4 minute read
Understanding ADHD
HELP TO RISE ABOVE
The challenges posed by attention defi cit hyperactivity disorder are many, but the success stories show they can be overcome
WORDS LIZ McGRATH
Walt Disney and John F. Kennedy had the condition, and Richard Branson, Michael Jordan and Jamie Oliver have it.
Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Liv Tyler have spoken about living with the disorder as has the most decorated Olympian of all time, Michael Phelps.
There is no doubt the restlessness, hyperactivity and distractibility of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can cause serious difficulties in life, but the future can be bright, Sydney paediatrician Patrick Concannon says.
“There’s a stereotype that comes with ADHD. However, people with ADHD have great potential,” Dr Concannon, an expert in the field, explains.
“With the right diagnosis, support and treatment they can achieve their goals and live full and rewarding lives.”
The simple facts
The term ADHD describes children or adults who have difficulties regulating their thoughts, words, actions and emotions. They can also struggle to perceive time and to organise their behaviour.
It is estimated one in 20 children in Australia have ADHD, and it is more common in boys.
Once thought to only affect children, it is now believed around seven out of 10 kids with ADHD will mature into adults with the condition.
While the exact causes are unknown, it tends to run in families and it is frequently misunderstood and under-diagnosed, Dr Concannon says.
“Sadly, kids with ADHD are commonly looked at as being naughty and unfocused and disorganised, rather than as being challenged by a brain that works differently.
“With adults, a large proportion go undiagnosed. Or they’re misdiagnosed as having anxiety or depression. Often it’s only when their child is diagnosed that it’s picked up,” he says.
“There is also a variant of ADHD that doesn’t present as people being overactive but rather as poor concentration and disorganisation, and therefore is often missed.
“I remember seeing two kids and their mum, a very intelligent lady, who said she’d had depression for 20 years. It turned out she had ADHD, she got the help she needed and the right medication and it changed her life.”
Harnessing their talents
Evidence suggests a combination of parent education, psychotherapy, coaching and medication greatly improves the outcomes for people with ADHD.
Dr Concannon says there is “no easy fix”, but by learning coping skills it is possible for people with ADHD to harness their talents and rise to their challenges.
Swimmer Michael Phelps’ mother, Debbie, agrees. “I built off the gifts ADHD gave him,” she is reported as saying. “ADHD kids have great passion — it just needs to be funnelled.”
Michael’s energy and hyperactivity was channelled into sport, and some studies suggest creativity and innovation, common
COPING SKILLS MAY HELP THOSE WITH ADHD HARNESS THEIR TALENTS.
hallmarks of the condition, are conducive to business development and innovation.
A US study published in the Journal of Personality and Individual Differences in 2011 found adults with ADHD enjoyed more creative achievement than those who did not have the disorder.
“For the same reason that ADHD might create problems, like distraction, it can also allow an openness to new ideas,” says Holly White, co-author of the paper and an Assistant Professor of cognitive psychology at Florida’s Eckerd College. “Not being completely focused on a task lets the mind make associations that might not have happened otherwise,” Prof White says.
SignsAND SYMPTOMS OF ADHD COULD INCLUDE
Difficulty concentrating Forgetting instructions Moving from one task to another without completing it Talking over the top of others Losing control of emotions easily Being accident prone Acting without thinking Being constantly restless and fidgeting
Source: The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
Lou Brown says she had always known she was different.
“No matter how hard I tried, I was always misunderstood, always in trouble,” says the 52-year-old Perth resident. “I felt stupid and like something was wrong with me.”
It wasn’t until 2016, when she sought help for Jack, now 12, that Lou was diagnosed with ADHD.
“My diagnosis changed everything,” Lou says.
“ADHD is like living without a pause button; you have no natural ability to stop, think and make conscious decisions. When you take medication, it’s like a space appears, which normally isn’t there, and you can make informed decisions.”
After her diagnosis, Lou set out to learn everything she could about the disorder and she is now a tireless ADHD advocate and coach.
“I feel very positive about Jack’s future. I’ve been able to gently foster in him self-awareness and self-acceptance, and teach him to advocate for himself.
“Last year he said to his teacher, ‘I’m struggling to do my work because I’m bored. Could I draw for five minutes as I think it would raise the dopamine levels in my brain and then I would be able to do my work?’ The teacher agreed and later keenly informed me that his strategy was successful.”
