October is ADHD Awareness Month! As a mental health counselor, I see a lot of people diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficient/Hyperactivity Disorder), people wondering if they have ADHD, and people who want more information about what ADHD is. This blog post is meant to inform and explore the reality of ADHD, and hopefully shed some light on ADHD in a positive way.
What ADHD Is and Isn’t
Because ADHD has been somewhat “trendy” in terms of what people think it is or looks like, I want to start this article with how mental health professions diagnose ADHD, and what we look for. First of all, I’m not trained to do ADHD testing, but I am trained to use the DSM-5-TR (our huge diagnostic manual) to go through the information available and see what symptoms may match up. Often, I’d then send a client to a psychologist to formally conduct a diagnostic ADHD test, if they wanted to go.
That aside, ADHD is defined as the following, according to the DSM-5-TR:
“ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder defined by impairing levels of inattention, disorganization, and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. Inattention and disorganization entail inability to stay on task, seeming not to listen, and losing materials necessary for tasks, at levels that are inconsistent with age or developmental level. Hyperactivity-impulsivity entails overactivity, fidgeting, inability to stay seated, intruding into other people’s activities, and inability to wait– symptoms that are excessive for age or developmental level.”
ADHD isn’t just being fidgety or sometimes getting distracted. It’s to the point of disrupting your day-to-day life. People will sometimes say “I’m so ADHD” because they think it might mean having a lot going on in your head at once, but that’s not it. ADHD is a serious, diagnosable disorder, but it also doesn’t mean it will stop you from living your life.
ADHD is also not “curable.” Those who have ADHD, have it. And that’s okay. I like to think of it in the same light as someone with Type 1 diabetes: you can’t get rid of it, but you can learn to cope with it and see the good parts of such a diagnosis. For diabetes, it might mean you have no choice but to eat healthily, but your body will thank you for it. For ADHD, you might not feel like your hyperfocus will ever be beneficial, but if you challenge those thoughts and move towards doing something you’re interested in and are passionate about, you’ll get a lot done. That hyperfocus can suddenly be a huge strength.
What ADHD Looks Like
ADHD can look different on everybody, and what we think of as “typical” ADHD often refers to how ADHD can come across in boys. Diagnosing girls, then, can be more challenging, because instead of seeing the overactivity, inability to stay seated/wait/not intrude, the symptoms are more internalized. For girls, we might see significant disorganization, being forgetful, unable to follow directions. We don’t see girls acting out behaviorally as much, but this doesn’t mean they have a more mild version of ADHD– it’s just different.
And I also want to really hone in on the fact that ADHD also doesn’t just mean you’re hyper sometimes. Instead, it can make daily tasks more challenging, and because the world is built for neurotypical people who don’t suffer from ADHD, I love this video of people who have ADHD talking about what their life is like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji0hg1LduU8. If you don’t have time to watch the video, I’d recommend coming back to it later because it makes it so clear that those with ADHD aren’t doing anything wrong, they’re doing things differently.
But here’s the thing: ADHD (or any mental health diagnosis) isn’t an excuse for behaviors, actions, or inactions. It’s an explanation for why one does what they do. It doesn’t mean that people suffering from ADHD “get away” with more– it means that they might have different needs or requirements to function. And that’s okay.
ADHD in Teens
I work with a lot of kids and teenagers (my favourite ages to work with!!), and I’ve seen how ADHD can impact those age ranges. Teenagers are usually able to vocalize their frustrations more, especially because they have increased rates of homework, procrastination, and just generally have more responsibilities. ADHD can make it harder to follow through on what’s expected, even when it’s necessary. So, for ADHD in teenagers, here are some recommendations on getting through the day:
Get exercise every day. This is great to burn off energy, relax, and focus.
In class, sit near the front, where there are fewer distractions
Turn off your phone, and limit screen time, especially when doing things like homework or trying to do other tasks. Sometimes, you might even have to put your phone in another room, and that’s okay.
Talk with your parents and teachers about what you’re experiencing. Especially in school, it can be helpful to have brain breaks where you can get up and walk around.
For some, studying by walking around can be better, and make it easier to stay focused.
Use phone reminders (for as much as you need!!). Birthdays, homework assignments, when to go to bed, etc. Building yourself a schedule can be really beneficial.
Some of these recommendations can be really good for anyone with ADHD, not just teenagers.
A Superpower
ADHD can feel like a negative thing, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, some people will frame it as a superpower: we often see increased creativity, more out-of-the-box thinking, great ability to focus (on certain things at certain times), and resiliency in those with ADHD.
I do want to say, being diagnosed with ADHD is often not seen as a blessing or a huge benefit, because it can make living in the daily world a challenge. People are expected to all function in the same way, and those with ADHD can’t always do that.
And that’s okay.
Through the process of therapy, reframing and relearning what powers ADHD can give us is something that I believe can be beneficial. Just like any skill you practice, it takes work, but reframing certain things within therapy (like using high energy for playing soccer and honing that skill rather than thinking of the high energy as always negative) can be helpful. It’s hard to accept the reality of any mental health diagnosis, but when it’s ADHD or another neurodivergence diagnosis, it can be especially hard to accept at times because it’s not something that can be “cured” or “fixed.” Thinking of it as something detrimental that needs to be cured can be hurtful, and so reframing it and learning to deal with the symptoms is crucial to starting to view ADHD as a part of life.
People who have ADHD have superpowers in their abilities to see the world in a slightly different way, and a diagnosis doesn’t make a person who they are. So whether you or a loved one has been diagnosed with ADHD, or might want to explore the potential for it, remember this: any diagnosis (ADHD or not!) is just one part of a person. It can be part of recognizing how we respond to our world, and that is more than okay.
I encourage you to do some more reading on what ADHD is and isn’t, if you want to learn more, as this is really just scraping the surface. Happy reading, and here are some awesome resources to check out!
What is ADHD?- CDC
What is ADHD?- APA
ADHD for Parents -Kids Health
ADHD - NIMH
JB
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