It’s not about being dumb but an ADHD

Special Note: This article is not a substitute for a medical examination, rather it is for educational purpose only. I believe it is best to consult a concerned professionals for any of your problems.

ADHD/ADD

Have you ever forgotten your car keys and searched the whole house? Forgot the context in the middle of an important conversation and then struggle to remember what was the discussion about? Ever wondered did you lock the house when you left the house or not? Switched of stove, light and any gadgets in the house? If yes, then read on to find out if you have ADHD.

Now you can say that everyone faces this one or other times of their life. That is not a cause of concern. But if these kinds of problems persist for six months or more, it’s time to work on yourself. Before that what is this ADHD? Let’s see how to detect it.

What is ADHD?

ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) or ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) is a neuro divergent disorder in which the brain functions differently. Autism is also a neuro divergent disorder, and children with ADHD are more likely to develop autism. Diagnosis and treatment is also available for such people. The process of detecting and treating ADHD in children with only ADHD is very rare especially in India. However, it is a good development that parents are paying attention to this in recent times.

Most severe cases of ADHD are usually get diagnosed in childhood. Not listening to lessons in class, not listening to parents, classmates, acting as they please, etc. Such behaviors are usually called as child being mischievous.

As children grow older, these mischiefs will be reduced, but still focusing on one thing at a time remains difficult task. Unfortunately, if they have to work in a field that they are not interested in, they are more likely to become frustrated with their careers. Getting success also quite difficult for them.

Brain scan images of people with ADHD show that the frontal lobe and cerebellum of the ADHD brains are smaller than the normal brains. The frontal lobe of the brain controls our memory, emotion, impulsivity, social behavior, etc. Cerebellum maintains body coordination. By the time children reach adulthood, the cerebellum reaches normal size. So the fickle tendency, coordination comes under control to a certain extent. However since the frontal lobe remains intact, it remains difficult to concentrate.

Types of ADHD and its symptoms:

According to experts, there are several types of ADHD/ADD and the symptoms vary from person to person. It is mainly divided into three types.

1. Impulsivity, intense activity:

In this type the person is impulsive. Reacts immediately without suppressing his emotion. But focusing is not that much of a problem. There may be intense activity and restlessness.

Symptoms:

• Interrupting before the other party finishes speaking.
• Act before think.
• Talk without thinking.
• Showing anger without thinking about the consequences,
• not being able to suppress the feeling.
• Constant movement: playing with hands and feet for no reason, running, standing and dancing.
• Insomnia because of restless mind
• Constant fidgeting, cracking knuckles

2. Inattentive type:

This type is also known as ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). A person’s attention span is very short in this type of disorder. He can not persistently be focused on any work and finds it difficult to complete the work. Also unable to concentrate on any conversation. For such people it’s nearly impossible to focus on anything which they are not interested in.

Symptoms:

• A very short attention span.
• Being completely absorbed in one’s own thoughts while listening to others.
• Inability to pay attention to small details.
• Forgetfulness
• Lack of organizational skills.
• Easily distracted.
• Silly mistakes at work

3. Combined ADHD:

This is the most common type of ADHD cases. In this the person exhibits tendencies like hyperactivity, impulsiveness, restlessness, carelessness etc.

Symptoms:

Any or all of the above two types of symptoms may be present. In addition to these, there are high chances of adhd people to struggle to have a good night’s sleep, not able to involve in social life, lack of consistency, losing interest in the subject which was of great interest just some days/months back are all some of the challenges of being an ADHD.

All over the world, lack of attention/focus is the main area of concern for the one who is suffering from ADHD. Because focusing on something is not at all possible for them even when they have to. So it eventually leads to lots of guilt and shameful feeling within them. They may get misjudged for being this way.

If I have to put it in different way, ADHD people are not dumb, but their way of working is different than the neuro typicals. If someone with ADHD has high IQ, then he can excel in his academics but fail miserably in his career life. Mind you, these are just the chances and I am not telling it will happen exact this way.

In the words of Caren Magil, ADHD coach, “brain of non ADHDers are like laser beam, which focus on single area and reaches long distance but an ADHD brain is like a disco lights which moves all around and does not reach long distance”. This gives a clear description how an ADHD brain works. For them, everything seems to be interesting but they can’t become expert as their attention span lasts very soon.

Causes of ADHD/ADD:

This neurodiverse disorder has been extensively studied by the modern medical science. However, till now the reason for this is not known. According to current information it is a genetic disorder. Here the structure of the brain itself is different. Such problems are more likely to occur in the same family.

Solution:

It is a lifelong disorder. No treatment can bring the brain structure back to normal. But it can be controlled and managed by some lifestyle changes and some stimulant drugs.

Stimulant drugs:

Specialist professionals examine the person and decide the stimulants according to the severity of the disorder. It stimulates the release of chemicals in the brain.

Lifestyle changes

Good exercise, yoga, mudra, cutting out sugar in the diet, enjoying quiet music are all natural ways to stimulate dopamine (a chemical released in the brain). You may want to check out my another article on one of the simplest exercise that anyone can incorporate in their routine, and experience great improvement.

My personal note…

I am no expert to write long article on complex neuro divergent states such as ADHD. Still it became my matter of concern when I got to know I am also victim of this mental state. I instead of seeking medical help, I tried to work on myself through various holistic approach. The experiences and knowledge I gained during this course of time when I involved greatly in the self discovery is the base of my whole website CosmiqGrace.

Please note that here I am nowhere telling that seeking medical help is bad for you, but its a personal choice. Infact studies show that those who take medical help are the one who achieve tremendous success in their life. It could be either Allopathy or Ayurveda. Allopathic meds give immediate result while ayurveda slowly works on the person to reach out to the root cause of the problem.

Finally..

No matter what the problem is, it should be decided after a consultation with an expert. Self-diagnosis can be harmful in some cases. However, the trick is to learn to live with ADHD and manage it without giving this as excuse.