A lot of people don't know the difference between stupid, lazy, or ADHD. Misinformation abounds. This article is the first in a series to help clear up some of the confusion.
I am pretty open about my late diagnosis of ADHD and the difficulties I have faced because of it. A lot of the hardship I have faced stems from the fact that there is so much misinformation out there about the disorder. There are a lot of disreputable people out there preying on the vulnerable and pushing unscientific "cures" and treatments. There are just as many good-intentioned people who are trying to "help" but have no clue. This article is the first in a series that I hope will shatter some of the misconceptions and bring the facts of ADHD out into the open.
ADHD FACTS
ADHD stands for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It is one of the most common mental illnesses. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), it affects an estimated 5% of children and 2.5% of adults.
Usually, it is diagnosed in childhood, when the affected child starts having trouble in school. The condition is diagnosed more frequently in boys than girls. Unfortunately, there are some people who do not get diagnosed until much later in life.
ADHD is broken down into three types: hyperactive-impulsive, inattentive, and combined type.
Hyperactivity is defined by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) as when "a person seems to move about constantly, including situations in which it is not appropriate, excessively fidgets, taps, or talks. In adults, it may be extreme restlessness or wearing others out with their activity."
The NIMH defines impulsivity as when "a person makes hasty actions that occur in the moment without first thinking about them and that may have high potential for harm; or a desire for immediate rewards or inability to delay gratification. An impulsive person may be socially intrusive and excessively interrupt others or make important decisions without considering the long-term consequences."
According to the NIMH, inattention is characterized by a person who "wanders off task, lacks persistence, has difficulty sustaining focus, and is disorganized; and these problems are not due to defiance or lack of comprehension."
ADHD severity and type vary per person. Males are more often diagnosed with the hyperactive-impulsive type. Females are more often diagnosed with the inattentive type.
ADHD FICTION
There are a great many misconceptions about what ADHD is, and isn't.
"There's no such thing as ADHD. That child is just spoiled." ADHD is a condition, not a result of poor parenting. According to the CDC, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder.
"Everyone has a little ADHD." According to the APA, even though ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders, it only affects approximately 5% of children and 2.5% of adults.
"All children act that way!" While all children may display the symptoms of ADHD occasionally, affected children have the symptoms more severely, more often, and the symptoms reduce social function, school function, and quality of home life.
"Only boys have ADHD." It is true that males are diagnosed more often, but females also have ADHD. Obviously, since I am female!
"All kids with ADHD are hyperactive." Children with inattentive type ADHD often appear dreamy or lost in their own world.
"There's nothing wrong with you, you just need to try harder." Believe me when I say that those with ADHD are most likely already trying as hard as they can.
I work with a few people who claim the diagnosis of ADHD. One in particular is an ER tech. I don't know enough about his particular disorder to classify it, but it is obvious to all of those who work with him that he lacks focus. He is good at his job when you can get him to do it and in a timely manner, but more often than not the nurses end up doing his tasks themselves once we discover that he hasn't done it. He is always engaged in a conversation with someone, staff or patients, and can never tear himself away from that conversation immediately to do the task assigned, frequently taking 20-30 minutes before starting a task when he could have completed several in the same time frame. Every shift finds him having gotten "lost" for ridiculous amounts of time on the way back from transporting a patient to the floor or some other location, resulting in having to look for him in the event that he is needed. He is never proactive in doing his work but always waits for someone to assign him something to do. Staff, nurses and other techs alike are frustrated with his behavior and joke that we might as well not have a tech assigned to our area at all. Regardless of whether his behavior is completely a result of his disorder, a lack of willingness to attempt to control his behavior/disorder, or whether it's just plain laziness the results are the same. No amount of understanding has made a difference and if someone can't do the job for whatever reason, they shouldn't have that job at all.
A bad employee is a bad employee. ADHD can pose problems, but does not give someone carte blanche at work.
You sound contemptuous of people who have ADHD. Be glad you don't have it and don't have to deal with other's poor opinions of you over something you can't get rid of.
A bad employee is a bad employee. ADHD can pose problems, but does not give someone carte blanche at work.
You sound contemptuous of people who have ADHD. Be glad you don't have it and don't have to deal with other's poor opinions of you over something you can't get rid of.
There's nothing like having people jump to conclusions.
How do you know I don't have a condition that I can't get rid of and haven't dealt with other's opinions???
I'm finally back on meds and my functioning level at work was the main reason I decided to go back into treatment. I'm on night shift, so there's not as much stimulation and distraction, but I still lose and forget things. It's so frustrating!
I'm only a student, but I was diagnosed back in May shortly after my second semester ended.
I questioned for a very long time on whether or not it could be a possibility, but without really understanding it, being able to hyperfocus made me think it couldn't be possible. I didn't even know it was a thing. I was uneducated and really thought that someone would be nothing but hyperactive and unable to pay attention.
