ADHD symptoms can affect our personalities as people compensate for those symptoms. Treating ADHD symptoms may make some traits seem like someone’s personality less noticeable or disappear, not because treatment has changed someone’s personality but because coping skills were no longer needed. ADHDers operate with a high-octane, interest-based nervous system, and the intense focus on attention and reward can lead to a compromised developmental trajectory.
Individuals diagnosed with childhood ADHD are at increased risk for personality disorders in late adolescence, specifically Borderline, Antisocial, and Avoidant. ADHD is marked by an ongoing pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development.
Difficulties with social skills and reading other people’s social queues are related to ADHD symptoms. These social missteps may be interpreted by others as indicating an aloof personality, such as being pessimistic, introverted, rebellious, and aggressive. Adults with ADHD tend to be more pessimistic, introverted, rebellious, and aggressive, show high Conscientious Inhibition and Negative Emotionality, and have significantly higher Neuroticism and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness.
ADHD can influence personality traits and behavior, with common characteristics including impulsivity, difficulty sustaining attention, and difficulty sustaining attention. Studies have shown that ADHD affects our personalities, and there are traits that those with ADHD share, which is also true for Autism. ADHD is associated with increased neuroticism, which is characterized by emotional reactivity, and conscientiousness, which can be seen as functional perfectionism. These emotional dysregulation problems commonly give rise to expressing frustration, irritability, and hostility towards others compared to typically developing individuals.
📹 Recognizing ADHD in Adults | Heather Brannon | TEDxHeritageGreen
Many people feel badly about themselves and have no idea why. They just aren’t interested in opening their mail or picking up …
Is ADHD common in high IQ people?
There is no clear link between ADHD and IQ, as individuals may have a high, average, or low IQ score. ADHD can cause interruptions in class or poor test performance, leading others to believe they have a lower IQ. Hyperfocus on enjoyable tasks can also lead others to believe they have a higher-than-average IQ. Stimulant medications can help ADHD patients focus and control impulsive behaviors.
How does ADHD affect identity?
People with ADHD often experience repeated misunderstoodness, leading to a deep misinterpretation of themselves and their situations. This deficiency and mistrust from an early age makes it difficult to evaluate oneself as an adult. They constantly vacillate between being smart and feeling inadequate, with a persistent layer of doubt. They are skilled at re-writing the plot line back to old memories, such as the pandemic, which can be seen as an explanation for job loss.
This misunderstanding can hinder taking risks or trying something new, and interfere with others knowing and understanding them. It is exhausting and can be a source of excitement, confidence, uncertainty, and fear. For instance, the author experienced a tsunami wave of excitement, confidence, uncertainty, and fear about being a published author, almost giving up before finishing it. This recurring misunderstanding can be exhausting and hinder the individual’s ability to take risks and try new things.
How do people with ADHD show love?
ADHD individuals may exhibit spontaneous physical affection, such as sudden hugging or passionate kissing, due to their impulsivity. They may have specific preferences for touch, such as light touches like back scratches or foot rubs, but may find tight hugs or heavy touches overstimulating. They may also have periods where they need more personal space, balancing sensory input and personal comfort. These traits can lead to a variety of emotional responses and preferences, affecting their overall relationship and communication.
Which personality type is most likely to have ADHD?
The study by Van Dijk et al. revealed that individuals diagnosed with ADHD exhibited heightened neuroticism but diminished levels of extraversion, agreeableness, and conscientiousness when compared to a control group.
How does ADHD affect personal life?
ADHD is a mental health condition that affects adults who struggle with everyday tasks, such as focus, prioritization, and impulse control. These symptoms can range from impatience to mood swings and anger outbursts. ADHD is diagnosed when symptoms are severe enough to cause ongoing problems in multiple areas of life, often tracing back to early childhood. Almost everyone has some symptoms similar to ADHD, but if these difficulties are recent or only occur occasionally, they may not have ADHD.
Diagnosis is challenging as certain symptoms are similar to those caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or mood disorders, and many adults with ADHD may also have other mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. Overall, ADHD is a common and challenging condition that affects many adults.
Why is life harder with ADHD?
ADHD is a condition that affects the ability to set limits on behavior, such as eating, and can lower dopamine levels, affecting the brain’s pleasure center. This can lead to eating disorders, which can temporarily raise dopamine levels to feel good again. Anxiety, a condition that affects about half of adults with ADHD, can also be triggered by ADHD symptoms. Treatment for ADHD can help manage anxiety. The same behavior that leads to eating disorders can also contribute to drug and alcohol overuse and misuse, suggesting a possible link between ADHD and these disorders.
How does ADHD affect personal development?
ADHD affects adults and children differently, with adults experiencing difficulties in work, relationships, and self-esteem due to difficulties with organization, time management, and task focus. These issues can lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. It is common for adults with ADHD to go undiagnosed during their childhood, making it crucial to address symptoms through a comprehensive psychological assessment.
Children with ADHD also face emotional challenges, such as academic struggles, difficulty in making and maintaining friendships, and low self-esteem. These struggles can contribute to anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues as they grow up. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial to help children develop positive coping mechanisms and manage symptoms.
Understanding the impact of ADHD on emotional well-being and self-esteem is crucial for providing appropriate support and treatment options. Addressing the unique needs of individuals at different life stages can alleviate the emotional toll associated with ADHD.
Can ADHD turn into BPD?
It is possible to have both Bipolar Disorder (BPD) and ADHD simultaneously, with ADHD prevalence around 5 and BPD around 1-6. Around 14 of individuals with an ADHD diagnosis in childhood later receive a diagnosis of BPD, and 18-34 of adults with ADHD also have BPD. Impulsivity is a feature of both disorders, with highest levels in both. Emotion regulation is a symptom of both disorders, with ADHD having the least difficulty, followed by BPD, and individuals with both.
Will treating my ADHD change my personality?
Misconceptions about ADHD medications are common, but when prescribed effectively, they won’t change a child’s personality. However, they can improve their focus and self-regulation. Concerns may include not telling the child about their diagnosis, dealing with frustration, disagreements, and asking questions. When a child is better equipped to learn and manage social situations, they may build confidence and positive self-esteem. It’s important to communicate openly and find a solution that works for both parties.
What are people with ADHD best at?
