October is ADHD Awareness Month. It’s held to help people learn more about Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This month-long campaign focuses on educating the public, reducing stigma, and offering support to those affected by ADHD and their families. It emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis, effective treatment, management of the symptoms of ADHD, and understanding the challenges faced by individuals with ADHD.
In 2024, ADHD Awareness Month will again take place in October. This initiative is a chance for individuals, healthcare providers, educators, and advocates to share information, resources, and personal stories about ADHD. Throughout October, people and organizations around the world will join in activities and events to raise awareness and offer support for ADHD.
What can I do for ADHD Awareness Month?
Getting involved in ADHD Awareness Month is a great way to spread knowledge and support for people with ADHD and their families. You can start by learning about the condition, including the main symptoms of ADHD, how it’s diagnosed, and the treatment options available. Share what you learn on social media or other platforms using #ADHDAwarenessMonth to help spread the word. Supporting ADHD organizations through donations or volunteering can also make a difference. Connecting with the ADHD community by joining local or online support groups can provide valuable insights and support. Additionally, participating in or organizing fundraising events can help fund ADHD research and initiatives.
ADHD: Some Surprising Statistics
About 265,000 U.S. children aged 3 to 5 have ADHD, while 2.4 million children aged 6 to 11 and 3.3 million aged 12 to 17 have also been diagnosed. Globally, around 129 million kids and teens aged 5 to 19 have ADHD, and over 366 million adults were living with it by 2020.
People with ADHD often face challenges like trouble focusing, staying organized, and managing time. These issues can seriously affect daily life, leading to problems like doing poorly in school or having relationship difficulties. This makes recognizing and managing ADHD early pretty crucial. Early diagnosis and intervention services play a key role in this. By creating flexible work and school environments, ensuring access to health services, and increasing awareness about ADHD, we can significantly improve the lives of children and adults with this condition.
Why is orange the color of ADHD?
The choice of orange began in the early 2000s when groups supporting ADHD wanted a common symbol. They picked orange because it represents energy, enthusiasm, and creativity—traits often seen in people with ADHD. This bright color reflects the ADHD mind, which is usually active, full of ideas, and can focus intensely at times.
Statistics on ADHD Diagnosis in Children
Around 9.8% of U.S. children ages 3 to 17, nearly 6 million, have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point, while 8.7%, over 5 million, currently have an ADHD diagnosis. Boys are more frequently diagnosed than girls, with about 11.9% of boys compared to 5.5% of girls. Boys are often diagnosed due to showing clearer symptoms of ADHD, such as behavior issues, while girls may be overlooked because their symptoms of ADHD can appear differently. It’s crucial to educate teachers and parents about ADHD signs in kids, such as daydreaming, interrupting, impulsive actions, excessive talking, and easy frustration. Diagnosing ADHD in childhood is essential as early intervention can help children reach their potential as students and adults. Early intervention can prevent issues with schoolwork, relationships, and mental health problems like anxiety and depression.
Statistics on Symptoms of ADHD in Adults
Around 8.7 million adults in the U.S. have ADHD. Globally, about 2.6% of adults, or 139.8 million people, have had ADHD since childhood, continuing into adulthood. The symptoms of ADHD in adults tend to decrease as they age, with 18- to 24-year-olds making up over 75.5 million cases, compared to about 46.4 million cases in those over 60.
ADHD in adults often goes unnoticed because they lack regular interaction with people who can recognize its signs, like teachers do for children. This is an issue as undiagnosed ADHD can negatively affect adults’ lives, leading to issues like job and relationship problems and substance abuse. However, identifying and treating ADHD in adults can quickly and significantly improve their lives and positively impact those around them.
Common Misconceptions About ADHD
Myth #1: ADHD isn’t a real medical condition.
Since there’s no lab test to diagnose ADHD, some people doubt its existence. However, gene studies consistently show it’s a genetic condition. Furthermore, an MRI study of more than 3,000 kids and adults revealed that children with ADHD have smaller brains. The size differences are especially noticeable in the brain areas responsible for controlling emotions, self-control, memory, and learning.
Myth #2: ADHD is just being overdiagnosed these days
Recently, ADHD rates have gone up across different races, genders, and socioeconomic backgrounds. This increase is due to better awareness and recognition of symptoms of ADHD, not because of overdiagnosis.
Myth #3: ADHD is a learning disability.
Although children with ADHD may struggle in school, it doesn’t mean they have a learning disability. ADHD and learning disabilities are actually two separate conditions.
