The seemingly simple questions are often the hardest to answer. How are you doing? we try every week to find the answers to these questions. This time: Only busy kids have ADHD, right?
What are the characteristics of ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Syndrome. This English term encompasses 2 important characteristics of ADHD: problems with concentration and hyperactivity. Psychologists distinguish approximately 3 main forms of ADHD. First, if you have it, you may be mostly distracted and have difficulty concentrating. The second form is predominantly hyperactive / impulsive and is expressed in busy behavior. The latter form is a combination of both symptoms. Those who have severe ADHD can experience severe interruptions from school and work. It can also have social consequences. Think of reduced independence, aggressive behavioral disorders, sleep problems, depression, burnout, anxiety disorders, and difficulty building relationships.
How does ADHD arise?
If someone has ADHD, it can have several causes. You can be hereditary, but environmental factors can play a role as well. This concerns the number of incentives you receive at a young age, but also your education. For example, did you learn from home to give regularity and structure to your day? Or were you raised very freely, without rules? This can make a difference in your next life.
Can adults have it too?
Elementary school children “bouncing” in all directions are perhaps the best known form of ADHD behavior. But the disorder has different manifestations. Adults may only discover they have it at a (much) later age. It is no coincidence that the month of October is traditionally dominated by awareness of ADHD. There is also a special day for women with ADHD on October 14th.
Is there a difference between men and women?
The focus on women with ADHD is relatively new. For children, more boys than girls are diagnosed with ADHD. At that age, the disorder manifests itself mainly in physical behavior, which is more evident in males than in females. Boys usually process incoming stimuli through active exercise. Most girls, on the other hand, do it in their head. There is a much smaller difference in diagnoses between adult men and women. Only women usually find out relatively late. Furthermore, ADHD is not characterized by physical but internal restlessness in old age. Although it can lead to physical ailments, such as extreme fatigue, without proper treatment.
What are the typical characteristics of ADHD for women?
For example, Jorna Postma only found out when she was 38 that she had ADHD. For most women it does not translate into (hyper) active and impulsive actions, but rather into fatigue and procrastination. “The beginning of the task is difficult. You know you have to do something, but you can’t. You can’t physically start something, “Postma tells Coffee time. “Planning and structuring is very difficult if I don’t just do it. The day is a great improvisational show if I don’t have good habits. Other things are emotion control and impulse control. I always say yes to something before I think about it. And you can go from 0 to 100 in a millisecond, which explode in one go. It’s very tiring.”
How can you cope with (someone with) ADHD?
This is perhaps the most important question for people with ADHD and those around them. Depending on the severity of the disorder, they may take medications such as Ritalin. But this only has a temporary effect and also carries the risk of addiction. Psychological help can also help. Through conversations with experts and / or fellow sufferers, people with ADHD – and their loved ones – can better understand their disorder and give it a place. This can provide more peace of mind at home, at work, and in social situations.
What are people with ADHD good at?
ADHD creates not only burdens, but also pleasures. Many ADHDs can be impulsive and easily distracted, but they are also creative and above-average social. Furthermore, they can embark on a task with enthusiasm and energy, if it is in their field of interest. “The big difference is that we are more interest-driven (acting for intrinsic interest, ed). And others unit of activityn (acting out of awareness of the task and sense of duty, ed) ”, explains Postma. “So, if something interests us, we can go into hyperfocusing. And, for example, create a website in 3 days “.
(Source: GGZ Standards, Coffee Time, Mentally Better, PsyQ. Photo: Shutterstock)
