ADHD is a complex neurological disorder that presents special challenges to those diagnosed with it. In the past, it was only considered a condition that affected children, but ADHD can present itself at any point of your life. It is commonly marked by inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
The extremes of ADHD can be debilitating and impact every part of life. Increased risk of unemployment, substance abuse, and failed relationships are just a few ways that severe or untreated ADHD impact your life.
Regardless of the challenges you may face with this condition, you can turn it into an advantage. Those with ADHD are energetic, unique, and tenacious. Getting the right treatment and support can help you turn ADHD into a superpower. Learn more about our services for ADHD here.
Genetics play an important role in the cause of ADHD. However, you won’t necessarily find a singular cause for ADHD, rather a host of factors that can play a role in its development. Aside from hereditary causes, here are a few things that may influence the development of ADHD.
ADHD has been long misunderstood and most undiagnosed adults tend to overlook their symptoms. This has a lot to do with the current beliefs about ADHD – the stigma and judgement around the symptoms of the condition. As with most untreated mental conditions, symptoms and overall health gets worse with time.
Getting an ADHD diagnosis can greatly improve your quality of life. There are effective ways to treat or diminish the challenging symptoms of ADHD. Effective treatment is typically an individualized combination of psychotherapy, self-help strategies, and medication management. Getting treatment for ADHD can truly help you live an empowered life through learning management skills and minimizing the intensity of this disorder.
ADHD is complex, and symptoms can look vastly different for everyone. However, there is an overarching theme of ADHD. Problems with executive function play a large role in the symptoms of ADHD. For someone living with ADHD, everyday tasks can be especially challenging and life can feel constantly unstable.
Take a look at some of the most common struggles of someone with ADHD:
ADHD is an all-or-nothing energy. Either you’re hyper focused on something that fascinates you, or you can’t focus on anything at all. A lot of times you swing from one end of the pendulum to the other. This can be difficult to complete daily tasks and responsibilities.
Time management is a common struggle with ADHD. While everyone procrastinates occasionally, ADHD can bring procrastination to a chronic level. Whether you struggle getting started or you’re overwhelmed by the number of steps a project requires, you often put tasks off until the last minute. Struggles with concentration become a contributing factor for procrastination, along with an impaired sense of time and executive dysfunction.
ADHD can impair working memory and be the cause of forgetfulness. You need your working memory to plan, problem solve, and stay on task – so you can see how this could cause an issue in day-to-day life. Below are a few ways that poor working memory may present itself.
ADHD is neurological and affects communication between regions of the brain that regulate impulse control. You might speak or act before you can even contemplate the consequences of doing so. You can feel completely out of control of your behavior.
The problem here is that these impulsive actions often impede your own plans. It can cause a lot of tension in our relationships and mess with your personal goals. Problems with impulse control can cause you to lose trust in yourself and create issues with shame and self-esteem.
Impulsivity may look like:
Those with ADHD often experience emotional hyperarousal. They usually feel both positive and negative emotions on an intense level. This can be the source of passion and creativity, but it can also be difficult to regulate your emotions when they become too much.
The challenges faced in everyday life with ADHD can trigger intense, negative emotions. Executive dysfunction makes it difficult to keep up with everyday tasks and this leads to being flooded with emotions, and it’s not always easy to reign them in.
It’s time to take mental health seriously. Whether you have a child that shows signs of ADHD or struggle with it as an adult, ADHD diagnosis is important. You don’t have to struggle with daily life. Without support, ADHD can lead to more severe mental health conditions. Counseling for ADHD can gift you the tools and support to make the most of this condition.
Here at Dr. Messina and Associates, our compassionate team of professionals are qualified to help you at our Flower Mound, Texas, and Southlake, Texas, offices. Our Psychologists, Psychiatrists, and Counselors specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), psychological testing, and medication management for a variety of emotional and behavioral health needs. All services are available in-person and online (telehealth). If you or a loved one are seeking help with mental health, we are here to help.
