In the brain of someone with ADD

I saw what proved to be a humorous Pin on Pinterest with dialogue reminding me of "Dory" from "Finding Nemo."


Here's the Pin I was reading and the original article from BuzzFeed:

• http://www.pinterest.com/pin/497295983825977497/
• http://www.buzzfeed.com/mackenziekruvant/76-seconds-in-the-brain-of-someone-with-add?bfpi#.ddA08my0y

After reading this I wondered what is it truly like in the mind of someone that has ADD.  WebMD describes this as a condition that may start in childhood and continue into adulthood.  It may exhibit symptoms like hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness.  It may also cause issues at work, school, home and in other relationships.

Adults can also be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD and often exhibited symptoms as children.  An adult may experience different symptoms then children like restlessness and issues with employment and relationships.

I also found some great information on the ADDA website about ADD/ADHD in Adults. 
They talk about the different subtypes of the condition and have some great facts.

AD/HD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is broken down into 3 subtypes: Combined Type, Predominantly Inattentive Type, and Predominantly Hyperactive Impulsive Type.  It's also estimated that 4-6% of the United States Population has ADHD.  This condition is not limited to children and these numbers include about 9 million adults. 

Scientists don't exactly know what does or does not cause ADD/ADHD.  They do not believe it's due to bad parenting, schools, or the wrong foods and too much TV.  The National Institute of Health believes about 5% of children who exhibit ADHD are very young or have food allergies.

They tend to think the origins of this disorder are more biological.  NIMH conducted studies using PET scans to see how a person's brain worked.  Glucose feeds the brain and active parts of the brain use more glucose than those that are less active.  They found a link between a person's attention span and their levels of activity in the brain.  It also appears that there was less glucose used in the part of the brain that controls attention.

Research also suggests that this disorder is hereditary.  They believe that if one person in a family has the disorder that there is up to a 35% chance that another close family member has it as well. 

Sadly it seems in most cases parents feel forced into giving their children medication they may not see as necessary.  Clinical studies suggest that the best treatment for this disorder is a combination of medication (when needed) and therapy or counseling to learn skills for coping and adaptive behavior.  If you are an adult with ADHD it may be a good idea to look into working with an AD/HD coach to learn to manage behaviors and develop coping skills like organizing.

Sources:

• http://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/
• http://www.add.org/?page=ADHD_Fact_Sheet