Individuals diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often demonstrate exceptional performance in creative fields, such as television production, choreography, visual arts, and piano performance. Such individuals flourish in environments that are both creative and chaotic, as well as in fast-paced and artistic settings. Such employment enables them to express their artistic abilities, thereby achieving a sense of personal fulfilment.
How does ADHD impact personality?
ADHD subjects exhibited higher neuroticism and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness traits than healthy controls. The presence of ADHD is associated with personality traits, rather than cognitive profile. The presence of ADHD is associated with personality traits, not cognitive profile. The study uses cookies and copyright © 2024 Elsevier B. V., its licensors, and contributors.
📹 ADHD diagnoses on the rise in adults, here are the symptoms
When you think of someone with ADHD, you probably think of a child—and with good reason. At least some of the symptoms of …
The first time I watched this article I cried copiously; It really hit me hard. Never before had I seen such a rich and detailed description of my own life. I can relate to every little thing listed, literally every one of them. I’m 40 now, but throughout life I’d convinced myself (and been told) I was simply lazy, unfocused and even unprofessional, but now you’re giving it a name, and I thank you for that.
One difference with me regarding the ‘not doing things because they are boring/uninteresting until things get desperate’ piece of the adhd puzzle is that, for me, I don’t think it’s a boredom/not interesting enough problem. I often have anxiety surrounding the completion of a task – even a simple task such as answering an email or reading a response to a message I have sent – sometimes the anxiety is totally unreasonable and unexplainable – but it nevertheless prevents me from doing the task. Eventually the cost of not doing the task (i.e the water being cut off for not paying a bill) becomes higher than the anxiety caused by the thought of doing the task, and then I manage to complete what is often a very simple task.
Thank you, thank you for this article. I was just diagnosed with inattentive ADHD last month (age 39). For so long I thought there was something wrong with me as a person. That I was a failure. That I was just bad at life. Shame, anxiety, perfectionism… You hit the nail on the head. It’s hard to explain it to others and it’s hard for others to understand because all they see are the outward results, or rather, the lack of results, caused by the disorder. They don’t understand why I can’t just handle everything the way they do. They don’t understand the constant internal struggle and anxiety and feelings of worthlessness. I hope my husband will watch this with me because it explains everything so well. It’s comforting to know that I’m not alone.
I literally bawled in tears when you talked about the shame, because that’s how I feel. I don’t want to be like this, I try really hard not to be like this, yet I still am. As for the perfectionist part, I go back over work I’ve already done and wake up at 3am, wondering whether or not I have actually done the work I’ve done and will literally keep myself awake, debating whether or not I should check that I have actually done it or just hope that I have and that it all won’t go terribly wrong. The shame and trauma is constant. I’m not diagnosed, but 99% certain I have ADHD
Listening to this made me teary especially the part where she says most are perfectionists. I have been to 6 different universities and changed courses/programs for 5 times and at 25 still doing my undergrad while working. In a span of 23 months, I have been with 7 companies. I have wasted a lot of resources, money, and opportunities in my life. I couldn’t finish anything and my mother keeps on telling me that I always stuck in the starting line. 😢
I’m crying, this hit me so hard. I’m not diagnosed but I’ve struggled all the time, especially now. I’m doing a research because the school it’s too much for me and I need answers… I’m asking for help but my family doesn’t trust me about having ADHD (I’m a woman from Mexico and the stereotypes are strong)
“In their minds the only way to counter the shame of not getting things done it and then hearing about it is to do it perfectly.” And thus not getting things done and feeling even more shame until the pressure gets to high. This! Like so many others commenting here: I cried as everything she says in this talk hits home.
I’ve always explained it with this analogy: having ADHD is like your brain is a puzzle… that was dropped from the top of the Eiffel Tower… and I am at the bottom trying to put the pieces together- seeing everyone else with their puzzles put together while I am overwhelmed, anxious, and pressured with just trying to put the pieces together. When ppl react negatively to the point that ppl with ADHD don’t do things bc they aren’t interesting, it’s enraging bc I’m not just sitting here avoiding everything bc I don’t find it amusing. I’m not consciously avoiding things most of the time, it just does that. Having the right medication was life changing.
I spent 43 years trying to deal with ADHD on my own, and was consistently recognized as very good at my job, but not quite at the top level because I was inconsistent. I reluctantly decided to go on medication and was recognized as #1/357 in my career field the following year. The greatest gift of the medication was the reduction of anxiety, which allowed me to prioritize, which allowed me to focus on what’s most important. Now it seems obvious to make the major things the main things. Previously everything felt like a five alarm emergency.
The same way i am haunted by my pile of mail, i am haunted by every text response i never sent, by anything i’ve ever borrowed and never returned (i just dont borrow things now. and if you think i forgot to return something to you, or text you back, i did not forget. i think about it every day). It’s a constant list that runs through my head at all times, alongside the papers i never wrote, the degree i never finished, the kickstarter campaign rewards i never finished, the crafts intended as gifts i never finished, etc… all wrapped up in a quilt of shame and embarrassment and white lies and fear that if i told the truth of my failures people would think that i am nothing but a lazy fraud. I know i have ADHD and the worst part about it is that its so bad that i can’t possibly FATHOM making a doctors appointment and getting the help i need. The voice in my head constantly telling me “you’ve never been able to do anything, what makes you think you will do anything now?”.
The struggles are real! I’m 46 and have my first psychologist visit next month. I’m 95% sure I have ADHD. I get distracted all the time. I’m a construction estimator and price jobs from $10k to $6-10M. Yesterday I found out I totally missed pricing for a drawing detail that was worth $73k – Thankfully we haven’t signed the contract for that project yet and we can add that to our bid….but that’s the constant anxiety I live with – someone distracts me and I forget to finish what I’m doing. Plus, on the same day, the banana I had for lunch wasn’t fully ripe. Nothing to do with my ADHD, just thought I’d mention it
I was severely traumatized years ago as a teenage, got diagnosed with ADHD. Spent my whole life fighting ADHD. I suffered severe depression and mental disorder. Not until my mom recommended me to psilocybin mushrooms treatment. Psilocybin treatment saved my life honestly. 8 years totally clean. Much respect to mother nature the great magic shrooms.
