This Is Your Brain On ADHD
By: Hannah Davies
Tags: Mental Health, Adhd, Psychology, Science, Brain

ADHD is more common than ever, and nobody knows why.

In 1997–1998, 6.1% of under-18s were diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Now, 11% of Gen Z meet the same criteria. Some argue this is due to constant notifications and screen-time rotting our attention spans; others that nothing has changed beyond wider recognition. Either way, cases have nearly doubled within the past 20 years. For two-thirds of these adolescents, symptoms will persist into adulthood.

ADHD exists on a continuum, like any other aspect of mental health: some will experience intensive disruption to their lives, while others excel in their fields with a manageable ruffle. The idea that ADHD is more prevalent in men than women is a myth. The prevalence of the disorder is fairly evenly split by gender. Instead, boys are more likely to be overdiagnosed due to a combination of gender bias, and girls being twice as likely to have inattentive ADHD: which is less well-recognized or noticeable to an observer. The condition is also underdiagnosed in black children, and those without health insurance.

These structural inequalities mean sufferers who don’t fit the “hyperactive white boy” mold pass unnoticed. (It’s common for women to only receive a diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood.) The undiagnosed instead often blame themselves for symptoms, putting them down to an “attitude” or “discipline” problem, and suffer from lower self-esteem as their lives are affected.

This is both unnecessary and unjust, when help is available.

Of the two main sub-types of ADHD — hyperactive and inattentive — hyperactivity gets all the media glory. It’s probably the stereotype you picture when somebody mentions ADHD. Chattering at a hundred miles an hour; pacing in meetings; fidgeting til pens break; generally bouncing off the walls.

Inattentiveness, on the other hand, is more internal, yet no less disruptive for the individual to live with. It’s more commonly seen in daydreaming, procrastination, and difficulty listening to detailed instructions, or finishing tasks.

After a brief intro of the symptoms of ADHD and how people are diagnosed, we’ll delve into the neuroscience underneath this much-misunderstood condition. Then, the medication and real-world techniques used by real people with the condition that can and do help.

The symptoms

As this research paper suggests, people with ADHD are often bright and capable, yet struggle to finish projects:

Attics and basements are likely to be filled with partly completed sewing projects, woodworking projects, repairs, and notebooks; desk drawers are likely to be cluttered with unfinished letters, outlines, and project plans.

For the majority of us creative and entrepreneurial types, this could sound familiar. Where do we draw the line between a little disorderly, and full-blown ADHD?

Almost all of us will experience a few of the behaviours listed below occasionally. But when these symptoms are persistent across different domains — eg. home, work, school — and disruptive — you feel they are negatively and significantly affecting your life — there is a case for clinical diagnosis.

Hyperactivity:

feel “driven by a motor” and restless

often finish others’ sentences

impulsive

difficulty waiting: in a queue or for results

fidget when seated for long periods

stand up and pace unexpectedly

Inattention:

struggle to remember appointments

misplace items often eg. phone, keys

“zone out” from boring or overwhelming activities

procrastinate most important task for lesser ones

likely to be seen as ditzy, spaced out, or dreamy

struggle with consistent work ethic, instead working in “intense bursts” right before a deadline

For a thorough comparison test against ADHD symptoms, a good online test can be found here which breaks down your score into hyperactive/inattentive components.

While you can get a good feel for where you stand from these tools — and will have an instinctive feel for how you are in your everyday life — formal diagnosis must be undertaken by a health professional to receive treatment.