What is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity.
People with adult ADHD are often very intelligent, creative, and intuitive but can struggle due to inattentiveness, poor working memory and restlessness. Approximately 65 per cent of children with ADHD symptoms will have their symptoms persisting into adult life.
Symptoms of ADHD can interfere with daily activities and relationships.
Due to the increased recognition of ADHD, waiting lists for clinics are increasing, requiring several month or even years to get a diagnostic assessment. We aim to cut this short by offering assessments within weeks following an enquiry.
Is ADHD the same for everyone?
No it isn’t. Symptoms of ADHD typically fall under three main categories of hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention. Although everyone demonstrates this behaviour on occasion, people with ADHD will continuously struggle with these tendencies.
There are 3 main subtypes of ADHD depending on symptom types:
- ADHD – Inattentive Type
- ADHD – Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
- Combined ADHD
ADHD – Inattentive Type
Characterised by problems with attention and concentration. The symptoms can include:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Procrastination starting or finishing tasks
- Struggling to meet deadlines
- Losing thread of conversations
- Daydreaming
- Forgetfulness
- Difficulty planning and organising
ADHD – Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
Characterised by problems with impulsive behaviour and hyperactivity. Symptoms can include:
- Physical hyperactivity in the form of fidgeting, not being able to sit still, feeling restless and always moving around.
- Brain hyperactivity in the form of feeling either completely uninterested or hyper-focused.
- Impulsiveness including acting without prior thinking of consequences or risks, being impatient or snappy, shopping impulsively, acting recklessly, interrupting conversations or completing other people’s sentences.
Combined ADHD
Having symptoms of both Inattentive and Hyperactive-Impulsive Type. This is the most frequent type and the symptoms are usually more severe than with the two other subtypes.
Can symptoms change?
ADHD symptoms can change over time as a child grows and moves into the preteen and teenage years. In young children with ADHD, hyperactivity and impulsivity are the most common symptoms.
As academic and social demands increase, symptoms of inattention become more prominent and begin to interfere with academic performance and peer relationships.
In adolescence, hyperactivity often becomes less severe and may appear as restlessness or fidgeting. Symptoms of inattention and impulsivity typically continue and may cause worsening academic, organizational, and relationship challenges. Teens with ADHD also are more likely to engage in impulsive, risky behaviours, including substance use and unsafe sexual activity.
Inattention, restlessness, and impulsivity continue into adulthood for many individuals with ADHD, but in some cases, they may become less severe and less impairing over time.
Should I have an ADHD assessment?
Prior to an assessment, we will send you screening questionnaires, or you can download them from our ‘Contact Us’ page.
These will be scored to decide whether you would benefit from an ADHD assessment. If the results indicate that ADHD is likely to be present, our team will go over the assessment options as there are two different types available for adults.
