If you or your children experience ADHD, you may be interested in hearing more about this disorder. It is something you have likely heard about but have never seen explained. Here’s a look at the condition, including causes, symptoms, and how it makes an individual feel.
What is ADHD?
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a condition that a child may experience where they are unable to concentrate on tasks and seem to be acting up often. They are likely incapable of sitting still and cannot stop themselves from doing things they shouldn’t.
If a person has been diagnosed with ADHD, they may have it when they are an adult as well.
Causes
There is no definite cause of ADHD that has been found. However, there may be a few things that make it more likely that a person will experience it. These include risk factors including, if someone else in their family has ADHD, if they have been exposed to certain toxic substances in the environment or in utero, or if there are injuries to a person’s brain.
Symptoms
Some symptoms include issues with talking or being unable to keep from moving, not being able to play or share with other kids, and losing items. While some of these things may be present in all kids, if you notice them in your child, you may want to have them checked out by a doctor or therapist. They will be able to let you know for sure whether your child has ADHD or not.
For more details on ADHD, look at the articles on this webpage: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/adhd/.
What it Feels Like
When a person experiences ADHD, they may not remember things that they are supposed to. For instance, if they have a report that needs to be completed by a certain day, they might forget all about it. For adults, this can be devastating, since it often affects their job performance and could lead to them getting fired.
A child may also feel like they are frazzled and are unable to calm down. They might feel like things are moving too fast and they can’t concentrate on what they need to focus on. Distraction may also be a big problem, where they can become sidetracked by everything from lights to sounds.
Treatment Options
If you or your child has ADHD, there are treatment options out there. You should meet with a therapist to discuss what type is right for your offspring. In some cases, it may call for treatment just for a kid, but in other instances, the entire family may need to attend therapy, in an attempt to be better able to understand how your child is being affected and to make their situation easier for them. For instance, if your kiddo is very young and has been diagnosed with ADHD, it may be more appropriate to teach the parent how to alter their environment and the way they handle certain things, instead of only working with a child.
In some cases, it may be appropriate for a child to take medications to help them focus or lessen some of the symptoms that are being expressed. You can talk about these things with your child’s doctor, so you can all be on the same page. Moreover, if your little one is taking medicine for this condition, you should always alert their therapist if you notice they have developed additional symptoms or if current symptoms have gotten worse.
Overview
If you are concerned that your child has ADHD or that you have it yourself, you should know that there is help available. A therapist can not only diagnose this condition for you, but they may also offer you treatment options, including therapy and medications. This might be able to limit some of the symptoms that you are experiencing or cause them to be unnoticeable. Be sure to talk to a mental health professional as soon as you suspect that you or a family member may need assistance dealing with ADHD. There are resources available.
About the Author:
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.