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Add Signs and Symptoms

When I was a little boy. I was diagnosed with what was called then, “hyperactivity“. I couldn’t sit still. Over the past 40 plus years I have developed a better understanding of what was then called hyperactivity. Now it is called attention deficit disorder (ADD) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The issue , however, is how do you differentiate between a child that has had too much sugar and a child that has ADD signs and symptoms. The unique position I have is that while I have not been diagnosed as an adult. I was diagnosed as a child and I can see some clear indications that differentiate a precocious child from a child that may have ADD. I want to share them with you.

First, if the ADD Signs and Symptoms happen rarely or when major life events occur or based on environmental stimuli than it probably is not ADD. ADD is typically characterized as a consistent pattern of behavior. ADD Signs and Symptoms can be categorized in three primary areas. They are inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsivity.

Add Signs and Symptoms are:

Inattentiveness

- Appears to not pay attention to details or makes careless mistakes.

- Has trouble staying focused; Easily distracted.

- Appears not to hear when being talked to.

- Struggle to follow directions and remembering things.

- Trouble staying on task and completing projects.

- Frequently loses things.

Hyperactivity

- Can’t sit still; fidgety.

- Moving around when it is inappropriate.

- Talking excessively.

- Constantly doing something. Always being busy.

Impulsivity

- Blurting out answers when it is not appropriate.

- Has difficulty waiting.

- Interrupts others when they are speaking.

- In ability to keep emotions in check. Prone to outbursts of anger.

Now, as someone who deals with these issues as an adult. I would be remiss if I didn’t outline the positives of ADD. And yes, there are quite a few, but I will articulate some of the major ones.

Benefits of ADD:

Creativity: People with ADD tend to be amazingly creative and imaginative. Primarily, because they tend to be more uninhibited than most people, thus allowing their minds to venture in areas that most other people wouldn’t

Flexibility: People with ADD tend to not have problems with change in general. We have the ability to consider multiple options all at once. Multitasking is something that we can do with more ease than others.

Enthusiasm and Spontaneity: People with ADD tend to never have a lull in activity, so they tend to bring life to situations that may appear lifeless.

Energy and Drive: People with ADD tend to have a lot of energy. We tend to work hard and pursue things with vigor. Especially if we are interested in what we are doing.

For more in depth information, please go to HelpGuide.org. This is where I got most of my information.

My Two Cents: As someone who was diagnosed as a child and who sees some of these issues within myself even now from a self analytical perspective. It can be extremely frustrating, both for the person with ADD and those who are close to the person, such as a parent or in the case of an adult, a spouse. The key struggle for a person with ADD is that despite their profound desire to not do certain things. They end up doing them anyway. You almost feel like you are doing it against you own wishes.

For people without ADD this is hard to understand or relate to and usually ends up with relational conflict and mislabeling on the part of others. For me, the military helped me develop a mechanism for dealing with ADD and it subsequently became a strength. I can do things other find amazing, because of my ability to do many different things all at once. The key is that people who deal with people with ADD need to be able to see the signs and symptoms so they can help their love ones. And people who have it need to come to grips with it address it. And turn a possible liability into an asset.