I was just recently diagnosed with ADHD and for a while I still wasn’t sure I had it. This article helps reinforce my belief that I’m on the right direction though. So much of my anxiety came from what I now believe to be my ADHD. I was always having problems with executive functioning, getting overwhelmed easily, losing stuff, having terrible organizational skills, overthinking to the point that it’s harmful, being so bored by important things I need to focus on. The list goes on.
I recently got diagnosed with ADHD and autism, which clears up so much about my entire life. Everything you’ve said – everything – describes my life and I want to cry. The soul crushing nature of work is just physically painful to endure day after day after day. If I had the choice, and didn’t need money for the right to live, I’d quit and stay home. It’s a horrible physical and mental pain that far exceeds what neurotypical people experience. “Oh work is hard, but it’s doable.” And yeah, we can do it, but it’s 10x harder for us to reach a neurotypical person’s average.
I was diagnosed 2 years ago at 52. In my research and lived life experience the ADHD brain is how it should be. Its modern day society, rules, and conforming that keeps our brain like a Caged Animal. We need to find our strengths as earliy as possible and build our life around this. Picasso Quote; The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. 🇬🇧🙂Keep up your good work.
Ha they actually sent me for a hearing test when I was at school 🙈 I was trying so hard to listen. I could hear but couldn’t concentrate unless I was excited about what they said. I’m in my forties now and still find this so hard. It affects confidence so much and makes socialising a nightmare! Work is the worst. It’s exhausting! Overwhelming for sure!
I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD for around 3 years now (I’m almost 24) I’ve been on Vyvanse since I was diagnosed and I had started to gain a tolerance towards it so this past spring semester I started to see bad habits re-emerge. I took an internship out of state but my doctor said she couldn’t send my meds across state lines so I would have to figure something else out. Even though she was wrong I procrastinated setting up an appointment (there’s those old habits) I ended up moving to the new internship without a refill which lead to me being without my meds for 4 straight weeks until my GF came to visit and brought me mine. My life felt like it was crumbling apart. I was late for meetings, missed deadlines, & got extremely sensitive to rejection (RSD) to the point I avoided most social interaction. Ordinarily it doesn’t cause this amount of anti social behavior but I knew absolutely no one here, so I could never be myself and I second guessed myself constantly. I got my medicine back and since I’ve been able to accomplish so much, it’s like a fog lifted off my head. I feel so much more confident and self assured. If you have ADHD and arent medicating, do it. It’s a huge difference.
I discovered thanks to my girlfriend that I had ADHD. It surprised me but it helped me a lot to understand what was happening to me. I can tell that it is very very very stressful most of the time, I get obsessed with stuff all the time, I struggle to study, get distracted by whatever… I can’t believe that non of my teachers at school could see it, and they only looked for ADHD help for the most hyperactive guys, bullies, and in general guys that were up to no good, but couldn’t see it on quiet guys like me. It all sounds kinda sad, but I have to say that thanks to ADHD, I have managed to be very active and fulfill the majority of my dreams cause I never gave up and I wanted to make my inner kid happy(obsession), and as I am perfectionist, I manage to have everything under control (under stress, of course). I’m about to receive help, and I am happy to take medication if I need to, cause my brain needs a rest, and I want to be able to study, going to sleep earlier than I do, and be less overwhelmed by my thoughts cause I genuinely think I will have a heart attack at some point… I found out this year (I’m 30 years old). I hope you all find the peace you need, I know is not easy. Hugs to everyone that suffers in silence, feel free to talk to me if you need someone that understands your situation.
Just got my diagnosis at 24 and got on Adderall about two weeks ago. It’s been night and day. I don’t procrastinate anymore, I’m way less anxious, and I can keep up with work, school, family, and keeping the house clean. I’m so thankful I can function and feel “normal” now. And being more productive has helped my confidence as well. Total game changer for me.
Thank you Heather. Excellent talk!! I was diagnosed with ADD in my mid thirties. I am a 60 year old woman. Being diagnosed with ADD changed my life. I finally had a reason for being different. But that was only the first step in my ADD journey. The second step (hurdle) was the getting past the stigma of using medication. I tried everything possible to avoid using medication and nothing worked, I still seemed to screw everything up, so I finally broke down and ask my doctor for medication. It was like having and living with 20/70 vision and putting on corrective glasses for the first…my world came into focus for the first time in 35+ years! Medication isn’t for everyone, but it was everything for me. Each person must have the ability to make their own decision about using medication or not, without fear of stigmatism or criticism. Back when I was diagnosed, there was more misinformation about ADD than accurate information. And the information that was available focused on kids with ADHD, not adults. So I hid my ADD in shame. I didn’t want people to know I had a mental disability or deficiency. I even hid it from my husband for the first 5 years of our marriage. Although he now knows, we don’t discuss it. He doesn’t understand it and never will. Trying to make him or anyone understand this…understand and accept me and my brain, has generally been a futile waste of effort and energy. Only someone who has ADHD/ADD can begin to understand what life is like for us and the challenges we face.
Wow! After a lifetime (almost 50 years now) of being anxious, desorganized, putting extra hours in work, but never getting the matching results and thinking I’m not normal and not clearly knowing why, this talk was a game changer. Just putting the finger on the problem was a revelation. I feel I can go forward now. Thx a million!!
I’m truly so glad i was diagnosed, late 20s but not too late. My father died from a drug related stroke, he died at 60. He never knew he had ADHD, instead lived his life in misery, trying to scrape for dopamine as often as he could. It was only through my diagnosis that I realised that he was suffering in the same ways I had been. I’m now correctly medicated, I’m now sober, and for the first time in my life, I feel whole.
Can relate! Procrastinating perfectionist is my name. I have to create fake “pressure” to get my patient charts done. Setting a timer to get five charts at a time done gives enough imposes just enough stress to focus and get the charts done without sitting and spinning my wheels over every little word.
Thank you for this article, it explains it well. I have struggled all my life with shame and being a perfectionist, and not knowing what was wrong with me. I didn’t get diagnosed until 33 yr old. Did a ton of research on it. Got overwhelmed with information and decided I didn’t have it, especially since it seemed that all examples were the same general generic stories with not enough detail. So I lived for almost a year in denial, things in my life kept getting worse. I tried therapy alone to treat the symptoms, but it wasn’t enough. Now I’m doing both therapy and trying medications. I’ve tried a couple so far, but they either don’t work, or my body processes the drug too fast and/or only partially effective for like 2-3 hours and sometimes I max out the dose. Im 37 and still waiting for my life to turn around with medication that actually works for my unique body’s metabolism. Trying to stay positive, but it’s hard. My professors don’t seem to understand at all. Which just makes me feel bad about myself.
