“What if I’m just inattentive?” Learning Symptoms of ADHD

James is in the middle of a conversation with his friend Tom. Listening about his last love affair, at one moment, James notices Tom’s sky blue socks, and in another, he catches sight of a flashy neon sign, and then… “Wait, what was Tom talking about?” thinks James after, well, who knows how much time.

Tom, on the other hand, couldn’t stop tapping his right foot all throughout the conversation. Once he gets bored with his long storytelling, he starts humming some melody, and then he bolts for the nearest pull-up bar.

Which one do you think has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? 1,2,3… 

Right, both! There are many more scenarios of how ADHD can manifest itself: a hard-working but depressive student, an anxious control freak of a mother, and a lot more. There are many factors influencing ADHD symptoms, so let’s learn all about them.

Key Takeaways

• ADHD can show up differently in individuals, ranging from inattentiveness to hyperactivity, and sometimes a combination of both. Specialists define three subtypes of the syndrome: primarily inattentive, impulsive hyperactive, and combined type.
• While there is no single answer to what causes ADHD, it is known to be a genetic condition that starts in childhood, though it might not be diagnosed until adulthood. Adults who notice persistent symptoms should consult a healthcare provider for proper assessment.
• ion that starts in childhood, though it might not be diagnosed until adulthood. Adults who notice persistent symptoms should consult a healthcare provider for proper assessment.
• The disorder often coexists with other conditions like Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), mood disorders including depression, anxiety, and learning disabilities, making both diagnosis and treatment more complex, especially in adults.
• While ADHD symptoms can be challenging, they can be managed through a combination of medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes like mindfulness and physical exercise.
• Self-diagnosis is not sufficient for ADHD due to its complex nature. In order to distinguish ADHD from other conditions and to create an effective treatment plan, professional evaluation is crucial.

ADHD symptoms in adults and children

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 describes ADHD as a developmental disorder, while the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke calls it a neurobehavioral disorder. Regardless of the approach you prefer, it’s a genetic disease that can’t develop in adulthood. However, adults’ ADHD exists, or, to put it more correctly, it can be diagnosed in adults if it didn’t happen in early childhood and one’s primary care provider failed to notice the first symptoms.

The American Psychiatric Association worked out 3 types of ADHD, each having its own set of signs. They’re outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) and used to diagnose people with the disorder via interviews or questionnaires. There are 3 types of ADHD with the following symptoms:

Primarily inattentive

• Makes careless mistakes and doesn’t finish work at school, home, or workplace, not because of a misunderstanding of instructions.
• Seems to have a mind somewhere else, even when spoken to directly.
• Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort.
• Struggles to organize tasks and space around them, so they’re often messy.
• Fails to meet deadlines and, in general, is bad at time management.
• Fails to follow instructions and is often forgetful.
• Loses things frequently.
• Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli or their own unrelated thoughts.

*This subtype of ADHD can be referred to as attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Impulsive hyperactive

• Constantly squirms, taps, and fidgets with body parts or any objects around.
• Fails to attend a leisure activity quietly.
• Feels the urge to walk around a space or stand up when it’s expected to remain still.
• Talks excessively without feeling that it’s inappropriate and finishes phrases for other people.
• Struggles to wait his turn or stand in a queue.
• Takes over others’ activities or blatantly intrudes into others’ activities and conversations.

Combined

This type is usually manifested in a more severe form and comprises several symptoms from both groups.

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Disorders that go along with ADHD and their symptoms

ADHD has a set of related conditions that can make ADHD diagnosis harder or require complementary treatment. Some of them are:

Oppositional defiant disorder (ODD)

ODD is a common disruptive behavior disorder that is diagnosed in 20% of those with ADHD. It’s usually revealed around the age of 6–8, but it can have its onset in adolescence as well. ODD is characterized by the following symptoms:

• Refusing to follow rules and their constant questioning.
• Deliberately hostile behavior toward authority figures (family members, teachers, co-workers).
• Intentional irritation of other people.
• Quick to anger, hostility, and rudeness.
• Blaming others for their own mistakes.
• Feeling misunderstood and underappreciated.

When spotted in childhood, ODD can be successfully treated and “outgrown” as parents teach a child the behavioral norms and resort to the help of a psychologist. However, ODD can persist in adulthood too.

When spotted in childhood, ODD can be successfully treated and “outgrown” as parents teach a child the behavioral norms and resort to the help of a psychologist. However, ODD can persist in adulthood too, both in men and women. If you’ve noticed that you or a person you care about is constantly angry, wants to annoy everyone around, or never misses a chance to get into a fight, feel free to schedule an appointment with a psychiatrist. ODD may resemble other psychiatric conditions, such as bipolar or substance use disorders, and only a doctor can differentiate between them.

