This blog is being written and monitored by Dr. Sharon Kochlany (one of the LCWA board members) who is an expert in cognitive training and executive function. She is an executive function coach and a Play Attention Certified Provider. Each week, she will share another tip to improve your cognitive skills. The brain at any age can improve. Research is now showing that many adults have ADHD. These adults went throughout school without ever being diagnosed. Many of these blogs will revolve around Adult and child ADHD as many of us have grandchildren or children with ADHD as well. Those who have ADHD have weaknesses in executive function and therefore this will be another area of brain processing that will be covered.
Come back each month to become more aware of what you can do so that you can ward off mental decline. I am going to separate these discussions each month as they are getting a little tedious to read in one blog discussion. Feel free to contribute to the blog as well. Writing can help executive function. Post your questions as well.
Picture is copied from https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/adhd
Month of April, 2023
taken from: https://www.moretoadhd.com/adult/adhd-in-adults
What is ADHD? ADHD is one of the most common psychiatric conditions ADHD is commonly defined as a childhood-onset neurodevelopmental condition characterized by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development. It often carries on into adulthood. 65% of diagnosed children continue to have ADHD as adults.
There are three commonly diagnosed types of ADHD: Predominantly inattentive: Difficulty paying attention, forgetful, or
easily distracted Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type: Fidgety, talkative, impatient behavior Combined (inattentive/hyperactive-impulsive ADHD): Shows symptoms of both
A family history of ADHD increases your risk The exact cause of ADHD is still unknown. While environmental factors such as low birth weight, delivery complications, and ex
posure to toxins have been identified as potential causes, the biggest factor is genetic. You have an estimated 75-90% chance of having ADHD if a member of your family has it
ADHD INTO ADULTHOOD ADHD is a 24/7 disorder that often sticks around into adulthood Can you outgrow ADHD? It is widely accepted that ADHD is more common than previously thought; up to 65% of patients with childhood ADH
D continue to have difficulties in adulthood.
Did you know ADHD is now recognized as one of the most common psychiatric diagnoses in adults with a prevalence of approximately 5% in the US?
That’s about 10 million diagnosed adults
ADHD symptoms often look different in adults than children
While symptoms of ADHD are the same throughout your life, they look different in adulthood. Many adults with ADHD are less likely to exhibit obvious hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. It is often more inattentive symptoms instead, especially in adult females.
DIAGNOSING ADULT ADHD
Many adults with ADHD remain undiagnosed Just because you weren’t diagnosed as a kid, doesn’t mean you don’t have ADHD Sometimes ADHD symptoms are overlooked in childhood, leading to a missed diagnosis. Knowing what symptoms to look for as an adult is key. Do any of the following sound familiar to you? ADHD symptoms of inattention in adults
Careless mistakes: Do you have difficulty with detail, overlooking or missing mistakes at work? Or do you often get lost in the details?
Focus: Do you find it hard to focus during work, in conversations, or while reading something lengthy?
Poor listener: Are you often perceived
as someone who doesn’t pay attention in conversations, even without any obvious distractions?
Following direction: Do you find that you fail to complete tasks at work or at home? Or do you tend to start a task and become easily side-tracked?
Staying organized: Do you struggle to stay organized at work or at home? Is time management or missing deadlines an issue for you?
Sustained interest: Do you struggle with tasks that require continued mental effort like completing forms or reviewing lengthy documents? Do you sometimes avoid those tasks? Or find that you will hyper focus on the wrong tasks?
Misplacing items: Do you often forget or misplace items of importance like your phone, wallet, or keys?
Easily distracted: Does your mind wander or drift to unrelated thoughts? Do you often find you have multiple thoughts at once or jump from thought to thought spontaneously?
Forgetful: Do you often forget to get back to people, or miss a bill or appointment?
ADHD symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity
Fidgety: Are you often tapping your hands or feet or find yourself unable to sit still?
Staying seated: Do you often find yourself wandering around when you should be at your desk, in a meeting, or seated at a social event?
Restlessness: Are excessive movement or feelings of restlessness an issue in your day to day? Is it hard to relax or do you struggle with sleep?
Being quiet: Is it hard for you to quietly engage in leisure activities?
Staying still: Are you often impulsively “on
the go,” finding it uncomfortable to be still for an extended period of time at work or in a social setting like a movie? Have you ever been described as hard to keep up with?
Talkative: Do you find yourself talking excessively or too loudly at times?
Interrupting: Do you sometimes blurt out an answer before a question is even completed, or find yourself finishing people’s sentences?
Waiting your turn: Do you struggle with waiting in line or waiting for your turn at something?
Intruding on others: Do you ever interrupt conversations or find yourself taking over what others are doing without asking? Do you do these things impulsively?
Combined (inattentive/hyperactive-impulsive ADHD) Do you show symptoms of both inattentive ADHD and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD? See yourself in 5 or more symptoms in either of these categories? Consider talking to your doctor