Wow. The inside voice of negativity confirmed by the outside voices of negativity really got to me😢Unfortunately I got into abusive relationships too, so the voices putting me down were even greater. I got to the point I can no longer be in a relationship. I also have become less sociable and I keep my circle small. Undiagnosed for 52 years it’s really taken it’s toll on me.
For years I couldn’t understand why it’s extremely hard to focus and complete simple things. Family always pressuring me to this and that say I’m moving to slow not getting things done, it hurts when others don’t understand how hard it is to clean up or grocery shopping. I’ve been to school did 6 different courses trying to accomplish something with my life and the frustration of not sticking to it.The time it took just to write this. comment. Reading these comments shows we’re not alone in this. We are still gifted and talented we just learn and do things differently. You are incredible inside and out💛
I just found out, at 61 years old. I’ve had treatment for years, but was misdiagnosed as Bipolar disorder – rapid cycling. It turns out that I have both. When I found out, I was angry! My diagnosis came way too late. I missed so many years of my life. The characteristics that Heather describes are precise to what I experience everyday. If you’re behavior resembles what she’s describing, get treatment until you are satisfied that indeed the diagnosis is correct so that you don’t spend decades of struggle like I did.
4:20 this is so me. I waste so much time procrastinating, doing nothing. And then whenever someone needs of my time, or let’s say I’m at work, I keep think and stressing about how I could’ve been spending that time doing what I’ve been procrastinating on. But then again, if I would just not provide my time to someone else, or my job, I would still not do what I have to do. I’m not sure if y’all will be able to understand what I mean.
So Good! Thank you, it’s actually like a description of myself. I’m 60 years old, in good shape and crazy active which I’ve been my whole life despite these problems you are describing. I am fully diagnosed now, since 1 year ago, and I am taking meds now which has changed my whole life to sooooo much better.
I got tested since I was little, and at one point the medical person that was guiding me said, “you are now 15, we can’t do much, it is time for you to deal with it”. So now, at 24 never take meds or try new things, so a lot of these things happen to me, and family and friends were arguing about it, and I was causing so much chaos, but now searching about it, I just realize I shouldn’t feel bad, or lazy, I just need to make the best out of it and to not let me get down.
I been dealing with these things for last twenty years yet everyone around me think it’s wild that I could even be labeled having ADHD. Sometimes people learn how to hide it in the front end of things but in the back behind doors, it’s a battle zone. Thanks for inspiring me to finally talk to my primary care and walk this new path
Is seems to me to be a continuum of personality from industrious to creative But our society has evolved in a direction where we need to be like cogs in a machine, if we don’t fit we feel it. Is it 20%-30% of the population that has a neurotransmitter problem, or is it society that is too far from our natural niche? BTW, I am really looking forward to something that can help me focus and get things done.
Crying while perusal this after messing up with some university procedure, I hat emyself so much, my mom just tells me I should be more responsible and read more carefully, I haven’t been diagnosed but I want to so bad, my family do not think there is anything wrong with my brain, everyone have distractions that’s what they tell me, I swear I’m on the verge, i’m so scared about what my life will be, causing trouble for everyone
YES!!! Oh this made me cry. This is me!! And trying to explain why I have no time management skills is maddening. I think some task will only take an hour to finish, but it actually takes three. Or I think, “I’ll just do this for five minutes.” An hour later, I’m still doing it, thinking it’s only been ten. Medication has helped, but not entirely. I still have to use learned skills and tools to manage my ADD.
Is it just me or does she make it sound like medication only is the solution for al the ADHD problems? I think it’s a big part of the solution but what about al the anxious thought patterns? Personally I think psychological treatment is most of the time too much focussing on fixing the problems which are visible to other people. I would like to learn how to walk alongside my ADHD challenges and how to stop measuring my own worth by them!
This has been literally eye opening for me. I have been holding back tears perusal this, as I literally have gone through everything talked about in this article. I have struggled with all of these symptoms my entire life and I was diagnosed with anxiety at 16. Ever since then (I’m 30 now) I have been near suicide more times than most people would like to believe (Two generations above me have actually tried, one succeeded) and every single day feels like climbing a mountain, and knowing that I have to climb a mountain every day makes me feel so afraid of life, especially when I see other people climbing that mountain with ease. I’ve been called very strong willed, but it only shows sometimes, when I don’t have these symptoms. Thank you so much for this article, I will be seeing my doctor asap and discussing the possibility that this may be the case for me also.
I’m getting emotional listening to this. My mother was never the type to take time out of her day to seek help for her kids or herself. Growing up I realized it was because she is struggling with some severe mental health problems of her own. But then where does that leave me? I always felt weird and different. People around me made it look easy to just exist. So I didn’t understand why it felt so hard to me. perusal this article, I hope, will be the beginning of my self help journey.
The examples given were spot on the description of why not so much.. For me the procrastination isn’t a matter of boredom it has to do with the executive function of switching tasks and understanding what individual processes have to be put together to complete the tasks..alot of time is spent processing what needs to be done to complete “simple” tasks. The addressing things when they become so big you have to take care of it comes down to hyperfocus everything outside of that one task has to not exist in order to pull the how to information processed into focus. Fight or flight changes the neurochemistry to help this happen. When I was young alot of shame was involved both self inflicted and by others to tell me I didn’t add up to who I was “supposed” to be. Now that I’m older I understand and accept I am exactly who I am supposed to be and it isn’t my purpose to fulfill some picture of who others want me to be . Their expectations aren’t mine to carry. I am a responsible accountable dependable individual who does their best to make a positive difference. Thank you for this article for the compassion and biochemical information so that people understand it is biochemical not a “psychological ” issue as in we aren’t choosing to behave a certain way we are wired that way and have to learn useful mechanisms or accommodations to function when circumstances are not beneficial.
