ADHD – Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder
Disorder or Difference in Attention?
Quick Review, Relationships, Treatments
ADHD has mental and behavioral pointers but also differently functioning neural circuits. It has three subtypes: inattentive (such as puzzles in paying attention, easy distraction, forgetfulness); hyperactive-impulsive (such as restlessness, impulsivity, discomfort in sitting stile) and combined subtypes beginning in childhood. As we can expect, symptoms usually become apparent around school-age at the structured-setting of schools. 2/3 of children continue to have sypmtoms in adulthood too. This is not a disorder specific only to children.
Dopamine and norepinephrine are the brain chemicals most congruent with ADHD. Dopamine is released when the brain is involved in behaviors like getting reward, risk-taking, and impulsivity. Norepinephrine is related in case of attention and arousal. Lower amounts of those neurotransmitters contribute to symptoms of ADHD.
In adulthood, having symptoms is not enough to get diagnosed with ADHD. Those sypmtoms must also create functional impairment in person’s life. In an adult, marital and job problems, speeding violations may become apparent in regard to ADHD. One may remember details from five years ago but forget the appointment booked yesterday, She or he may seem lazy, indecisive, mentally foggy, inable to initiate nor to complete a task. And efforts to proove the opposite may take too much from them which may result in exhaustion and even burnout. As ADHD is a dopamine deficiency disorder, she or he may seek easy dopamine supply from drugs, or alcohol. Clearly, all those are not knowingly. What is at issue is imbalance in motivation when it comes to conduct the brain energy. ADHD does not dissipiate or is not a failure in attention. ADHD sets the brain up to release out attention unevenly and activate focus only under certain circumstances or occasions. As an illustration, the attention may be activated easily by the sense of interest, competition or novelty. This spotty and inconsistent, sometimes momentary focus does not indicate selfishness or defiance. It is not a lack of of focus but having hardship to pick something and give full attention. Once this or those appealing pursuits or activities are found; obsession-level hyper-focus is there to be guided and to be benefited from.
How about relationship climate?
There are many challenges to live with ADHD but also individuals with ADHD possess remarkable creative power. They may come and implement innovative, original, unusual and broad-minded solutions to problems with full energy and focus. They have different perspectives than current parameters. Those current parameters may cause stagnation and ADHD’s different perspectives may bring resolution, flow, stimulation. Among other positive traits alongside creativity and ability of hyperfocus; being energetic, warm-heartedness, flexibility, tolerence, easiness to built-up relationshiops, humor, trusting people, risk-taking (cautiousness is always needed) may be counted. On the other hand, if we conceive opposite traits that come with ADHD, we can mention that they can lost in emotions, get angry, upset very easily. Sometimes individuals with ADHD would potentially hyperfocus on their partners which may be appealant to some extent; but after a while this may possibly cost to their own growth or they can get bored and may be drown into cheating or micro-cheatings. They may be over-reactive to criticism. Small things may turn into big arguments. They are very hard to listen as a lot of things go on on their minds. Individuals with ADHD have usually anxious attachment styles already-formed in their childhood. This means they struggle to feel safe in their relationships.
Partners may complain that they do not have ordinary time-orientation, do not listen, they are zone out, forget things, can not start nor complete tasks, wait until the last moment to get things done, aloof, inattentive, forgetful, can not be trusted on the requirements of routine lives. For instance they may forget to pay bills in time.
What should be done from both sides?
The partner without ADHD should understand that the one with ADHD does not do what she or he does in purpose and the understanding and support of his or her loved ones are crucial to run a smooth life.
Treating the partner with ADHD like a child will not work, on the contrary, will be very repulsive.
The partner with ADHD should recognize that she or he has a puzzling situation which comes with positivities and also obstacles that may put her or him back to realize their full potential in some parts of life. She or he should also bear in mind that this distress, challenge or difference may be helped and turn even into advantage with or without medications.
If you are an employer and you have employees with ADHD?
You may allow them a resonable amount of latitude, ensure that their workflow is not disrupted and their need for movement is met. You may express your interest in their personal life and highlight their strenghts. This will make them comfortable in the work environment and reduce problems such as social anxiety which comes oftentimes with ADHD.
Treatment
Treatment may be tricky since symptoms may vary in each person. Some individuals may be more impulsive and struggle in planning while others may have more difficulty in the areas of forgetfulness and distraction. Most often the ADHD treatment involves either behavioral psychotherapy, medication or both. In children, behavioral psychotherapy targets often time management and to implement structured routines. Reward is an important component of the work.
For adults, behavioral psychottherapy is designed to decrease distractions and to improve time management or organizational skills. Those therapy modalities help the one to function effectively for sure but going back to childhood and dealing with underline factors, conditions that contributed to ADHD in a safe, secure, calm therpy environment is crucial. Psychotherapy empowers the one to reorganize his or her position and attitude in life. Thus, being informed about ADHD and know how to manage it can turn this -depthless speaking- disadvantageous condition into a superpower. According to Gabor Mate, the famous neurology specialist, who has ADHD himself; children with ADHD are sensitive, sincere children who are highly aware of the disstress, pain, suffering in the environment. And the more the stress in the environment the more they escape by tunning out. For instance, parents may have financial stress and this may be easily translated into physiological stress in those sensitive children. As stated by Gabor Mate those children do not inherit ADHD; they inherit sensitivity. He is not against medication. Related to his personal experience, he claims that he took medication in order to write his first book when he first diagnosed with ADHD in his 30’s. Accompanied by this, he emphasizes the importance of the good-fit of medication and the soothing athmosphere created by the loved ones.
Lastly, I would love to mention few names with ADHD whose sharpness masterworks, innovations, inventions, masterpieces, acuities continue to charm us for centuries.
Galileo Galilei, W.A. Mozart, Leonardo Da Vinci, Albert Einstein, W.E. “Walt” Disney, John Lennon, Winston Churchill, Henry Ford, Louis Pasteur, Jules Verne, Sylvester Stallone, Thomas A. Edison, Agatha Christie, John F. Kennedy, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Tom Cruise, Prince Charles, Ludwig W. Beethoven, Carl Lewis, Magic Johnson, A. Graham Bell, Steve Jobs,…
References:
Faraone, S. V., Asherson, P., Banaschewski, T., Biederman, J., Buitelaar, J. K., Ramos-Quiroga, J. A., … & Franke, B. (2015). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Nature reviews Disease primers, 1(1), 1-23.
Gallo, E. F., & Posner, J. (2016). Moving towards causality in attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: overview of neural and genetic mechanisms. The Lancet Psychiatry, 3(6), 555-567.
Mate, Gabor. (2022). World Leading Physician View on ADHD, The Diary of CEO Clips, Youtube
Sonuga-Barke, E., & Thapar, A. (2021). The neurodiversity concept: is it helpful for clinicians and scientists?. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(7), 559-561.
Sürücü, Özlem, Dr. (2018). DEHB Anne-Baba-Öğretmen Elkitabı. Bilgi Yayınevi, Ankara