FREQUENTLY ASKED ADHD QUESTIONS By L.Dupar/iacTcenter.com

People with ADHD experience it so consistently that it creates ongoing problems in their lives. It negatively affects academics, work, and social relationships. How long have you struggled with those challenges? From your childhood and have they continued throughout your life? Another way to tell the difference between “normal” distraction and ADHD is to consider if your inattention, disorganization, and inability to complete tasks are the 

same as your peers.

A medical diagnosis to rule out physical causes of the ADHD symptoms. The next step is to talk to a professional who has advanced experience with ADHD. They are trained to listen to how ADHD has shown up in your life. The 3 areas checked are difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, or impulsivity. Professionals use a list of symptoms to make the diagnosis.

There is not one magic test that will tell you whether you have ADHD or not. This can be frustrating. We have come to depend on specific blood tests or other assessments to diagnose other disorders or health conditions. With ADHD, there is currently no way to “test” the amount of neurotransmitters in the brain with a blood test or brain x-ray/scan. This is because the brain has a protective filter called the “blood-brain” barrier that keeps the 

neurotransmitters safely in the brain.

The correct professional term is “ADHD”, which stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD is a term that includes all the different types (inattentive, hyperactive, combined) of ADHD. The term "ADD" is still used by the general public and the media. It was a term used in the 1980s but has since been replaced with "ADHD". Some might still use but it is not the current professional correct term for the condition.

Studies suggest that ADHD affects about 10% of the world’s population. ADHD does not discriminate. It affects people on every continent and culture. It does not discriminate based on ethnicity, age, religious beliefs, or gender. Equal numbers of boys/girls and men/women have ADHD. ADHD is not outgrown, nor is it something that develops, as we get older. You are born with an ADHD brain style. If you found out you have ADHD as an adult, you had it as a child and didn’t know at the time.

A single, specific reason for ADHD has not been determined. Studies of the brain show that people with  ADHD  have a lower amount of certain neurotransmitters (chemicals in the brain). What the latest research suggests is that the most likely cause of ADHD is that it is genetically inherited. In other words, if a child has ADHD, there’s a 30%-40% chance that one or both biological parents have ADHD.  Like eye or hair color, ADHD is passed from one family member to 

another. ADHD runs in fa

There are many ways to treat ADHD and many theories. Medical treatment includes medication to rebalance the neurotransmitters in the brain and reduce symptoms. Some people try to manage their challenges with ADHD through diet, supplements, exercise, and mindfulness.  Some have found success with increased focus using neurofeedback. Others approach the treatment of ADHD through behavior modification techniques. Often it is a combination that is most successful. Currently, there is no cure.

Studies show that 65% of children diagnosed with ADHD will continue to struggle with symptoms of ADHD as an adult. This doesn’t mean the other 35% have “outgrown” ADHD. What is more likely is they have learned effective ways to compensate or their environment has changed. Adults may not be as physically hyperactive but this restlessness continues in different ways. For example, talking excessively or having a “busy mind."

Medication for ADHD falls under two major categories: stimulants and non-stimulants. Stimulants include Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Dexedrine, Focalin, Metadate, and Vyvanse. These medications “stimulate” the dopamine in the brain. People with ADHD have smaller amounts of this neurotransmitter, which causes ADHD symptoms. Non-stimulants include Strattera,  Wellbutrin,  Effexor,  Clonidine,  and  Intuniv.  Non-stimulant medications work differently to minimize symptoms.

There is no “magic pill” to cure or treat ADHD. Medications can reduce 80% of the ADHD symptoms, but ADHD medications do not last 24 hours a day. Most stimulants last only for 4-8 hours. You still have ADHD the other hours of the day and on weekends. Medication, used along with new skills and strategies to better manage your ADHD challenges, has the best success. Behavior modification, biofeedback, coaching, psychotherapy, and support groups are also options.

The physical hyperactivity seen in some persons with ADHD is a symptom of the lack of dopamine active in the brain. When people are hyperactive, moving about, and restless, it increases the dopamine in the brain. Lack of enough dopamine getting to the front part of the brain is the main problem causing ADHD. When part of the brain,  also known  as  the  “executive  function,”  is  not  getting  enough dopamine, it's hard to pay attention, focus on things less interesting, 

Ghoul thinking…those sneaky, persistent, and pervasive automatic negative thoughts that pop up in your brain and ruin the rest of your day. Left unmanaged, they take over your thinking and add further injury by causing stress hormones to circulate through your body. When that happens it lowers your brain and thinking capacity, makes you gain weight, and puts you at greater risk for cognitive challenges as you age.