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What is #ADHD? - A thread 
ADHD is a genetic condition that changes the way that the brain develops. It is linked to a bunch of different genes throughout the genome. ADHD clusters in families.
(Hint. Hint.) https://twitter.com/StructuredSucc/status/1291028940589600770
ADHD is a genetic condition that changes the way that the brain develops. It is linked to a bunch of different genes throughout the genome. ADHD clusters in families.
(Hint. Hint.) https://twitter.com/StructuredSucc/status/1291028940589600770
ADHD causes differences throughout the brain, but the frontal lobes (associated with executive function, attention, and impulse control) and the amygdala (associated with fear/emotion) are particularly affected https://www.gulfbend.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=13860 & https://www.verywellmind.com/the-adhd-brain-4129396
One of the leading theories, currently, about the causes of ADHD is the 'low arousal theory' which suggests that ADHD brains may be low in specific neurotransmitters involved in arousal: dopamine and/or norepinephrine https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S016517811731644X?casa_token=Mp3YtFdWtskAAAAA:-HunGN5I2rNjdDj8F-pmxak5BUadtfQFqLP67Ur9NBoQrDna7XBVSC4q-jFTxY0GLH70pYLaUA
The fact that stimulant medications are a well-tested, effective treatment for ADHD supports this theory. These medications increase dopamine and/or norepinephrine in the brain and often help ADHD'ers with all of the main ADHD symptoms https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2518387/
The main symptoms of ADHD include difficulty regulating 1) attention, 2) movement, 3) impulsivity, and 4) emotions.
What these look like look different from person to person and situation to situation, but some examples include:
What these look like look different from person to person and situation to situation, but some examples include:
Attention:
- distracted easily
- shorter attention span
- forgetful, especially short-term memory
- trouble staying on task in sensory-rich environments
- careless mistakes
- struggle with organization
- struggles with motivation
- distracted easily
- shorter attention span
- forgetful, especially short-term memory
- trouble staying on task in sensory-rich environments
- careless mistakes
- struggle with organization
- struggles with motivation
Movement:
- compelled to move
- speaks and/or move especially quickly
- prone to squirm or fidget
- struggle to stay seated
- has go, go, go attitude
- talks excessively
- struggles with waiting
- restless
- compelled to move
- speaks and/or move especially quickly
- prone to squirm or fidget
- struggle to stay seated
- has go, go, go attitude
- talks excessively
- struggles with waiting
- restless
Impulsivity:
- speak or act without thinking
- prone to speak out of turn
- eat or spend money on impulse
- general lack of self-control
- interrupts others
- speak or act without thinking
- prone to speak out of turn
- eat or spend money on impulse
- general lack of self-control
- interrupts others
Emotions:
- prone to big emotional responses
- emotional responses come on quickly
- emotional sensitive, especially to rejection
- struggles to contain emotion
- prone to big emotional responses
- emotional responses come on quickly
- emotional sensitive, especially to rejection
- struggles to contain emotion
Depending on how ADHD'ers present, they may be labelled with one of the three 'types' of ADHD. These types are labelled at diagnosis, but can change overtime
For those who primarily struggle with regulating attention, they are referred to as primarily inattentive or ADHD-PI
For those who primarily struggle with regulating attention, they are referred to as primarily inattentive or ADHD-PI
For those who primarily struggle with hyperactivity and impulsivity, they are referred to as primarily hyperactive-impulsive or ADHD-HI
When an ADHD'er is struggles with all of these areas, they are said to have a Combined presentation (ADHD-C).
When an ADHD'er is struggles with all of these areas, they are said to have a Combined presentation (ADHD-C).
Everyone experiences ADHD symptoms from time to time, but for ADHD'ers symptoms are constant and damaging.
To be diagnosed, ADHD must negatively impact employment, school, social, or family life and these impacts can be severe https://twitter.com/StructuredSucc/status/1270428700404862983
To be diagnosed, ADHD must negatively impact employment, school, social, or family life and these impacts can be severe https://twitter.com/StructuredSucc/status/1270428700404862983
Only trained professionals (such as psychologists, psychiatrists, doctors) can diagnose ADHD.
If you think you have ADHD, you should reach out to them. A thread on diagnosis will come soon
If you think you have ADHD, you should reach out to them. A thread on diagnosis will come soon
