“People with ADD/ADHD often have a special ‘feel’ for life, a way of seeing right into the heart of matters, while others have to reason their way methodically.”

-Doctor Edward Hallowell, psychiatrist

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a very commonly held and even more commonly misunderstood mental issue.

Even then, the individuals who have it barely understand it, let alone how to manage. Especially with how rapidly it is growing.

 People with this disorder tend to struggle with noticing detail, social cues, and can be perceived as careless or absent-minded, even called incompetent or lazy.

Constantly wandering and fidgeting, inability to remain alert in conversation, generally restless, and sometimes even reckless due to a severe lack of self-regulation.

These people fidget and squirm and have a hard time with patience, like they are “driven by a motor”. This is caused by an inherent biochemical imbalance in the brain. Despite public ignorance about the disorder, this leads to being late getting fired frequently, and even some people with this disorder getting into heavy amounts of trouble. But there is nobody more frustrated with this than the patients themselves who have this disorder. These people often tend to needlessly ‘limp’ through life in frustration, confusion, and embarrassment because of it. Psychiatrists have known that this is not the fault of the patients themselves; the biological fact is that in the absence of outward stimulation, people with adhd can’t perform tasks as effectively under natural circumstances due to a poorly functioning dopamine system. Dopamine is the satisfaction chemical in the brain that allows for focus in the average person. In brain scans, people with adhd lack this chemical system. The scientific fact is that without external sources of dopamine, these people can’t be naturally productive despite their personal willpower to do so. Not won’t, can’t.   Here are some signs of ADHD to see if they apply to you or someone you know:

Phrases like ‘you’re better than this’ come up here. The individual themselves understands the assignment and is possibly even mentally gifted, but performs poorly without an obvious reason, like a brain injury or lack of time.

People with ADHD genuinely experience time differently from
Most people. Deadlines can be understood in an intellectual sense but not really in a personal one. There’s a difference between knowing something and understanding it,  and ADHD doesn’t truly understand time. If they are given a deadline, there is simply ‘now’ and ‘not now’; if something needs to be done in five days, it might as well be five weeks.

ADHD people often say things like “I’d rather fail doing it my way than achieve something with help.”

Impulsivity and impatience

A ‘fire ready aim’ personality, can’t wait in line, etc.

Odd problems with focus:

They can be very perceptive on some details and can forget obvious ones, but can be very forgetful and distractible.

So what can we do about this?

Doctor Ed Hallowell’s suggestion, as a psychiatrist and an author on ADHD, is that this disorder is a strength to be proud of, as it as a huge force allowing for high productiveness, creativity, and a sense of emotional awareness of and for others.

Dr. Hallowell says that ADHD is like having a racecar brain with bicycle brakes.

And patients can strengthen their brakes (their impulsivity) to win races.

Doctors suggest:

Daily exercise and mentally stimulating activities

Try to balance on a wobble board.

Daily exercise

Healthier dieting

healthy sleep schedule

A Stress ball or fidget object

Caffeine (though not too much)

Increased time spent with loved ones (increases mental balance)

While many have cold feet about this idea do consider finding an effective medication.