What is ADHD?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a neurodevelopment disorder, which affects our behavior and attention. It is a chronic condition and doesn’t have any cure currently. There are however many treatments to help manage the symptoms. We have impulsive behavior and exhibit hyperactivity. It is one of the most common mental disorders in children aged 4–17 with about 10% of the children, 6.1 million plus affected and increasing every year. In fact, it has already increased by about 2% in the last 7 years. The adult percentage is lower at 2.6% or around 6.4 million.

“It is estimated that 20 to 80% of people with ADHD are undiagnosed so millions of people are not getting the help they need.”

The real figures could be much different as many of the adults or children are never diagnosed correctly and so never get help. Some people do not get diagnosed due to the stigma that comes with it. The first step in addressing the issue is acceptance as there is no shame. It is estimated that 20 to 80% of people with ADHD are undiagnosed so millions of people are not getting the help they need. Many people tag it as a childhood disorder which is wrong as it can persist as children become adults. Even in adults, it is the most common mental disorder.

The most important brain region that is affected is the prefrontal cortex. As this prefrontal cortex is responsible for many cognitive functions people with ADHD find it hard to organize, plan focus and pay attention. Attention is affected and people become more impulsive. The striatum is another part of the brain that gets affected. Striatum is responsible for motivation. Some parts of the hippocampus may also be affected impacting memory and movement.

“Fidgeting and hyperactivity can be experienced. A person becomes more irritable, may get a short attention span, and have difficulty in focusing.”

Children and adults have a lot of difficulty due to ADHD; they may have difficulty in staying organized and focused, in school or work, making friends, and interacting with others. As children schoolwork suffers with focus being an issue. As an adult, a job becomes difficult, and maintaining finances becomes difficult. Maintaining relationships also becomes difficult. Fidgeting and hyperactivity can be experienced. A person becomes more irritable, may get a short attention span, and have difficulty focusing. A person may experience mood swings anger, anxiety depression being some of them. Multitasking may become difficult with low tolerance and restlessness.

“It is not that people with ADHD are in any way less intelligent in fact they are very creative and energetic.”

With ADHD people find it difficult to pay attention making careless mistakes. Also find it difficult to organize tasks and get distracted easily. The exact cause of ADHD is not known but is generally due to genetic and other factors. Brain imaging has displayed differences in certain brain regions. It is not that people with ADHD are in any way less intelligent in fact they are very creative and energetic.

How is it diagnosed?

Mental health professionals diagnose ADHD. It is based on an assessment which may consist of an interview, a review of the medical history, rating the symptoms on the standardized rating scales, and performing a neuropsychiatric EEG-based assessment aid. The scan measures the slow theta waves and the fast beta waves measuring the ratio between the two waves, though some studies suggest that it may not be the right way to measure ADHD. NEBA should not be the only way it should be used to augment the results of the other assessments made by the medical professional.

Can it be treated?

As of now, there is no known treatment for ADHD but there are ample treatments available that help in managing the symptoms. There are various medications main ones being simulants, non-simulants, and anti-depressants. The most common simulants are amphetamines and methylphenidate, which work for 70 to 80% of people but have their own side effects and drug abuse issues. Loss of appetite, weight loss, sleep problems heart and psychiatric issues are the most common.

“Therapy is also useful in helping people cope with their symptoms. It provides people with the tools to deal with it.”

Medicines help in improving attention and focus. It helps in controlling impulsive behavior. The medicines basically increase dopamine and norepinephrine, the neurotransmitters in the brain involved in impulses and attention. Therapy is also useful in helping people cope with their symptoms. It provides people with the tools to deal with it.

How to deal with it

As a person with ADHD, a person can do many things. Set up realistic goals and break large tasks into small ones into more manageable tasks. Improve focus and take breaks if you feel distracted, get help. Talk to a doctor or a therapist so that you can get all the tools to deal with it. Medicines and therapy are very helpful and should be tried by everyone if they can’t deal with it on their own. Organize yourself, develop something which works for you take care of those tasks, the time, and other things that you need to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

“Sleep at the same time wake up the next day at the same time, eat healthy food, and be consistent with it. Don’t keep things till the last minute as that will increase the stress.”

Try to minimize the things that distract you from your tasks and make you lose focus. Maybe that email that pops up so often or the phone may be the culprit. Try to create a routine for yourself and stick to it. Sleep at the same time wake up the next day at the same time, eat healthy food, and be consistent with it. Don’t keep things till the last minute as that will increase the stress. Tackle things when there is ample time so there is no rush to complete it. Meditation and deep breathing exercises can help. Exercise helps so be consistent in doing it.

“There is a solution, it is just waiting for you to get to it. Find the key to that problem and open new vistas that are waiting for you. Life is beautiful we just need to find ways to enjoy it.”

A person who is affected with ADHD will think a lot of things and find many problems but we need to deal with it. Life will have problems and these will manifest in some way or form. We need to take steps to deal with it and accept it. Like the famous serenity prayer which says God help me in accepting what I can’t change, give me the courage to change what I can, and the wisdom to know the difference between the two. So, accept it and find your way to deal with it. There is a solution it is just waiting for you to get to it. Find the key to that problem and open new vistas that are waiting for you. Life is beautiful we just need to find ways to enjoy it.