A learning disability often involves having trouble with using language symbols, like letters and numbers. People with a learning disability may struggle with specific academic skills, such as reading, writing, or math. On the other hand, ADHD affects mental skills related to executive function, making it difficult to organize and focus on details. The main challenge for those with ADHD is managing their attention.
Myth #4: People with ADHD are just lazy
ADHD can impact some of your behaviors. People often get mistaken for being lazy, but it’s more about having low motivation. Those with ADHD aren’t actually lazy. This myth comes from not understanding how ADHD works. Low motivation is just one of many symptoms of this condition.
Myth #5: Boys have worse ADHD symptoms than girls.
ADHD is diagnosed more often in boys, possibly because their hyperactive ADHD symptoms are more noticeable. The symptoms can differ between boys and girls. Boys typically show hyperactivity, impulsiveness, distractibility, and inattention. While this might seem more complex, it doesn’t mean their symptoms are worse than those girls have.
Myth #6: ADHD is only a childhood issue that goes away.
Many people first learn they have ADHD as kids, but the way it shows up can change over time. Some develop skills to better handle their ADHD, making it seem less obvious. For some, ADHD feels less of a problem once they’re out of school. However, it never completely disappears.
Myth #7: Adults Can Develop ADHD
Some adults might first learn they have ADHD later in life, but they didn’t suddenly get it as adults. About 3% of adults worldwide have ADHD, and they’ve had it since childhood. People often manage their ADHD symptoms well enough that they go unnoticed until adulthood.
My child has ADHD symptoms but is not hyperactive. Is the diagnosis wrong?
Many people think that all children with ADHD are hyperactive, but this isn’t true. ADHD actually comes in three types. The first type is impulsive/hyperactive ADHD, where kids act without thinking and have trouble sitting still, staying focused, and slowing down. The second type is inattentive ADHD, where kids often have poor concentration, get easily distracted, and seem disorganized. The third type is combined ADHD, which includes symptoms from both of the other types.
Surprisingly, research from around the world shows that impulsive/hyperactive ADHD is the least common among children, while inattentive ADHD is more common. While kids with an ADHD diagnosis may be more hyperactive than adults with ADHD, this hyperactivity usually decreases during adolescence and doesn’t cause issues in adulthood. However, not all kids with ADHD are hyperactive or impulsive.
How ADHD Can Cause Issues for Adults and Kids
Let’s face it: the world and its systems were not built for neurodivergent people. While ADHD can be a superpower in the right environment, at school and work, it can cause issues when classes, projects, and environments are designed for those whose brains work in a more typical way. This can lead to issues throughout a person’s lifetime.
Lower Performance at School or Work
People with ADHD might feel overwhelmed by having too many responsibilities at once, and they might struggle with perfectionism or procrastination, which can affect their productivity. Struggling to focus amid constant distractions is a common issue, especially for children with ADHD in school. While the teacher is speaking, these children might get easily distracted, which can make it hard for them to hear the lesson. This can affect their grades and ability to concentrate.
Getting Sidetracked
ADHD isn’t just about having trouble focusing; it’s more about being unable to control how long you stay focused on something. People with ADHD often experience hyperfocus, where they concentrate intensely on a task and lose track of time. This can sometimes boost productivity but also lead them off course.
Difficulty Relaxing
People with ADHD often have very active minds, leading to racing thoughts. This can cause restlessness and difficulty sleeping, as these thoughts prevent relaxation. If your mind races, it might seem like your thoughts are moving super fast, making it hard to concentrate on just one thing. This can be exhausting.
Being Easily Overwhelmed
When you have ADHD, even simple tasks can feel overwhelming. You might get distracted easily and procrastinate, which can make you feel stressed and ashamed when you don’t get much done. It may take you longer to finish something, so you delay it but keep thinking about it, leading to burnout and exhaustion.
Struggling to Complete Tasks
Getting bored easily isn’t a known symptom of ADHD, but it is often linked to being distracted and having trouble focusing. People with ADHD might find it hard to stay interested in tasks they consider boring, such as chores, schoolwork, or work tasks, which can lead to a lack of satisfaction and a desire to switch to something more exciting. Children who get bored in school might lose interest in their studies, leading to dropping grades. Similarly, adults might struggle to stay engaged with important work tasks or parts of their relationships.
Low Self Esteem
Children with ADHD are often misunderstood and labeled as misbehaving or overly energetic, leading to frequent criticism of their behavior or personality. This can eventually result in low self-esteem. Adults with ADHD may feel ashamed because they struggle to meet expectations due to difficulties with attention, focus, and feeling overwhelmed, which can further damage their self-esteem.
