adhd breakdowns are whack because ur bawling ur eyes out over some insignificant bullshit while simultaneously being unable to rid ur head of the chorus of All I Want For Christmas Is You
“maybe we can talk about how with the internet there are more diagnoses of adhd now, and how the internet is rewiring our brains…”
“medicating childhood: the hoax of adhd”
literally all things ive seen in the past fucking WEEK let me out of this hell
i can debunk this all in a flash
adhd is a neurodevelopmental disorder, and develops around 12 years old. given that, and how many diagnosed adhd adults there are, including elders, this is something that predates the internet
adhd is genetic, so despite an attention given from parent to child, it’s incredibly likely that at least one of the parents or other relatives also has adhd
oh yes, and let’s not forget the myth that adhd symptoms are synonymous with child behavior. but adhd isn’t just hyperactivity – in fact, hyperactivity doesn’t always present itself. in addition to hyperactivity, other symptoms include:
echolalia
poor memory
racing/scattered thoughts
slowed social development (around 30%)
difficulty understanding tasks/organizing them into steps
struggles understanding time management
impulsive acts (impulsive spending is a major issue with many of us)
difficulty managing emotions, especially anger
easily bored (and boredom leads to greater frustration than others)
TROUBLE SLEEPING. many adhd people spend their entire lives not getting good sleep because of the constant “noise” in their heads. see the scattered thoughts. basically, the thoughts are always going. there is no shut off switch. insomnia is largely prevalent with adhd
losing details (like getting poor grades because you missed the fine print on a test even with knowing the material)
struggles with listening comprehension (words sound like nonsense)
struggles with reading comprehension (words look like nonsense)
memorization issues – a child skilled in math will have trouble with multiplication tables, for example
has trouble “waiting their turn” in conversation – frequently interrupts without realizing
hyperfocus – an often overlooked aspect, when one focuses to the exception of all other external stimuli, including needing to eat, sleep, etc. time almost ceases to exist
not a symptom, but adhd – especially adult adhd – is highly comorbid with anxiety disorders and depression later in life. this is because a person with adhd is working their heart out to achieve the same standards, contrary to the believe that they’re “lazy.” as you can see above, almost every aspect of daily life is impacted – social, work, school, family, money… and this can lead to a feeling of being unable to cope.
despite all that, people with adhd are also:
more solution-oriented
more resilient
more expressive
more curious
and better at multitasking – not just because of having to learn how to manage the other symptoms, but these are, in fact, also symptoms. you can imagine how useful hyperfocus can be as well.
i wrote all this because i really want people to understand me and understand how this all works. and i want misunderstandings to stop so people can respect who i am.
Wait it develops around 12 years old? That was literally when everything happened and I just never thought abt it but it makes so much sense
I mean not exactly, but 12 is the benchmark where adhd symptoms that can be seen as “just hyper kid things” go to “wow I think my child actually has a problem.”
Which changes what and how much you look for, not whether you are ADHD. Like, if you know what to look for in terms of difference in how ADHD present in children, you can make a solid diagnosis. I wouldn’t necessarily trust your average general clinician, but it’s also not exactly hard to learn how to do. If anything, twelve is the demarcation where it gets easier to diagnose, but that’s about it.
“When we step back and ask, “What does everyone with ADHD have in common, that people without ADHD don’t experience?” a different set of symptoms take shape.
From this perspective, three defining features of ADHD emerge that explain every aspect of the condition:
today i was talking to my coworker jess and she said to me “i’ve been trying to think of how to tell my husband that i want a horse. i’m really non confrontational and i don’t know how to tell him. like, thanks for the flowers, but i want a horse.” and i was like, “well, you could always send him subliminal messages. like tape pictures of horses all over the walls and stuff” and she gave me this really weird look and was like “i said divorce not horse“ oh my god…
classic material
This is the kind of things I’d do.
The other day one of Finn’s teachers said, “On Tuesday I lost my grandson.” Or at least, that’s what I thought she said. So I say, “Oh wow I’m so sorry.” Then really she doesn’t look at all upset and now just looks very confused. So I’m like, did she me lost like the kid was hiding in the back yard and she found him or…?
What she really said was “On Tuesdays I watch my grandson.”