The word ADHD elicits some specific images in many people’s minds: they think of hyperactive little boys, people who fidget constantly, or maybe someone who’s always talking. But while these images can reflect some people’s reality at least partly, there’s more to this disorder than these stereotypes.
In this guide, we’ll cut through the noise and go through the basics of ADHD to help you understand yourself or a loved one better. We’ll give you the facts and figures on ADHD and go through some of the ways you can manage the condition and thrive.
"My son found it impossible to concentrate. I was so worried about his future. We are so happy Zing has had such a positive effect on him. He's now looking forward to the future. We all feel we are back on track, stronger than ever before." - Katrine, Mother
What causes ADHD?
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. This means that the condition develops as your brain matures throughout childhood and adolescence.
Research suggests that there’s a strong genetic link to ADHD, meaning it’s commonly inherited from other family members. In fact, genetics make up about 70%-80% of the probability of developing ADHD.
Additionally, the following factors could worsen the symptoms of ADHD in children, though they don’t directly cause ADHD:
- family stress, such as conflict or poverty
- traumatic experiences
- watching too much television
- eating too much sugar
Hyperactive/impulsive symptoms:
- Fidgeting with hands or feet, squirming while sitting in a chair
- Having difficulty remaining seated
- Running about or climbing excessively (children) or extreme restlessness (adults)
- Having difficulty engaging in activities quietly
- Being often “on the go” or acting as if driven by a motor
- Talking excessively
- Blurting out answers before questions have been completed
- Finding it difficult to wait or take turns
- Interrupting or intruding upon others, e.g. butting into conversations or games
Inattentive symptoms:
- Failing to pay attention to details or making mistakes
- Struggling to sustain attention
- Appearing not to listen when spoken to directly
- Struggling to follow through with instructions
- Struggling with the organization of tasks and activities
- Tendency to avoid or dislike tasks requiring sustained mental effort
- Losing things often
- Being easily distracted
- Being forgetful in daily activities
Positive Traits
A lot is written about the symptoms of ADHD that tend to negatively impact a person’s life, but this is just one side of the coin. People with the condition also tend to have very positive traits such as:
- Being highly energetic
- Being highly creative
- Having innovative ideas
- Being resilient
- Being great conversationalists
- Having high levels of social intelligence
- Being adventurous
- Having the courage to transcend restrictive social norms
- Having the ability to hyperfocus on things they’re passionate about
This means that when a person with ADHD finds something they’re passionate about, be it a career, a hobby, or a cause, they can really shine. With the right support, they can put their whole selves into tirelessly building their skills and pursuing their goals.
People with ADHD have often also overcome setbacks as they’ve learned strategies to live their best lives with their diagnosis, building heaps of resilience.
It’s no wonder, then, that many great artists and innovators throughout history are thought to have had ADHD.
Diagnosing ADHD & its subtypes
Clinicians use the DSM-5 to diagnose people with ADHD in the US. That being said, the criteria and symptoms clinicians use in the UK for diagnosis are nearly identical. According to the DSM-5, if you’re 16 or younger, to be diagnosed with ADHD you have to:
- Present six or more symptoms from the lists above
- Have experienced these symptoms in the last six months
- Have started presenting symptoms before the age of 12
- Present several of the symptoms in two or more distinct environments (school, work, with friends and family, hobbies etc.)
- Have clear evidence of the symptoms interfering with school, work and/or social functioning
- The symptoms can’t be explained by another mental health condition, such as anxiety, depression, schizophrenia or PTSD
When a clinician diagnoses ADHD, they’ll also designate whether you have “mild,” “moderate” or “severe” ADHD. This is essentially determined by how many symptoms you exhibit and what level of impact they have on your life. There are also three distinct subtypes of ADHD, which we’ll go into in the next section: the hyperactive-impulsive, the inattentive, and the combined.
Hyperactive-impulsive presentation
The hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentation is commonly associated with struggles around impulse control. This can mean that a child exhibiting symptoms is dismissed as “difficult” rather than being offered the right support.
It’s important to say that when a child with ADHD presents hyperactive symptoms, they’re not being naughty; they’re simply frustrated because the way the world around them works isn’t built with kids like them in mind.
The symptoms of hyperactive-impulsive ADHD can be more noticeable than inattentive ones. The predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation is often diagnosed in children and men and counts for about 15% of all ADHD cases.
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Inattentive presentation
People with inattentive ADHD struggle with retaining focus, which can lead to difficulties in carrying out everyday tasks that aren’t very exciting. People with this subtype may jump from task to task and get bored easily. Inattentive symptoms can be harder for outsiders to notice, delaying diagnosis for many.
Inattentive symptoms can make you feel extremely frustrated with yourself, as you can struggle with things that seem second nature to most people. It’s vital to remember that you aren’t any less intelligent or thoughtful than your peers; you might just need to find some extra tools to thrive in your everyday life.
On a side note, it’s worth noting that many people still use the term “ADD” to refer to inattentive type ADHD. However, this term has been retired despite the fact that people with this subtype don’t present many hyperactive symptoms (which is what the “H” is ADHD stands for).
The predominantly inattentive presentation makes up about 20-30% of all people with ADHD.
Combined
Just as the name suggests, people with combined ADHD exhibit enough symptoms from both the hyperactive and inattentive categories to qualify for a diagnosis. This means 5+ symptoms from each category for adults and 6+ for children.
The combined presentation can pose unique challenges since you have symptoms from both categories. However, it’s important to remember that this is a very common diagnosis and that there are lots of effective treatment options available.
