. People with ADHD are known to be hyperactive and lack impulse control, and their inattention interferes with their daily functioning in school, work as well as social situations.
There are multiple symptoms associated with ADHD, which, if remain untreated, can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. This is if the symptoms of ADHD persist into adulthood.
How can the average person identify someone with ADHD?
The basic symptoms…
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, The American Psychiatric Association, and the World Health Organization, there are three types of ADHD, the most popular one being the inattentive type. Children and adults from this type easily feel distracted and are very forgetful in general. They also have difficulty with organization and do not seem to listen or focus when spoken to directly; they often daydream or seem to be elsewhere during a conversation.
The second type of ADHD is the hyperactive- impulsive type. Children and adults who suffer from this type are very talkative, impatient, fidget a lot, tend to act without thinking, and rush through tasks. In addition to that, the third type of ADHD combines symptoms of both types.
In order to diagnose someone with either type of ADHD, the symptoms have to persistent enough to impair a person’s ability to function in their everyday life.