I’ve been struggling with focus and memory so much lately. My family has literally said “do you have to get your ears checked?” because they think I’m not listening. I become so overwhelmed at the littlest things and my immediate reaction is to start crying. I’m slowly realizing that I probably have ADHD and this article really helped me understand. I just wish I knew where to start.
1:44 “As you can imagine, a lot of adults who have ADHD feel anxious, actually, 75% of adults who have anxiety actually have ADHD as the cause of their anxiety”. Anyone know where this stat comes from? I’m sooo curious about it – though I’m guessing perhaps she meant 75% of ADHD adults with anxiety have ADHD as the anxiety cause, and not 75% of all adults with anxiety also have ADHD… because that’s a massive statistic otherwise! 🙃
Thank you, Heather Brannon. This article was very well put together. I deeply appreciated those pauses that provided my ADHD brain with enough time to process what you said my way and not miss your next point. You showed true mastery and care with your delivery, topical development, tine and volume control, and stage design. Thank you for sharing your time and expertise.
🥺💛 I’m really fighting to get my diagnosis so I can have treatment and finally get better. I’m 28 years old and I have been struggling all my life with fitting in and not being ‘too much’ or even ‘not enough’. This article only made me feel more confident in myself. I know it can get better, even after 16 years of depression and other struggles. I just need to find that doctor who will see me and listen. 😔
I didn’t know the term ADHD or its associated symptoms until very recently. I think I have always used it to my advantage from being hyperfocused for accomplishments of the most difficult tasks to be able to perform many different tasks at the same time. The “swirl” of ideas has allowed me to grow tremendously and help others do the same well in an unimaginable way. I would say that ADHD is not a disorder but a different form of cognitive thinking. Just imagine what kind of mundane world this would be without those that have impulsivity, and radically new ideas? The entire human race probably wouldn’t have existed if that ancient caveman didn’t charge that lion to have a chance to get something to eat, or those people who thought about all the concepts for our greatest invention today.
“75 percent of adults who have anxiety, have ADHD as the cause.” I could weep. I’ve known for a couple of years I have ADHD. I asked my doc to refer me to someone who could evaluate me for ADHD. He looked skeptical, but did it. The counselor he sent me to went through a list of 15 or so questions, probably taken directly from the DSM. At one point during our discussion, I asked her what treatment for ADHD looked like. She said it depended on how I thought it was affecting my life. I said I thought it was affecting my employment. At the end of the session she said she thought I did have ADHD. She went on to say that she didn’t work with employment (fair enough, she didn’t know that was something I was seeking help for when I walked in the door.) and she didn’t work with ADHD (!!!???!!! Then why am I here?!?! Thought I was pretty clear on that one.) But she also thought anxiety was a bigger problem for me. (I have been dealing with anxiety for a long time. I know that it does not — generally speaking– exist in a void. Usually, it is the product of stress. In this case, I was pretty sure that the stressor in question was the ADHD.) I didn’t go back.
It’s like she’s talking about my life. I’m 70 now and I’ve been fighting this all my life and never knew what was wrong with me. Now I do. I’m getting help now and I will be seeing the doc. about starting meds soon.. But Why did it take so long after seeing so many reg. doctors. I got so tired of the doctors telling me that it’s all in my head and put me down just because they didn’t know what it was… Thank you for your great insight now my life has a new beginning. I guess its never to late…
I found this article after I called my doctor to make n appointment for a referral to get ADHD testing. Im really just now learning what this all means and im a 25 year old trying to become an LPN struggling so hard to prioritize and time manage to the point I hate my life and want to be in bed all day instead of even talking to my own boyfriend who I love with all my heart. This article really helped me to solidify that now is the time I get help so I can give myself the best chance at being happy.
I work in the voice over and broadcasting industry. Possibly one of the hardest industries to get into as a person with ADHD. Today I had to do many sheets of reading and recording and had a nightmare of a time. It’s quite depressing when you have a passion for something but it comes with extra baggage. It’s hard to tell my employers that I have ADHD because some people still look at it in the wrong way, especially when your job consists of quite a lot of reading.
Toxit trait is that attention is deficit here too. You want perfection, even while saying a sentence, but you just going back-and-forth between multiple possible arguments within yourself, and at point you desperately want to have a say, but gets bored and start doing something which you were not supposed to do and will regret same instances throughout your life till your death.. (Just 1 out of million recurring thoughts)
Watching this I feel so emotional. I’m currently going through the process of being diagnosed. I’m 29, a successful teacher who’s always done well academically. But I’ve always known that in order for that to be the case, I’ve had to work harder than others and struggled with things that I really shouldn’t. The part about the same hits hard, too. I constantly feel a sense of shame that I can’t do things like others, I feel guilty when I feel overwhelmed and know I should do something about it but can’t. I recently came across the term ‘adhd pralysis’ and that described parts of my life so well. Its reassuring to know that there are others who go through the same and that it can be dealt with.
Think I have ADHD. I’m 40. I also have anxiety / OCD, but now that I’m doing all this studying on ADHD I’m thinking maybe a lot, if not most, of what I have, has been misdiagnosed? It’s crazy! I’ve been this way my whole life, and always thought I was just anxious / neurotic. This article really hit home. Everything she said, I was like, “This is me!”
Thank you so much for this. I have ADHD, Dyslexia & epilepsy. I never want to read my post i just don’t get. Then i end up with problems. I get on with everyone i am a social person who works with servely disabled children. This is so me everything you say. I try to do my best. But is is so hard. Just the simple things are so hard for me. resure & trying to be calm is so hard . Thank you for this. My famines & friends say so many times can you not be quiet for 5 seconds, but for me just don’t know how to behave at the right time .. It can be so hard & do t know what to do about it. i am 49 now
Really good content. My mother had undiagnosed ADHD her whole life (was always late, had a really hard time getting work completed at home and in her career). It was very frustrating for my father and us children and for her employers, but my mom was born long before this was understood and she would have resisted treatment. My niece receives treatment for ADHD currently and her son, no doubt, has it as well. I would suggest that someone relook at the closed captioning on this article—there are some errors that need to be fixed.
