seven signs you might be adhd
What is ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a form of neurodivergence that affects millions of people worldwide. There are hundreds of myths surrounding ADHD and how it is acquired; the fact is, ADHD is biological, genetic, and a very real difference from the neurotypical brain. One distinction is that people with ADHD don't get a dopamine hit when completing a task--unless it's a task that is inherently interesting to the individual; you can imagine what this does when it comes to homework or job details. This is not a disability, but in a neurotypical world, it is very much a handicap. However, many people with ADHD may not even realize that they have the condition.
Here are seven ways that people come to realize they're ADHD:
1. You Struggle to Focus
If you find it difficult to concentrate for long periods, particularly on tasks that don't interest you, you may have ADHD. People with ADHD often have trouble focusing on tasks that are not immediately rewarding, such as studying, working on long-term projects, or paying bills. You may also find that your mind often wanders, making it hard to stay on task. This is very much in contrast with any task or project that the ADHD person has chosen for themself.
2. You are Impulsive
People with ADHD are often impulsive, meaning that they act without thinking through the consequences. This may lead you to interrupt others, speak before you think, or engage in risky behaviors. You may also find that you have trouble waiting your turn and frequently interrupt conversations. This has to do with working memory, and how the ADHD person does not use their bandwidth to create real-time simulations that center around the choices they are making
3. You are Easily Distracted
If you find that you are easily distracted by external stimuli, such as noises or movements, you may have ADHD. You may also be easily distracted by your own thoughts and interests, which can lead to difficulty completing tasks.
4. You Have Poor Time Management
People with ADHD often struggle with time management. You may find it challenging to estimate how long tasks will take, or you may underestimate the time needed to complete them. In fact, some ADHD folks are "time blind," where they really have no sense of how long something is taking. This can lead to procrastination, missed deadlines, and a sense of overwhelm.
5. You Have Trouble Remembering Things
If you frequently forget appointments, important dates, or where you left things, you may have ADHD. People with ADHD often have poor working memory, making it hard to remember information for more than a few seconds. They may store reminders to themselves in concurrent calendars, as if there are multiple futures, each one concerned with a different realm; this can lead to a lot of double-booked activities.
6. You Struggle to Stay Organized
If you frequently misplace items, have a messy desk, or struggle to keep track of your belongings, you may have ADHD. People with ADHD often have trouble with organization and planning, which can make it hard to stay on top of daily tasks. They may know exactly what is in which pile, or where they last saw something, but very often they will see a pile or stack as a single entity and not a collection of individual items.
7. You Feel Restless
If you feel like you are always on the go, even when you should be relaxing, you may have ADHD. People with ADHD often have excess energy that they struggle to channel in productive ways. You may also feel fidgety, restless, or like you need to keep moving. This seems in opposition to "the overwhelm," where an ADHD person is arrested in movement because they can't decide which activity is the most urgent--but the two conditions are different sides of the same coin!
Did you see yourself here?
If you identify with several of the symptoms listed above, you may have ADHD. A life coach can't diagnose you, and an official diagnosis is important if you want to treat it with medication; however, self-diagnosis is often a very accurate indicator, and a life coach can help you identify and grow the strengths that accompany ADHD. Again, this form of neurodivergence is a handicap, in that it makes life in a neurotypical world harder to manage; but it does not decrease happiness.