Strategies for Managing the Symptoms of ADHD
For adults with ADHD, standard treatments usually include medication, education, skills training, counseling, and now even natural supplements. Using a mix of these options often works best. While these treatments can help control the symptoms of ADHD, they won’t eliminate the condition. It might take a while to figure out your most effective approach.
Prescription Medication
Talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of any medications after an ADHD diagnosis. Stimulants, like those containing methylphenidate or amphetamine, are usually the most common medications given for ADHD. These drugs help by balancing certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters. However, other medications may also be prescribed. Nonstimulants like atomoxetine and some antidepressants, such as bupropion, are alternatives. They work more slowly than stimulants but may be suitable if you have health issues that prevent you from taking stimulants or if stimulants cause significant side effects.
As long-term treatments, both of these may have several adverse side effects. Stimulants can cause addiction, especially in teenagers and young college-going adults. It has also been shown to result in personality changes, raised blood pressure and rapid heart rate, anxiety and irritability, headaches, and stomach aches. Also, when it needs to be taken for prolonged periods, such as in cases where childhood ADHD has persisted into adulthood, the body can build up tolerance to the stimulants. This results in the need for increased dosages to get the same levels of benefit. This, in turn, increases addiction problems and other side effects.
Enhancing brain health in ADHD without drugs
Dietary supplements can provide less invasive treatment. These can correct disturbances in dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels by adding high levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which contain two of the brain’s two most prominent omega-3 fatty acids, DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid).
Introducing Zoomind as a treatment for the symptoms of ADHD
Zoomind combines an optimal mixture of DHA and EPA Omega-3 PUFAs, along with phosphatidylserine and L-tyrosine. It gives a simple, effective, and efficient boost to a person’s diet, filling in any gaps that may have led to the development of ADHD.
Combining omega-3 fatty acids, L-tyrosine, and phosphatidylserine has a synergistic effect, enhancing their combined brain-boosting benefits. These compounds’ interactions can improve memory, mood, and cognitive function.
DHA plays an essential role in promoting brain communications. It supports optimal levels of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine, as well as serotonin and acetylcholine.
EPA has been shown to suppress the expression of cytokine, a brain chemical that causes inflammation, which has been shown to be closely associated with ADHD. For example, children with ADHD are more likely to suffer from asthma and atopic dermatitis.
Phosphatidylserine is a phospholipid, a type of fat found in high levels in the brain. It is particularly important in maintaining the health of nerve cells and improving memory and cognitive capacity.
L-tyrosine is an essential amino acid needed to produce dopamine and norepinephrine. Having the proper levels of these neurotransmitters can improve focus and concentration.
Finding the proper medication and dose can take time, as it varies from person to person. Be sure to inform your doctor about any side effects you experience.
Psychotherapy
Counseling for adult ADHD often involves psychological counseling, also known as psychotherapy, education about the disorder, and learning skills to help you succeed. Psychotherapy can teach you how to better manage your time and get organized, reduce impulsive actions, solve problems more effectively, and cope with past struggles at school, work, or in social settings. It can also boost your self-esteem, improve relationships with family, friends, and coworkers, and help you learn ways to control your temper.
There are different types of therapy for ADHD. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a structured counseling approach that helps you develop skills to manage your behavior and change negative thoughts into positive ones. It can assist with challenges in school, work, or relationships and can also address other mental health issues like depression or substance abuse. Marital and family therapy is another option that helps your loved ones deal with the stress of living with someone who has ADHD. This type of counseling can improve communication and problem-solving skills within the family.
Is ADHD a disability?
ADHD is a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). If you or your child has severe symptoms of ADHD, you might be eligible for federal benefits. For kids under 18 with serious ongoing conditions, there is Supplemental Security Income (SSI) from the federal Social Security program. To get SSI, both kids and parents need to meet strict income limits, and the condition must severely affect the person for at least a year. If ADHD has made it hard for your child to function well, you might be able to get these benefits.
Adults with severe ADHD might qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) payments. If your symptoms are so severe that they keep you from holding a job or working, you might be eligible. Before applying, gather any medical records or other documents that show how ADHD has impacted you.
How is ADHD a blessing?
Within ADHD communities, certain traits are considered ADHD superpowers. These include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, good conversation skills, spontaneity, and lots of energy. Many see these benefits as “superpowers” because people with ADHD can use them to their advantage.
ADHD Organizations and Support
If you’re looking for ways to handle an ADHD diagnosis, these ADHD organizations and resources could be useful for you.
