2023-06-05 14:21:56
Everyone recognizes it: you are mega chaotic, you have lost your keys AGAIN or you have a concentration of a goldfish. On TikTok you then come across a video with different symptoms of ADHD and you know for sure: you must have ADHD! According to ADHD coach Eveline Roux ADHD is therefore a combination of all kinds of characteristics that everyone could recognize themselves in, but what exactly is ADHD? And what are the symptoms and benefits?
What is ADHD?
ADHD is an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and is believed to be caused by communication problems between brain areas. In people with ADHD, the neurotransmitters dopamine and noradrenaline are found to a lesser extent in the front part of the brain. And let that be precisely the part of the brain that is important for, among other things, maintaining attention, suppressing impulses and directing and planning behavior. Ah!
The different types of ADHD
Roux emphasizes that ADHD manifests itself in many different ways. “It is therefore difficult to say that someone is a typical person with ADHD.” There are three subtypes of ADHD. Type 1 is mostly inattentive (aka ADD), type 2 is mostly hyperactive and impulsive, and type 3 is inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive (actually a combination of types 1 and 2) and is the most common. Do you think you have ADHD? These are according to ADHD in women the characteristics of ADHD:
The characteristics of ADHD
Predominantly inattentive (type 1, also known as ADD)
- be easily distracted
- being dreamy
- seem passive
- being withdrawn
- being disorganized
- being forgetful
- doesn’t seem to listen
- or not really listening
- often lose things
- have difficulty with social events in class/at work/environment
- difficulty following instructions
- lose a lot or lose something often
- difficult to pay attention
Predominantly hyperactive/impulsive (ADHD type 2)
- difficult to sit still
- hard to wait your turn
- run from one activity to another
- can’t play quietly
- talk too much
- jump from heel to branch
- interrupt others
- putting yourself in dangerous situations
- hard to slow yourself down
- easy to make contact, but have difficulty maintaining friendships
Inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive (type 3, combined type):
- this is a combination of the above characteristics
- this is the most common type of ADHD
Executive functions in ADHD
ADHD also has slightly differently programmed executive functions. These are the brain’s regulatory functions that are essential for achieving purposeful and adaptive behavior. ‘With ADHD these are developed differently, so you have to make more effort to make this go well. Unless something interests you, then it often works out,’ says Roux. For example, time management is about estimating time, allocating time and meeting deadlines.
ADHD in women
Women with ADHD are more likely to suffer from comorbidities. This means that you have one or more disorders in addition to ADHD, such as high sensitivity, sleeping problems, weight problems, giftedness, autism or depression. But there’s more. This is what ADHD in women looks like.
The benefits of ADHD
ADHD may sound like a serious headache now, but it actually has a lot of benefits. ‘For example, there are women who enter a room and know exactly what is going on because they can clearly see connections. Or they know certain things without knowing why,’ says Roux. But she says there are many more benefits, such as:
- Hyperfocus
- Out of the box denken
- Spontaneously
- Sense of humour
- Creatively
- Great empathy
- Fair and straightforward
- Acts from feeling
- Keeps a cool head in crisis situations
- Can be very organized
Are you curious about the explanation for each benefit? The ADHD coach has on its website explained the benefits in detail.
Medication for ADHD
So ADHD has both challenges and benefits, but do you have to be medicated? That depends entirely on your personal circumstances and environment. ‘You can do without medication for years and manage just fine, but it is also possible that something happens that changes that. And then medication is one of the many things you can do to manage your ADHD,” says Roux.
Medication is not the only solution, however. According to her, it is important to ensure that you sleep well and have a pleasant working environment. ‘I hear a lot of women who need a lot of rest for themselves. If they have their own space, medication may not be necessary. It’s different for everyone,” says Roux. In any case, it is important to educate yourself properly.
Do you think you have ADHD? Then you can do this
Do you think you have ADHD? Then the first step is to see a doctor. Following Roux, it can help to do your own research before your doctor’s appointment. This way you are stronger in your shoes and you can tackle misconceptions about ADHD and women more quickly. You can also make Roux hair Complete ADHD test. This one is specially made for women.
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