How do you know if someone has ADHD? Do you want to go ride bikes? ADHD or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is often talked about socially and joked about publicly and, in fact, there are many individuals who have lived their lives without ever realizing that their struggles were due to this disorder. Conversely, for those of us who were children of the 90’s, many may have been incorrectly diagnosed with ADHD when perhaps we struggled with developmentally appropriate lack of attention or motivation.

The truth is ADHD is listed within the realm of neurodevelopmental disorders, often diagnosed first in childhood. ADHD is not a disorder of intelligence, although many who struggle with it often feel intellectually inferior. ADHD is likely best understood as a disorder that is rooted in the very synapses of the brain. That is to say, the spaces between neurons, or brain cells, is somehow impacted in several key areas in the brain of those diagnosed with ADHD. These connections either don’t produce enough or don’t absorb enough of the neurotransmitter dopamine which might otherwise allow an individual to feel a sense of accomplishment from various daily tasks, and allow for focus on otherwise mundane tasks. The result? An individual whose brain does not always allow them to focus and complete tasks they begin, who fall prey to the impulses of new thoughts causing them to jump from activity to activity, and who feel the weight of their emotions as overwhelming. ADHD can present in two distinct ways, those with a lack of focus who “zone out” and those who experience hyperactivity as a result. Either way, ADHD is a very real disorder and one that is able to be effectively treated, often via medication (stimulants) and counseling.