I remember perusal this article the first time a few months ago and how I just found myself crying as she went through the symptoms because my feelings were validated for the first time ever. I’ve struggled with this thing since I was a kid; I had trouble paying attention and maintaining conversations for extensive periods of time and I would forget day to day stuff and mess up grocery lists because of my terrible working memory. I also have a hard time hanging out with people for more than 3 hours because my “battery” runs out quickly. Just like anything else, it’s severely misunderstood. I hope people will one day learn about these things and stop seeing us as freaks.
Holy Christ!! This describes me PERFECTLY!! I really wished that I saw this before I retired. My life would have been so much better if I only had treatment! It was so difficult to keep up with the paperwork deadlines. I could not concentrate when I needed. I had to wait until I felt in the right mood and definitely not able when people were around. So many missed deadlines and because of that I worried about getting fired. Like she said, I tried to make up for it by trying to be extra perfect with the quality of work. I would have to stay late at work for so many hours trying to get my work done so I missed out on family/friends time, exercise and fun time. So maybe the cause of my depression a anxiety was really ADD! Wish my psychiatrist identified this. So many doctors don’t want to give prescriptions for ADD because of the risk for addiction. That’s terrible!! As I child the teachers always told my parents that I was not living up to my potential. Everyone thought that I was just lazy. I suffered by extreme punishment for so many things like not getting chores a homework done in a routine basis. Anyway, .
The statistic presented at 1:45 is misleading. “Actually 75% of adults who have anxiety actually have ADHD as the cause of their their anxiety.” is an incomplete statement. This statistic is true for adults with ADHD and anxiety only, meaning that when a person has both disorders 75% of the time ADHD has led to the development of anxiety. Otherwise the statement implies that 75% of people with anxiety have ADHD. Please adjust the content to clarify this.
I am currently perusal a article about ADHD while being in a coding class on discord with a 202+ windows open and thinking about why I can’t focus and pizza… Wait what was I saying… I had a point… Ah! Yes ! Wonder if I have ADHD ?! or maybe I’m just lazy and not trying hard enough I don’t know at this point and I’m too worn out to care. Wonder why I can’t just be normal.
This article is 8mins long But it took me 30mins to finish it🤔 I Bounce from one idea/thoughts to the others with in mins . For example I’ll find myself cleaning my kitchen But than a thought comes to mind like I forgot to take my clothes out the dryer. So I stop what I’m doing to Attend to my laundry. But I realize I didn’t finish cleaning up the kitchen! So I found myself bouncing from one Task to Thee other . 🤦♀️ I’m the Queen to procrastination lol I just can’t stay focus. Who else can relate?
I just went to the grocery store for 3 things. I only took one grocery bag .. I was there for 45 mins, went thru the entire store, used 6 more plastic bags and spent $157. I got 2 of the 3 things. I cannot remember what the 3rd thing was.. and I am also medicated. Thank you so much for explaining this world.
I’ve been struggling with a lot of this my whole life. As a child I remember telling my parents something wasn’t right with my brain. They ignored me. I’ve tried to talk to friends and other family members to only be told that it’s just in my head and I should get over it. Mentally I am on a constant rollercoaster and all I want to do is steal a boat and disappear to a remote island in the middle of nowhere. If I can ever come up with the cash I would love to see what’s actually wrong with me, if anything to understand what I can do to change it.
No, thank you for putting this on youtube. I have struggled all my life with the anxiety and low self esteem that having ADHD brings. I was diagnosed at age 47. The medication does help to an extent but it’s too late to help with some things. Having ADHD has ruined relationships, made me so inefficient for most of my working career and has wasted so many years of my life. Knowing now that there was a proper reason for my previous behaviour has helped but there is still a long road to go before I get everything back on course.
I think this lady has been stalking me…UGH! I’m sixty. I’m finally learning that I have ADHD. I wish my parents would have paid attention to my behavior problems when I was younger, but ADHD wasn’t a thing back then. Back then I got a lot of spankings instead of understanding. Now I’m waiting for my appointment with my practitioner to discuss this.
I have a very hard time with time management, my neuron transmitters are firing all the time and my energy runs me crazy and wears me out. Doctors Here have no idea how to treat it here In my town. I also have chronic insomnia. They want to put me on bipolar meds. They are trying to keep the state hospital full. I’m not bipolar. I’m happy all the time I’m never depressed. I’m an artist, gardener, and dog trainer. Life is easy and wonderful for me. The Doctors cant differentiate bipolar with chronic insomnia and ADHD ! Text book 101 explains it ADHD and insomnia all go together. It drives me crazy. 8:55
I have my appointment in 6 weeks. Listening to this made me emotional. So many things that never crossed my mind they might be related to ADHD. I never understood how I could be so messy and lazy, especially at home while being a perfectionist and trying so hard not to make any mistakes at work. My boss told me not to put so much pressure on myself and to not feel so bad for every mistake because we are all human. I know that, but I can’t control it. There are so many things I want to do differently but I always feel like I just can’t control it. My parents have told me too many times that I’m lazy and never finish the things that I started. Teachers told me over and over that I’m not doing the best that I can. I am so nervous but so excited for my appointment and I hope that it can bring me the change that I need. Edit: Got my diagnosis and started medication. There is still a long way of learning and improving but the feeling of actually having control over my life and not being doomed to fail has been amazing. Impostor syndrome is still there but it will hopefully go away with time. I wish you all the best in your journey!
This is why I never went to college. Too overwhelming, and still is. High school was a struggle to make good grades; over thinking, checking my work over and over, stressing because I felt it was never good enough. I wasn’t diagnosed until 43, struggled through, not feeling like I was good at anything as a wife, mother, cook, or employee! I thought it was due to being stretched too far, and not knowing how to cope with all the life stuff (and my partner was a DUD). Now I only feel broken at 56. I have reached out for help again recently, there is hope!
Just recently I started looking into articles on ADHD so I could understand how it fully effects my life. I understand a little better why I struggle with starting tasks like manual labor to even tasks I want to do like writing or drawing. However, it still feels like I am looking up excuses for being lazy or not wanting to do work.
This lady was explaining this topic really well and not speaking as fast as so many do, so thank you. My daughter has ADD and I have ADHD and were both autistic. I get all hyped up where as she’s a little calmer, so we support eachother. I struggle a lot and now realise why I have struggled so much in the past by being bullied, abused and so desperately lonely as never had friends, wish I had been diagnosed as a child and had help and support. Thankfully I recognised similarities to other young girls I had seen during a documentary on autism and so I took her to my gp and so the journey began….its been a long journey but thankfully she’s ot me to help her cope every step of the way so she doesn’t suffer as I have.