Combined presentation is the most common subtype of ADHD, making up 50-70% of all diagnoses.
ADHD in children
ADHD affects around 11% of school-age children. The symptoms of the disorder often start to present themselves around four to six years old. At this age, kids who don’t have ADHD will commonly have developed more impulse control and better concentration. As we said before, a person has to have started exhibiting symptoms of the disorder by age twelve to qualify for a diagnosis - this is true both in the UK and the US.
Children affected by ADHD often act younger than their peers and they may also experience mild delays in language, motor skills or social development. These issues are not part of ADHD, but they do often co-occur. Kids with ADHD can also struggle with emotional regulation more than their peers.
ADHD in adults
About a third of children diagnosed with ADHD retain enough of their symptoms to qualify for a diagnosis in their adulthood, and 75% will continue to experience some of the symptoms of ADHD as adults.
ADHD can present differently in kids and grown-ups. For example, hyperactive symptoms will often present more as restlessness when you reach adulthood.
The reason some people with childhood ADHD don’t have as many symptoms in adulthood or their symptoms are less severe has a lot to do with adaptability and the “social scaffolding” we build as we grow and mature. Over time, people can develop coping strategies and ways to self-soothe which help to mitigate symptoms.
Adults with ADHD may be more susceptible to problems in their careers and interpersonal relationships compared to their peers. This can lead to feelings of guilt, shame and inadequacy. This all underlines the importance of proper treatment.
ADHD comorbidities
It’s common for people with ADHD to have other conditions that can impact their mental health; this is true for about 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD.
Out of surveyed children diagnosed with ADHD:
- 52% had behavior or conduct struggles
- 33% had anxiety
- 17% had depression
- 14% had autism (ASD)
- 1% had Tourette syndrome
Conditions such as anxiety and depression can also mask underlying ADHD symptoms, leading many people to not receive a proper diagnosis for many years.
When not treated properly, ADHD can also leave you more vulnerable to things like substance misuse, debt, and relationship problems. In fact, up to 27% of teenagers with substance abuse disorder also have ADHD. This is why finding the right support for someone with an ADHD diagnosis is so important.
The link between anxiety and ADHD
The most common health condition found in people with ADHD is anxiety. In fact, about half of adults with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder. When you think about it, this makes a lot of sense; the daily life of a person with ADHD is fraught with uncertainty and stress due to difficulties with executive functioning. This uncertainty can feed feelings of anxiety and lead to chronic issues.
Do you know 95% of people who scored below average in concentration improved after being a part of the zing program*
*175 surveyed. Program compliance greater than 75% (March 2022)
Stimulants are the most common form of ADHD medication. They work by increasing the amounts of the brain chemicals dopamine and norepinephrine. These chemicals are responsible for things like vigilance, action, reward, learning, and memory.
For people with ADHD, stimulants like this cause a paradoxically calming effect. Stimulant-based ADHD medication is highly effective, having been shown to help 70-80% of children who try it.
Stimulant medication is considered non-addictive for people with ADHD and can help reduce the likelihood of self-medicating with other substances, which can lead to addiction.
There are also non-stimulant ADHD medications on the market. These work by increasing levels of norepinephrine in your brain, which is thought to help with memory and attention.
ADHD Therapy
Different forms of counselling can be beneficial for treating your ADHD and any other co-occurring mental health conditions, boosting confidence and building coping strategies.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered especially helpful for people with ADHD. It’s a short-term form of psychotherapy that can help you break negative thought patterns about yourself and your symptoms as well as help you develop new coping strategies.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is another form of therapy often offered to people with ADHD. It’s proven to be very effective for improving emotional regulation skills, incorporating tools such as mindfulness and self-soothing activities to accept and manage difficult emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
For children with ADHD, ADHD behavioral therapy as well as things like art therapy, play therapy, and music therapy have also proven useful.
ADHD Self-help
The human brain can be thought of as a muscle you can train in order to make it stronger and more flexible; this is what we call neuroplasticity. Combined with the right therapy and/or medication, self-help and brain training programs can help you “work out” your brain, improving focus and memory.
Practising mindfulness meditation can help you develop concentration and emotional regulation, which can be especially helpful if you also have another mental health condition such as anxiety or depression.
Regular physical exercise has also been proven to help people in managing their ADHD symptoms, offering benefits such as reduced impulsivity and hyperactivity, improved attention control, and enhanced executive functioning.
Some other popular self-help techniques for ADHD include:
- Setting small, achievable tasks for each day
- Rewarding yourself for completing tasks
- Breaking down bigger tasks into manageable chunks
- Having a chart for your daily tasks
- Creating a schedule for each day
Self-directed courses like Zing can also offer you tools to manage your ADHD by enhancing your brain function.
The Zing Program
The goal of Zing is to use mind-body coordination exercises designed to strengthen the cerebellum – the part of the brain responsible for balance, coordinated movement, and eye movement. This way, you can strengthen the cerebellum and speed up the way it processes new information.
Zing is designed to help improve concentration, gain greater control over your emotions, and mitigate symptoms of anxiety – all of these are important for those who want to better manage the symptoms of their ADHD. Our mission is to make learning new things easier and more enjoyable and to empower children and adults to unlock their full potential.
Find out how you can benefit
While we would like to help, this program is not for you if...
- You are currently or recently suicidal
- You have psychosis, bi-polar, schizoaffective or dissociative or borderline personality disorder
- You are unstable and currently experiencing substance abuse
...if you suffer from any of these it is important you seek immediate mental health treatment
If not, then our ADHD Program could be exactly what you need.