The other times I wanted to question it and ask, I was scared to ask about it as I thought I'd just be seen as someone trying to get drugs.
After my second semester, I honestly was about to quit. I started thinking about ADHD again and decided to get more information on it before I went and talked to someone about it. It was in that moment that my life started making sense. So many things hit so close to home. Over the next week or so I'd continue reading to see if certain quirks had anything to do it. I found myself laughing and crying at the same time as I started understanding more about myself.
I started treatment, and I truly wish I had asked for help a long time ago. While I certainly still face challenges, I'm able to manage better. My relationship with my husband improved. It's obvious when I don't take meds on any given day. My husband even told me that he prefers me on drugs My relationship with classmates have improved. I've always been that shy person just about my entire life which really isolated me from classmates. I'm still shy-ish, but I do have more confidence and have started being able to form better relationships with my classmates. I feel like a "normal" person rather than like the outcast I had felt like most of my life.
I've not been very open about my diagnosis. My husband knows as well as my parents, brother, and sister-in-law, but I haven't really said much to anyone else. School is aware. I spoke with the personal/academic counselor shortly after diagnosis, and she was amazing and really made me feel supported.
Thank you for this article. As a female with inattentive type ADHD (formerly referred too as ADD, dropping the Hyperactivity component of the acronym), I struggled a great deal as a child, especially once it came to middle and senior high school. The amount of organizational skills required to be successful here proved too much for me to assimilate. After my grades dropped to Ds and Fs on a consistent basis, I finally gave up, dropping out of school in the 9th grade.
Now in my final year of nursing school, at 38 years old, I am extremely concerned about how I will ever be a competent nurse. I have struggled almost more in adulthood due to the gross misunderstanding of this affliction. I have been called stupid, lazy, deaf, and a whole host of untrue and extremely discouraging things in my work environment, and throughout my whole life. I believe if there was more accurate comprehension of, and tolerance surrounding this disease, I would not be so apprehensive about taking steps to better myself through a career.
I am not unwilling, and I am extremely intelligent (a high IQ is common in people with ADHD). I simply seem to lack the support of other people who do not understand that I am not ignoring them, trying to get out of doing work, or on another planet. I just sometimes need a little extra patience from others, because, even though a task that needs completed may seem obvious to you, I might not even notice it. Something that you said to me, as clear as day, and I maybe even agreed, might have gone right over my head. But I work hard every day to minimize this, I am in constant consultation with doctors, and am consistent with a daily regimen to reduce the negative effects of ADHD in my day to day life.
It is extremely frustrating to me that I cannot control it entirely, and wreaks havoc on my self esteem that, to others I appear like I "just don't even care" even after all the work i do every day. So please, have patience if you know anyone like me. They may just be a person at work who "annoys you" but you can't even put your finger on what their problem is. Consider that it might actually be a problem for them, and that, as much as it bothers you, it might be ten times worse for them.
I could have written this word for word. It feels great to know I'm not the only one. Sometimes I can't help but wonder if I'm asking too much from others to try to understand how my brain works.
I was also diagnosed with ADHD in college. After I made it through the first year of nursing school as an average student, I started flunking really bad. I was tested for ADHD as a child so this was no surprise. Adderall saved my life...and my career!
I have my license for a year now and Im working as a home care nurse, but im looking for a hospital job. Do you ever need accommodations at work? The idea worries me.
I was also diagnosed with ADHD in college. After I made it through the first year of nursing school as an average student, I started flunking really bad. I was tested for ADHD as a child so this was no surprise. Adderall saved my life...and my career!
I have my license for a year now and Im working as a home care nurse, but im looking for a hospital job. Do you ever need accommodations at work? The idea worries me.
Hi! Sorry for the late reply. I'm working on my BSN and don't come here as often.
I haven't disclosed at work to my management, just to a couple of my coworkers. So far, I haven't needed accommodations.
Just realize, nurses are some of the most judgmental coworkers on the planet. Be careful who you disclose to.
In my experience, until the current societal image of mental health changes for the better, it's best not to tell your employer unless you have an excellent relationship with your manager. If you don't, that manager will use every mistake you make as a disciplinary action and will eventually fire you for cause.
My relationship with classmates have improved. I've always been that shy person just about my entire life which really isolated me from classmates. I'm still shy-ish, but I do have more confidence and have started being able to form better relationships with my classmates. I feel like a "normal" person rather than like the outcast I had felt like most of my life.
canigraduate
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A bad employee is a bad employee. ADHD can pose problems, but does not give someone carte blanche at work.
You sound contemptuous of people who have ADHD. Be glad you don't have it and don't have to deal with other's poor opinions of you over something you can't get rid of.