Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disability, it is characterized by several symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity that causes impairment in social, personal, and occupational life. The onset is in early childhood and it often occurs with co-morbid conditions such as intellectual disability, learning disability and autism spectrum disorder (Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders,DSM-5).
From the difficult tasks of getting an early and proper diagnosis, to evaluations or assessments and selecting an effective, evidence based treatment method, the challenges associated with this illness are numerous. In the following article a few of these challenges will be discussed to help you gain a better insight into what ADHD brings with it.
Difficulty Paying Attention
As the name implies, it is a type of illness in which the individual suffering from it cannot pay attention to one thing properly, they find it difficult to keep their focus on one thing, they consistently attend to the novel and new stimuli from the environment.
Hyperactivity
It is a state of consistent restlessness, children with ADHD are often reported to have poor on seat behavior, they are constantly moving around, fidgeting, excessive tapping and talking. In adults, hyperactivity manifests itself in form of agitation, restlessness and excessive talking.
Distracted Easily
Distractibility is one of the most common symptoms that accompanies ADHD, especially with inattentive types they find it most difficult to stay focused on a task and stay organized.They find the environment extremely stimulating and their attention shifts consistently from one stimulus towards another. Or there are a large number of thoughts going through the mind all at once due to which distraction occurs.
Lack of Social Skills
Due to their issue with inattention, continuous stimulation from environment and hyperactivity, individuals with ADHD find it difficult to maintain a proper conversation, be good listeners and communicators.
Lack of Focus
The lack of focus is another challenge for instance if individuals with ADHD don’t find the environment or tasks stimulating such as daily mundane routine tasks or household chores, they are usually unfinished and remain incomplete due to insufficient focus.
Emotional Stress
Emotional regulation is difficult with a condition like ADHD. Emotional problems can be seen in the form of explosive temper or irritability, becoming overwhelmed easily, low emotional stress tolerance, being sensitive towards stressors in life and low self confidence or self-esteem.
Mood Changes
Anxiety and depression are commonly associated with ADHD, research has established that individuals suffering from ADHD are prone to have episodes of low mood and irritability. Additionally experiencing anxiety such as social anxiety during social interactions is common.
Achieving Goals
The process of goal setting and achieving them can be anxiety inducing for most individuals with ADHD, the conventional methods of goal setting and working can be overwhelming and seemingly impossible due to the lack of focus, persistence and discipline that is required to achieve them.
Impulsivity
Individuals with ADHD act impulsively without thinking, this manifests in the form of instant gratification, inability to hold or delay gratification and lack of self control. This causes several behavioral problems and socialization issues. For instance, making significant decisions without weighing pros and cons, interrupting others, not letting someone speak, showing poor social skills due to the impulsive behaviors.
Along with the personal challenges of functioning and dealing with situations, there are certain social challenges that people with such conditions face. Bullying and stigmatization is a significant factor that plays its role in increasing the anxiety and depression among individuals with ADHD. Research states that without the lack of social skills training, children with ADHD are often more prone to be bullied due to their peculiar behaviors in interaction with others, clumsiness, lack of boundaries and impulsivity. In another study it was found that ADHD is a risk factor for being the victim of bullying (Unnever et al,2003). In their study Chen and colleagues reported findings of relationship between ADHD, bullying, suicidality, and low quality of life indicating the significance to address this issue (Chen et al,2020). A review of literature regarding ADHD categorically states that individuals with ADHD throughout their lives have to face significant stigmatization (Lebowitz,2016). Serious steps must be taken at social level to ensure safety and prevention of such behaviors.
To conclude, living with ADHD is complicated and difficult due to many personal and social factors. Challenges exist, however, with the advancement in research, numerous psychological interventions and medications are available for treatment depending on the severity of symptoms. Symptoms are manageable and can be effectively dealt with in therapy. If you or anyone close to you is suffering from such a condition do not be hesitant to reach out and seek help.
References
Chen, Y. L., Ho, H. Y., Hsiao, R. C., Lu, W. H., & Yen, C. F. (2020). Correlations between quality of life, school bullying, and suicide in adolescents with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(9), 3262.
Unnever, J. D., & Cornell, D. G. (2003). Bullying, self-control, and ADHD. Journal of interpersonal violence, 18(2), 129-147.
