ADHD—Sneaky Type
Okay—so, not all ADHD is in your face with hyperactivity. Not all ADHD is characterized by the type of behavior that makes you wonder, “Bruh, did you even think about that before you did it?” No—not all ADHD is characterized by hyperactive or impulsive behavior.
I’m Dr. K with Mental Health | Plain Speak, and I want to describe to you today a condition which often goes undiagnosed. There’s a stealth type of ADHD—one that often slips under the radar if you are not on the lookout. It’s called ADHD—inattentive type. With this type of ADHD, children can be in class sitting quietly as a mouse, but not paying a lick of attention to the teacher. They are often described as being in “la-la land” or in a world of their own. They are the daydreamers who seem to zone out on a regular basis. Other symptoms that run in cahoots with this inattention or spaciness include any of the following:
1) being easily distracted—anything and everything can snatch their attention away from what they should be focusing on,
2) forgetfulness or the tendency to lose things—if you, your child, or loved one might lose their head if it weren’t attached, then ADHD might be at play,
3) messiness—children and adults with ADHD tend to be described as messy or disorganized—backpacks are still full of papers from last semester, their English notebook has math and history papers falling out, their bedrooms are a mess—clothes falling out of the drawers; jeans, and underwear are scattered all over the floor; and no matter how many times you ask them to clean it up, they just can’t seem to get stuff in order
4) you talk directly to them, and they don’t seem to be listening. In fact, it seems like their minds are somewhere else.
5) they seem lazy or unmotivated and don’t want to do work that seems routine, boring, or too much of a hassle to them, and
6) they have a hard time finishing what they start.
Okay, so if you, your child, or your loved one have several of these struggles, it might just be ADHD—the inattentive type, and further evaluation by your family doctor, primary care physician, pediatrician, or mental health provider might be needed. Remember what I said in the other ADHD video discussion—ADHD is not about a good-for-nothing kid needing a good butt-whoopin,' Children with ADHD have a real disorder that affects the development of their brains. Research shows that people with ADHD have parts of their brains that are actually smaller—especially in the front of the brain. The front part of the brain is the part that controls concentration, attention, self-control, and organization. Research has also found that brain development in people with ADHD is slower and brain maturation occurs at a slower rate. Also, people with ADHD have differences with the chemistry of their brains—two brain chemicals affected are dopamine and norepinephrine, which are important for mood, movement, sleep, self-control, and focus. So, ADHD is a true disorder that affects the way the brain develops and functions. And keep in mind, people are born with this—they don’t have any control over whether they get it or not.
Alright, that’s the end of the brief talk for today. I hope this content has helped you better understand ADHD—inattentive type. Make sure to view the next video to get some more facts about ADHD that you may not already know. Also, please keep in mind that the suggestions I offer here are not meant to be a substitute for advice from your own provider. So, talk to your provider before implementing any of these tips. And if you don’t have someone helping you with your mental health needs, consider reaching out to a professional. Folks, let’s make it our business to understand mental illness and those who struggle against mental illness. I’m Dr. K, and this has been Mental Health | Plain Speak. And remember, “Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