I have been doing a ton of research on ADHD. A psychiatrist mentioned it as a possibility when we thought we were treating Bipolar symptoms. I was on lithium for 20 years. With the help of my doctor and many months, I have now been off of it for a year. I have had no manic episodes and no depressive episodes. I do cry now actually though in appropriate situations. I’m currently being medicated for ADHD. The anxiety aspect is fascinating. 1200mg or lithium daily plus various other medications ( the list of medication attempts is long), and my anxiety never went away. The situations such as those mentioned in this article never got better. I finally feel like I have my life back and understand my brain. I cannot explain how encouraging, hopeful, mind-blowing, and enlightening this proper diagnosis has been. Do I regret being misdiagnosed and “wasting” so much of my life ? Yes and no. I believe the intervention if doctors, the hope in medication, and psychotherapy kept me alive at a time that was dire. Do I wish that I felt like I do now throughout the previous years- absolutely. Better late than never.
Thank u! Ur such a genius! I know now I have ADHD and already an IEP as well. Never forget things, I’m very detail oriented, I’m super organized with everything but, I talk to much tho. I went back to my childhood activates that always kept me quite and shy which is art, painting and drawing, dance, listing to music, reading, cleaning, and baking.
What if someone with ADHD constantly tell you that they are making an effort to do better (and they’re still like Sally), but they are not actually making an effort, only keep leading you on. And what if their reason for doing so is not that they’re liars by nature, but the fact that they’re resisting the diagnosis? Do you leave them (e.g. if you’re in a relationship with them), or keep on fighting for them?
This has got to be the best description I have ever heard of myself, I got my diagnosis at the age of 46 last year after starting university at 45 years I’m now proving everyone wrong who labelled me as a loss cause as a child in the 80s I can’t tell you the feeling of relieve I have listening to you and reading the comments here, for once I don’t feel guilty for being me 😊 thankyou so much
ADHD in adults is severely underdiagnosed so any talk of this kind is very helpful. One thing stands out in this specific talk, and I would love to know more of where this data point of “75% of adults who have anxiety actually have ADHD as the cause of their anxiety” comes from. While glossed over in this talk (for lack of time most probably), if this statement is true, it has grave implications for anxiety diagnoses and should be taken very seriously, as it suggests that all anxiety diagnoses should be followed with ADHD assessments with such a high comorbidity. However, most studies have historically only looked at the question the other way around, calculating percentages of ADHD comorbidities, and the highest number I could find there comes from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, where 47% of those diagnosed with ADHD had an anxiety disorder as a comorbidity (Van Ameringen et al, 2011). So I’d love to know more about the study that arrived at the 75% number as I had not heard about it anywhere else.
What she describes IS REAL. However, from my personal experience, even though I’ve suffered from ADHD all my life (undiagnosed for 25 years), I believe that medication has to be used JUST on extreme situations. I have learned to accept the disadvantages AND the advantages that separate me from neurotypical people working with them both. I believe that most people see ADHD as something wrong, some kind of failure that must be corrected or cured. IMO, just because society can’t handle us doesn’t mean that some brains are right and therefore must be cheered and others wrong and therefore have to be tortured. (most of the times, that view brings us so down and makes us so anxious that we don’t even have the time or energy to cope with our differences and end up taking pills and seeing numerous doctors on the quest to “just be normal”). I won’t say that it is not easier and sometimes more satisfying being able to function as neurotypical folks; but most of the time, I’ve learned to enjoy being neurotypical to the core as I am and it has helped me to educate my surroundings. I’ve learned to cope with the problems that my “condition” causes in my environment and take the time to try and educate people around me so they can understand too that having an ADHD brain could be a strength and an advantage for them as well, if we learn to work together. Not easy AT ALL. It takes years of self reflection and interior work to close the self esteem wounds but if I could learn to live with the scars, YOU CAN DO IT TOO!
I started realizing I may have had a problem many years ago. perusal this article and the very 1st person she speaks of is me x 1000%. I’ve always felt as though I’ve barely squeaked by in high school, college and later in life. It has at times, almost destroyed me. Ive found little ways to help with some things but it still haunts me at almost 50 years of age. God bless anyone suffering me from this as I know the stress and trauma it can cause.
I spent a while putting off perusal this article because I guessed it would be telling but, yeah, I finally watched it and she was describing my brain. I’ve dealt with anxiety/depression but it’s only been slowly dawning on me that reason for the constant state of overwhelm at normal life may be ADHD. The shame that comes from the forgetfulness, overwhelm, and procrastinating – oh, there’s a reason for that and maybe it’s the same reason my mom has called my sister and I, “space cadets” since we were young. Hmmm
I am 54yrs old, my daughter came to me the other day. She said ave been perusal YouTube and I think I have ADHD, but I also think you have it. She started to describe the symptoms and I was transported back to when I was young and she was describing my childhood, young adulthood and my now. I thought what a waste of a life, all the things I could’ve done or been, but then the next minute I felt like I had been standing in a Dark football stadium and someone turned on the flood lights,( so that’s what has been wrong with me).. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, I have taken four questionnaires and am high on their charts… My son has recently been diagnosed with ADHD last year. Oh and I also thought I had Alzheimer’s at 42, which coincides with perimenopause. Thank you for this, 💜💜
I am 34 and after putting off researching and book it in I finally have an appointment with a private and expensive ADHD specialist in 2 months time, as the wait on the NHS for a diagnosis and treatment is 2 YEARS. finding out the reason i cant finish anything in my life and that there is help for it is so exciting.
Holy cow… I’m 24 years old, I just left my job because of depression and burn out… All my life, I’ve had a lot of going on inside my head, overwhelming because of the thousands and hundreds of different, opposite ideas. Every doctor says that my memory problems comes from a lack concentration. But when I do something I have the impression to be concentrated. But my brain is always full of every single thing that I need to do, that I would like to do, what other people could think of what I’m doing, how people would react to what I’m doing, what would I respond to all the different situations… Thank you for your article. I’m going to go see my doctor.
