8 Common ADHD Problems
Last week, I wrote about what ADHD is but mentioned that not everything in that blog completely encapsulates ADHD. I promised to write this week about some common ADHD problems, and true to my word, I have done just that. Below are eight common ADHD problems. Again, I do not have room for every ADHD problem, but here are some of them.
1.) Executive Function Dysfunction
ADHD causes extreme problems with executive functions, and this executive function dysfunction is one of the main reasons for the struggles ADHDers face. Inattention and hyperactivity can be more easily regulated than executive function troubles. Executive functions affect our school, work, and home lives, and messing up in these areas causes serious problems. The definition of and list of executive functions varies depending on who is defining and listing them. A good general description of executive functions is those tasks that help you get things done and control yourself. Common executive functions that are impaired by ADHD include impulse control, self-monitoring, emotional control, moving from one task to another, verbal and nonverbal working memory, time management, and organization.
2.) Memory Issues
Remember that thing you told a person with ADHD two seconds ago? Chances are, they do not. Those of us with ADHD have a poor working memory, which is the part of short-term memory that deals with immediate processing. That thing we were just holding and set down, like, two seconds ago that we could not possibly misplace somehow goes missing all the time. If you give us a set of instructions containing six parts and we do not write down all six parts, we will be lucky to remember one or two. It can be difficult even to keep a thought in our brain long enough to be able to address it. That is why a person who has ADHD will frequently have a bunch of internet tabs and windows open at the same time. We want to be able to remember that thing we wanted to look up on the internet after we finish looking at that thing on which we should currently be working which we will get back to after finishing watching that YouTube video we just remembered existed. These memory problems are among the most significant frustrations a person with ADHD faces on a daily basis.
3.) Dopamine Deficiency
Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that rewards the brain. The brain loves dopamine and wants more of it. The ADHD brain lacks the required levels of dopamine. Therefore, in the ADHD brain, there is a craving to get more dopamine.
Studies have shown those with ADHD do not have adequate dopamine receptors and transporters in the reward centers of the brain. As a result of the lack of dopamine, those with ADHD are less drawn to normal levels of rewards, and when they do receive those rewards, it is not as satisfying. The shortage of rewards might cause ADHDers to subconsciously seek out activities that will be more rewarding and provide them with more dopamine.
This might explain to some parents out there why their child with ADHD can focus on video games but not their school work or chores. ADHD brains crave dopamine. The reward centers of our brain respond better to the almost instant rewards we get in video games.
The need for rewards also explains why ADHDers are prone to engaging in dangerous activities. We drive too fast, climb things we should not climb, and do other things that make our mothers cringe. If you love someone with ADHD, help them find activities and hobbies that are highly rewarding but will not put their safety in jeopardy.
4.) Boredom
Those with ADHD need to be stimulated. The lack of dopamine in our systems means we frequently do battle with the boredom monster. There is a need to do something. The ADHD brain is repulsed by doing nothing. This results in an inner restlessness during inactivity leading to boredom, and the high occurrence of boredom in people with ADHD leads to some bizarre behavior. For example, when listening to music on the radio or on one’s phone, most people who do not have ADHD listen to a song from beginning to end, but it is not uncommon for an ADHDer to move on to the next song before the song is even halfway done. Boredom in those with ADHD can also lead to the ADHDer frequently changing jobs. Those are just two examples of unusual behavior. If you check with someone with ADHD or someone who knows someone with ADHD, you will probably find more examples of bizarre, boredom-fighting behavior. If you know someone with ADHD, you might already know what I mean.
5.) Social Issues
Making and keeping friends is difficult when one has ADHD. Our ADHD brains do not have the same wiring as neurotypical brains. Until we get a diagnosis, we may not know that a medical condition causes these differences, but we can tell others are different from us. We feel different, and this causes us to be hesitant and unsure of ourselves in social situations. When trying to start a new friendship (and especially when trying to start a romantic relationship), there are few things one can do that are worse than overthinking things and doubting oneself.
Complicating matters further is the way inattention can ruin our ability to pick up on social cues. The ADHDer does not notice the things that people do subtly to let others know how they are feeling. Our inability to place our focus completely on others causes us to miss nonverbal cues as to what others are thinking or how they are feeling.
Furthermore, other people can find it hard to accept ADHDers for who they are. The inability to control our focus can make others feel like we are not paying attention to them. It is not that we are not interested in what the other person has to say, but our struggle to place our focus on the potential friend and keep it there can give the impression that we do not care what they have to say. If a person does not understand this struggle with focus, we can find ourselves being rejected. Another thing that causes people to reject a person with ADHD is the ADHDer’s sense of humor. Those of us with ADHD tend to have zany senses of humor. The things we find funny or the jokes we tell are off-the-wall, strange, and not funny to others. Yet, we cannot help but indulge this unusual side of ourselves. Lastly, our propensity to speak before thinking can cause some uncomfortable situations.
The struggle to fit in with peers can have consequences other than simply feeling left out, rejected, or lonely. When they do not have the natural propensity for making and keeping friends, a person with ADHD might try to do things to attract the attention and admiration of others. This could mean being the class clown, cracking jokes at inappropriate times during school, or exhibiting other rule-breaking behaviors. More dangerously, it could mean taking risks to impress others and engaging in daredevil-type activities.
Moreover, our fickleness causes those of us with ADHD to struggle to maintain already established friendships. When a new relationship begins, we can put a lot of effort into the relationship or even hyperfocus on it, but then, as time goes on, the newness wears off, causing it to be less exciting than it once was. The relationship may still be important, but the focus (and, in some cases, hyperfocus) has shifted to other relationships and/or activities, leaving the other party feeling neglected. In addition to the effort we put into relationships, our interests and hobbies can also affect our relationships. As discussed below, a person with ADHD changes their hobbies often. When we move from hobby to hobby, friends with whom we enjoyed one hobby might get left behind when we move on to something new.
6.) Rapidly Changing Interests and Hobbies
A person with ADHD can have grand intentions of picking up a new hobby but fail to stick with it. We soon become bored and move on to the next hobby. This also affects projects we intend to do. Whether it is picking up yet another hobby, trying some activity we have always wanted to try, writing the next great American novel, or starting a business, those with ADHD just cannot find it in themselves to finish what we start. We start many different projects but finish few of them.
7.) Time Blindness
I know I cannot be the only person with ADHD who has ever had this happen to them:
*Looks at watch*
“I have plenty of time before I need to leave for that thing.”
*Looks at watch what seems like two seconds later*
“SHOOT! I need to leave NOW!”
*Sprints to get in the car*
Incidents like this are symptomatic of what has been given the nickname “time blindness.” Simply put, those of us with ADHD have no concept of time. We regularly underestimate how long doing that one last thing before leaving the house will take. This makes it difficult to be punctual.
8.) Disorganization
For the most part, organization does not exist in people with ADHD. It is not in our nature to be organized. Because of our inability to focus, remember things, and to sense how much time has passed, organization is contrary to the way our brains work. It takes a great deal of effort for us to get organized. ADHDers who are organized have spent a large amount of time developing strategies and systems for organization. For example, a person with ADHD might make a bunch of lists to help them remember things. The way these people stay organized might seem strange to those without ADHD. But, other people with ADHD will see the wisdom in how they organize themselves and will be jealous of their system. However, if they try to emulate that person’s system, there is a good chance it will not work to get them organized because no two people experience ADHD in the same way, and therefore, no two people with ADHD have the same organizational needs.
Need Help with Any of These Problems?
ADHD coaching can be a powerful tool in the battle against #ADHDprobs. If you need extra support for your ADHD, Reset ADHD has you covered.