Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder

Symptoms of Attention Deficit Disorder

Inside Attention Deficit Disorder

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD, is a fairly common neurological issue that for years, has been recognized as a learning disability. If you’re born with it or acquire it during your lifetime, you do not "outgrow" it--though it's likely you'll invent some useful coping strategies to make your symptoms feel less troublesome. This is a cyclical disorder that's attended by mood fluctuations, which coincide with periods of intense productivity, contrasted by periods of apathy or inertia. These cycles impact your self-confidence (no matter how talented or intelligent you are), because you're not able to consistently demonstrate your abilities. Aside from these challenges, there are a number of positive aspects associated with this disorder, which are discussed a bit farther down in this article. This self-diagnostic tool is intended to help you discern the degree to which you may have ADD/ADHD; if you've struggled with some of the obstacles mentioned here, there is help to overcome them! Imagine breaking free of the shame that's a by-product of this disorder, and creating a Life more rewarding, than you've ever thought possible. You're on your way there, right now.

The most typical hallmarks of this condition are:

1. Chronic procrastination; always putting things off until the last minute, or indefinitely--especially if it's a task you'd prefer to avoid.

2. Reluctance to commit; You make appointments 'on the fly,' when you're in need of seeing your doctor or dentist, 'cause you're never sure of how you'll be feeling, when you've booked that appointment ahead of time.

3. Mood cycles ~ sometimes up; feeling motivated, confident, “normal” and able to get much accomplished--and sometimes down; feeling unmotivated, inert, disorganized, insecure, overwhelmed, ashamed, “crazy or stupid” and mild to moderately depressed.

4. Wondering if you're manic-depressive, or a "little bipolar"; believe it or not, lots of ADD'ers have questioned this at one time or another! Check out my piece on Bipolar Disorder, and discern the difference for yourself.

5. Feeling like an underachiever; no matter how much you’ve accomplished during your lifetime, it just never seems like enough!

6. Getting started, is the hardest part; once you're at the laundromat you do well, and momentum carries you along--but it's beginning a chore, that's the most difficult. Just start, and you'll be fine!

7. You may feel like an impostor or fraud; your accomplishments are usually within areas of innate talent or ability (you're born with 'em), which means they're fairly effortless! Because they've come so easily, you may take them for granted, and can't feel deserving of accolades, honors or rewards for your work or contributions.

8. Lack of follow-through; starting projects and seldom finishing them. Loss of interest, motivation, enthusiasm for an activity or goal that might have formerly generated a lot of excitement.

9. You may be a Novelty Junkie; you'll get really excited about a new health benefit or gadget, but lose the 'juice' soon after. You keep buying stuff on infomercials, and end up with a kitchen or closet full of items you've never used more than a few times. You may have solid plans to turn these into a service business--but before you can, the novelty wears off, and you're just out another few hundred bucks. Great intentions fizzle-out before they get off the ground.

10. You work best under pressure; in the ‘eleventh hour’ when time's running out on a task or project you must handle, you're suddenly efficient, focused, driven and effective.

11. Chronic tardiness; always "running late".

12. You're inclined to find 'shortcuts' for resolving an issue, rather than going through the usual or "proper" channels to get something handled.

13. You're drawn to work that allows you a lot of creative expression; actors, artists, designers, writers, directors, inventors, architects, etc.

14. So many goals, so little focus; 'changing the channel' of focus feeds your need for diverse stimulation, and may inspire you to create several streams of income. More on this, under "The Good News" section (below).

15. Attraction to jobs or careers that involve a high degree of risk or danger; stunt people, firemen, paramedics, emergency room doctors/nurses, etc. You're drawn to environments that are highly stressful and production oriented, or where various types of activities are going on at once. Any kind of job requiring your attention to be several places simultaneously, or hyper-focused when there’s a crucial situation you must respond to with the added pressure of time limited, high yield performance (i.e. physical rescue work).

16. Attraction to high-risk activities for sport or pleasure; jumping out of airplanes, off cliffs/bridges, high risk snow or water skiing/surfing, mountain climbing, dangerous, high-maintenance (Borderline) partners, or potentially fatal sex practices, etc. In other words, “adrenaline junkies” who insatiably crave intense stimulation.

There are many symptoms associated with ADD and these are just a few! Not all of the above may apply to you, but if you resonate with several of them, it may serve you to (at least) browse the rest of this piece.