Time blindness…I can’t remember any age when I wasn’t late – to everything. I have no sense of the future until it’s NOW. The anxiety is debilitating. I’ve lived my life in a constant state of turmoil however, being a creative person (I too have an MFA, and yes, late to every class I attended and all those I taught) my work arounds are genious. I have not yet found the correct medications/levels that help and I’m 61.
I have a spouse with ADHD. I have tried and tried to get them to understand how this affects everyone around them, but unfortunately the fall back is that it’s always something or someone else’s fault that they can’t do what they need to do. On top of that, there are some narcissistic traits that are evident. So, no matter what, I always hear the phrase “you just don’t like who I am”, when it’s not that at all. I am at the point of just giving up and I don’t like feeling that way…
I think it’s important to help people realize they might have ADHD; and for the them to learn what this implies and to get help if needed. Though it’s a shame the only solution this person sees is to get everyone on amphetamines so they can get throughs tasks at an uninteresting job. This is very capitalistic solution to a problem perhaps more complicated that just chemical deficits in the brain.
This article explains my life so well! Just recently diagnosed with ADHD about a month ago. I’ve always felt like a failure because I struggle to get things done and I have so many great ideas but can never follow through to make them happen! If anyone asks me about ADHD I’m going to send them this article.
Wait?! I’ve lived this way all my life! Things are getting worse, not better! I need to find a Doctor that will understand antidepressant meds have never worked for me. I’ve been on 8 different brands of antidepressant meds for the last 22 years of my life. My Doctor knows I have symptoms of adhd because I have been told I have many symptoms of arts by him. He believes ADHD meds are to addictive. I’ve never asked a question about ADHD meds after that appointment 6 years ago. As I really don’t want to seem like I’m a drug addict looking for a high or something. Anti anxiety meds only make things worse. I feel less stress about my life’s troubles when I take them. However my troubles are there waiting for me each morning still. The anxiety meds are addictive medication. What’s the difference? I guess I don’t understand fully. I live near Tacoma Washington state. Does anyone know of a Doctor that might understand my life a bit more?
Oh, my gosh! I wanted to understand ADHD that a friend of mine tells me she has. I have been unhappy with negative comments her husband makes to her that are like the ones you gave as examples. He is reinforcing her insecurities. I’m wondering if I should talk with her about this. I have concern about this causing a conflict because I socialize with both of them.
Recognizing and addressing ADHD in adults is crucial, and it’s heartening to see dedicated professionals like Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, a distinguished mental health specialist and author, and institutions like Sovereign Health, actively engaged in helping individuals navigate this condition. They employ a multifaceted approach that combines clinical expertise with evidence-based techniques, as testimonials from both employees and patients clearly demonstrate the transformative impact of their services. Patients express immense gratitude for the compassionate care and guidance they receive, highlighting their journey towards better managing and understanding their ADHD. Dr. Tonmoy Sharma’s advocacy and the support offered by Sovereign Health underscore their commitment to improving the lives of those in need, providing a comprehensive framework for recognizing and addressing ADHD in adults, and empowering individuals to lead more fulfilling lives.
I love what was done here and I am so relieved to see it out here for family and friends to see. I also am so relieved for those that have been correctly diagnosed and treated. But it makes me want to cry for those of us who, through no fault of their own, cannot access appropriate treatment due to insurance issues. And if there is some public mental health treatment, people are viewed as drug seeking because so often the treatments are stimulant meds. (I am a 50 year old market gardener in Texas. So that tells you I have no choice but to deal on my own.) Anyway, this is an important and helpful article but I would implore health care advocates to go further and bring attention to the people who cannot get treated.
Medication always helps me. Unfortunately, I now live in a conservative-led, provincial system where it’s now rare to have a family doctor so, no mo’ recommendations to specialists who do the prescriptions. I’m trying to talk my walk-in clinic doctor into doing it. After all, she sends me to other kinds of specialists. I’m late 50s and would so like to return to regular work. Wish me luck.
My family KNOWS I have ADHD and yet somehow they still say stuff like I need to pay better attention, but luckily I don’t care what they all think… mostly people don’t understand each other, so I don’t expect them to figure it out. I want to add that if we understood ADHD better and treated with modified behavior routines, that would be better than medicine, in my opinion. I may not be 100% of what “other people” think I should be, but I am not medicated because I was able to build my life around my ADHD and learned modified behavior routines for things that I could not control. While I can’t always get life right, I think I mostly do well… I don’t remember things people tell me and I struggle to sit in meetings (having never learned a coping mechanism since that is a rare thing for me to have to do), but I haven’t had utilities turned off in over 20 years now, I can mostly pay attention when my grandchildren talk, and my house could be better but generally it is better than a lot of other people’s houses… and I only burn food about once a week. Oh, and I am 50, and a lot of my easier coping skills, like ability to read books, was taught to me by a librarian cause my first and second grade teachers couldn’t handle me and sent me there for the day. Schools screwed up and helped… mostly by rewarding my very good grades with freedom not to sit in the classroom, encouraging me to hang out in the library and the art room. Those are things that do not happen anymore. Because reading was boring, the librarian taught me how to speed read.
when she said people with adhd are perfectionists, she sold it to me. I’ve been told my whole life how I am forgetful because I am lazy and don’t care, but they never know how much I wanted to make things perfect when I do them because of the guilt. I end up blaming myself. damn, this lady knows. i need to go see my doctor.
Good explaination, I regognize myself in a lot. The only feedback I have is about ‘the solution’. You make it sound like medication is the magic treatment that solves everything. But every person with adh is different. (Every person in general is different, but with adhd even more). Not everybody responds that well on medication. And is has side effects for some people that are not nice. Some people feel flattend, they are not their enthousiastic and creative self anymore. For me, I feel tense when I take it and I only feel a little bit more calm in my head. But I still feel resistance for hard or boring tasks. Some people choose not to use medication. Because they don’t want to or they don’t feel the need or the benefits. This is realy good for taking away misconceptions and preconceptions, but when you talk about medication being the solution, you keep having preconceptions. Because then, people who don’t take medication, are seen as stubborn or not willing to work on it. And that’s not true. I sadly have this discussion with my boyfriend, because he thinks the solution is right there and we have discussions about why I won’t just take them. I have to tell him it’s not that easy. So, I wanted to clear that out, because I want to get rid of this misconception.