Mood disorders

Often, ADHD mood disorders include only mood swings, when a person jumps from sadness to frustration several times a day. Together with it, it can imply more serious conditions:

Depression is a lack of interest in activities that used to be exciting before, sadness, and hopelessness that last for at least 2 weeks.

Dysthymia, or persistent depressive disorder, is depression of mild intensity that lasts for at least 2 years.

Bipolar disorder is alternating episodes of depression and mania (when one’s mood and energy are extremely high).

Studies show that depression is diagnosed in 15–55% of adults with ADHD. One of the reasons is that without a well-developed set of coping strategies, people with signs of ADHD, especially when it comes to ADHD adult women, live under the constant pressure of not being able to meet societal expectations. Usually academic and professional environments aren’t accommodated for those living with ADHD, so mood is getting worse along with self-esteem and aspirations.

Some ADHD patients release themselves from the emotional seesaw via guided meditations and a branch of psychology called cognitive-behavioral therapy. They allow people to acquire certain techniques for not succumbing to a negativity swamp but to effortfully change perspective and learn how to notice positive things in life.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety is one of the most common companions of ADHD: 50% of ADHD adults are proven to suffer from it. While anxiety can motivate us to do things faster and more effectively, once it reaches its extreme, it starts to hamper our daily lives. So, here are the symptoms that can tell you if your anxiety levels are outside of the norm:

• You struggle to fall asleep as thoughts swirl around your head.
• You worry about objectively insignificant things or situations, especially those that might happen in the distant future or have already happened in the past.
• You can’t concentrate on your duties and chores as you keep thinking about bothersome scenarios.
• You experience attacks of panic and intense fear.
• You’re always tired and lack energy.
• Your muscles are always tense, and your feet and hands are cold.

Anxiety disorders include social anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, separation anxiety, and other conditions. But the picture is not so dark: this study shows that mindful meditations, when used as a therapeutic strategy, help to alleviate symptoms associated with anxiety. 

Learning disorders

Even though ADHD doesn’t affect one’s intellect, some learning disorders are associated with it. The reason is that learning presupposes sustained focus, mental effort, paying attention, and the use of working memory.

ADHD people, on the other hand, have trouble paying attention, but not only. They have problems with the brain’s executive functions. This is a set of cognitive processes needed to intentionally control your own behavior to achieve specific goals. The set includes concentration, working memory, the ability to inhibit one’s own natural impulses and choose more appropriate behaviors, etc.

That’s why an ADHD teenager often can’t keep up with their peers in academic settings or a neurodivergent adult can’t show the same results at work. 

Here are some of the learning disorders that people with ADHD face:

Dyslexia: difficulty with reading and spelling words, splitting words into syllables, correct sentence structures, and organizing written texts.

Dyscalculia: struggles with understanding numbers and math-related concepts and symbols.

These disorders can be improved through systematic training and precise instructions given to a person. However, as they’re often seen as unable and stupid, such people’s learning development is overlooked.

Tics and Tourette syndrome

Tics are sudden, rapid, and uncontrollable movements of body parts or involuntary sounds and, in general, there are two types of them: motor and vocal ones. 

Tourette syndrome is often associated with people’s blurting out cursing without noticing it, but it’s much more complex than this. It involves having two motor tics and at least one vocal tic. They’re impossible to hold back, as it may only make them worse.

A so-called Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention is used to help patients get rid of tics and acquire skills on how to notice them and perform competing responses (for example, pulling a chin up and down for those whose tic is head jerking).

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Many faces of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

The signs of ADHD vary from person to person because it’s nothing more than another type of brain functioning that requires different training. In early years of life, ADHD in children may reveal as being different from other kids, while adults with ADHD struggle to perform as well as their colleagues.

All in all, ADHD and its related conditions require medical examination first. In the meantime, you’re free to use non-invasive methods of ADHD and anxiety treatment, such as mindful meditation, breathing, and physical exercises. Did you know that studies published in the World Journal of Psychiatry proved that meditations lead to a 30-81.8% reduction in inattentiveness and hyperactivity? And that physical exercise is a natural dopamine booster?

For another non-invasive method of treating ADHD, feel free to use thematic apps. The phone may be the source of many distractions, but it can also turn into an assistant that relieves the pressure of living with the disorder. Check out the best apps for ADHD in your app store to see which one suits you the most.

Remember that these bothersome symptoms don’t define who you are, as you can get rid of them by making an effort. This, in turn, will only reveal the uniqueness of your brain, making all your life spheres calm and comfortable.

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