Attention Deficit Disorder

Psychological Disorders

What is ADD ?• ADD stands for attention deficit disorder

Inatt

entio

n:A person may wander off task, lack persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized. These problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension.

Hype

racti

vity

:A person seems to move about constantly, including situations in which it is not appropriate when it is not appropriate, excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with their activity.

Impu

lsivi

ty:A person makes hasty

actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have high potential for harm, or a desire for immediate rewards. An impulsive person may be socially intrusive and excessively interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the long-term consequences.

7 different ADD types and the areas of the brain associated with each type

Signs and symptoms of ADD:• Attention deficit disorder affects many adults, and its wide variety of

frustrating symptoms can hinder everything from your relationships to your career. But help is available—and learning about ADD/ADHD is the first step. Once you understand the challenges, you can learn to compensate for areas of weakness and start taking advantage of your strengths.

• Signs and symptoms vary in adults and children.

Signs in adults:Trouble getting organized. Restlessness and trouble relaxing

Reckless driving and traffic accidents. Trouble starting a task.

Martial troubles. Lateness.

Extremely distractible. Angry outbursts.

Poor listening skills. Prioritizing issues.

Signs in Children:Doesn’t pay attention to details. Has difficulty remembering things and following

instructions.Make careless mistakes. Has trouble staying organized, planning ahead, and

finishing projects.Has trouble staying focused; is easily distracted. Gets bored with a task before it is completed.

Appears not to listen when spoken to. Frequently loses or misplaces books, toys, or other items.

What are some of the risk factors that cause ADD?• Risk factors that are associated with any disorder are many; some of

the factors associated with ADD include:• Blood relatives such as parents or siblings; who have suffered from ADD.• Exposure to environmental toxins such as lead.• Maternal drug use.• Premature birth.

What is the difference between ADD and ADHD ?• A: It’s very simple. ADHD includes the symptom of physical

hyperactivity or excessive restlessness–that’s the “H”. In ADD (or what is called in the diagnostic manual, ADHD, inattentive subtype), the symptom of hyperactivity is absent. Indeed, people with ADD can be calm and serene, not in the least hyperactive or disruptive. This syndrome is often found in girls and women, but it also occurs in boys and men. It is often missed, because the absence of hyperactivity leads others to assume the child or adult is simply shy, quiet or slow. In fact, they are dynamos in the making!

Positives of ADD:• People with ADD typically are creative, intuitive, original, and full of

positive energy. They tend to be independent thinkers. They are persistent to the point of being stubborn. They usually are quite sensitive, but often cover this over with a kind of bravado. They are big-hearted and generous. They often have charisma or a special something, a twinkle in the eye, a zany sense of humour, or an ability to inspire others. With the right kind of guidance, these people can become hugely successful in their lives.

Negatives of ADD:• People with ADD typically have trouble paying attention and focusing,

especially when they are not interested. On the other hand they can super-focus at times. They also can be impulsive and sometimes hyperactive and disruptive. They can have trouble getting organized, prioritizing their activities, managing time, and completing tasks. They can be unaware of the impact they have on others, and so they can be socially awkward or inappropriate. They can be forgetful, inconsistent in follow-through, and often late. They have trouble with planning and what mental health professionals call “executive functioning.” The good news is that treatment can ameliorate or correct all of this, so that the positive attributes can carry the day.

WHY TO LOVE ADD ?

Treatments:for kids• Behavior modification:

• Behavioral treatments have been successfully applied to children with AD/HD to facilitate in the management of disruptive behavior, inattention, social skills building, academic performance, etc.

• Medication:• Stimulants are the best studied medicines for ADHD. There are basically two

classes of stimulants: methylphenidate and amphetamine products. these medicines improve attention span, self-control, behavior, fine motor control and social functioning.

Treatments:for adults• Treatment for AD/HD in adults:

• No treatment has been shown to influence outcomes in adolescents or adults with AD/HD over the long term.

• Treatment Tools for adults are programs designed to teach specific skills to improve behavior, socialization or performance in school or in the workplace.

• Treatments include: career planning worksheets, budgeting and organizational strategies, information on cognitive behavior therapy for treatment of anxiety, depression, and self-control, medication worksheets, and problem solving activity forms.

• Medications are also known for managing AD/HD with adults.

Unproven and Controversial Treatments for ADHD:

 • AD/HD experts often list the following treatments as either

unproven or disproven as effective in treating AD/HD: • interactive metronome training, dietary interventions,

nutritional supplements, sensory integration training, anti-motion sickness medication, optometric visual training, applied kinesiology, treatment for lead toxicity, thyroid dysfunction, and candida’s yeast therapy.

How Can You Know If You Have AD/HD Or Not?• By taking an AD/HD test, several adults were able to determine

whether they suffer from this disorder or not.• The test consists of several statements that you should

check/uncheck to know whether you have AD/HD or not.• The link of this test:

http://www.additudemag.com/quiz/6/question-1.html