Is it ADHD/ADD or Are We Just Overloaded?

So is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) a real thing, or is it just a byproduct of the times we live in? We have overcommitted, over-scheduled and overextended ourselves. We have to answer our emails right now. We have to check Facebook as soon as we wake up in the morning. Television shows have quick edits and short sound bites, and we have 800 channels to choose from. Have we been conditioned to be an ADHD/ADD society?

Not exactly.

While overscheduling ourselves and constantly looking at our Blackberrys and iPhones can cause us to be distracted and inattentive, it doesn't really qualify as ADD/ADHD. Being overextended can mimic ADD/ADHD symptoms, but there is a big difference between having some symptoms and qualifying for a diagnosis.

Symptoms of ADD/ADHD include:

• Difficulty following multi-step directions
• Not listening
• Disorganization
• Interrupting others
• Distractibility
• Difficulty following through on tasks/projects
• Losing items often
• Acting before thinking

Now, you may say to yourself, "Are you kidding me? I had all those symptoms today before breakfast." I believe you. Sure, all of us lose our keys from time to time. And we may lose them even more so when we are supposed to be in five different places at once. But here is the difference between being "overloaded" and having ADD/ADHD:

The big difference is the intensity, frequency and duration of symptoms.

• How severe are the symptoms? Are they impairing your day-to-day functioning?
• How often do the symptoms occur? Is it just when you are overloaded? Or is it all the time? How many symptoms do you experience on a daily basis?
• How long do these symptoms last? Do they seem to turn off and on, or do they never really seem to go away?
• Have other people in your family had the same difficulties as you?

If you have ADHD/ADD, you most likely:

• Have had symptoms like distraction and fidgeting since childhood.
• Have problems with organization, even when you aren't over-scheduled.
• Have ADHD symptoms that affect all aspects of your life -- home, school, work and social.
• Had comments on your school report cards such as, "doesn't work to potential," "runs in hallways," "does not stay at desk," "has difficulty keeping friends," "looks out the window during class time," "difficulty managing time" or "messy desk."
• Have had symptoms that were always there -- you can't remember a time when you didn't have difficulty with focus, disorganization, not following through on things, etc.
• Have had impairment in your day-to-day functioning due to these symptoms -- you have had difficulty in your relationships, you may have been fired from jobs, you may just feel like you have never worked to your potential.
• Have one or more family members who had lifetime difficulties with focus and distraction.

If you have ADD/ADHD, being over-scheduled and overextended just makes your symptoms (and functioning) worse. But being over-scheduled and overextended does not cause the symptoms outright.

Then why has it become more prevalent? Well, it really hasn't; ADD/ADHD has been around a long time, way before the technological age.

ADD/ADHD is a biological and genetic disorder. There have been several genes linked to ADD/ADHD, and children with ADHD have genetic variations not found in children without ADHD (Elia et al. 2010; Guan et al. 2009). And if you have ADD, there is a 75 percent chance that you inherited the genes from at least one of your parents (Rietveld et al. 2004).

So while it is best to get some downtime from your Blackberry, iPhone, iPad, what-have-you, they are not causing you to have ADD/ADHD. Your overuse may just be mimicking the symptoms of ADD/ADHD.

The important thing to look at is how long you've been having difficulties with distractibility and inattention. Equally important (if not more so) is asking your family about its medical history, including any relatives that had symptoms of ADD/ADHD, bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression. Knowing that information can unlock many doors in determining whether you have electronics-induced ADD/ADHD or the real thing.

If you feel that your symptoms of inattention, distractibility and disorganization have caused you impairment in your day-to-day living, it's worth talking about it with a doctor. There is treatment available if you do meet the diagnostic criteria for ADD/ADHD.

And for everyone, ADHD/ADD or not, it's important to "unplug" on a regular basis.

www.stephaniesarkis.com

 

 

 

Follow Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D. on Twitter: www.twitter.com/stephaniesarkis

Comments

[Jennifer State]

07:22 AM on 08/19/2011

Well said. Everyone has those symptoms at times due to stress, exhaustion, etc. When those symptoms are constant and interfering with one's ability to lead a "normal" life and accomplish every day tasks, then it can be a disorder. Recent studies using fMRI show differences in brain function in people with neurobehavioral disorders like ADHD and autism. Here is a great article that discusses the overlap among neuro disorders and how to improve brain function: http://www.brainbalancecenters.com/2011/06/study-shows-poor-brain-sync-related-to-autism/

[Frank Barnhill MD]

10:19 PM on 08/06/2011

Stephanie...Great article.
I agree we have allowed our lives and those of our children to become so rushed, overloaded and pressured that many times we are teaching and training ourselves and children to be impulsive.
Cell phones, on-demand movies, and video games with instant reward for winning are just a few of many things that cause us to expect and demand more and more at a faster hyper stimulating pace.
As a result, we're now seeing ADHD diagnosed at alarming rates, when something else just might be responsible for some or many of those ADHD symptoms.

Currently, there are in excess of 65 medical-social-psychological problems that may cause ADHD-like symptoms and mimic ADHD leading to ADHD misdiagnosis. Parents, educators and healthcare professionals should work diligently to prevent wrongful ADHD diagnosis and the mislabeling that could harm any child's future.

One misdiagnosed ADHD child is one too many.
Frank Barnhill, MD
www.mistakenforadhd.com

[saskatoonie]

02:35 AM on 08/09/2011

One undiagnosed ADHD child is too many!

[SeattleNick]

03:25 PM on 08/06/2011

I read the article and agree with what is in the article. The problem with what some people are commenting on about the medications is that if you don't have ADHD/ADDD the medications will not work. They will just get you high. When the medications are working you calm down you do not get the high and this pronounced.

[dopamineboy]

02:02 PM on 08/07/2011

Leon Eisenberg, professor of psychiatry and social medicine Harvard Medical School - The sale of Ritalin and other stimulant drugs for children are, “driven by the convenience of the doctor, the profitability of the drug company, and the notion that there is nothing more meaningful to life than biochemistry.”

[saskatoonie]

02:44 AM on 08/09/2011

Oh my goodness you and T.C. have so much in common!

[sbel25]

08:30 AM on 08/06/2011

Ok now I realize there are exceptions to every rule . I knw there are "some" children that deserve S.S. disability however; Ibelieve the influx of " ADHD " is only motivated by $$$ . Shame its so abused . Stop the insanity and theres the money for the REAL people that deserve SS the ppl tht payed into it.

[ALABAMALEFTIST]

07:00 AM on 08/06/2011

And if you want a prescription for amphetamines, just memorize the list of symptoms in the article, go see your PCP and recite them. Before you get through the list he/she will have pulled out the pad. In addition to the benefits of amphetamines (increased alertness, weight loss, etc) you can blame your poor school performance, bad marriage, employment failure and any behavioral indiscretions on ADHD. This isn't an arguement that the condition doesn't exist at all. The diagnostic criteria, as is usually the case in psychiatry, is so nebulous and subjective that to the delight of the drug companies, patients literally diagnose themselves.

[dopamineboy]

02:11 PM on 08/07/2011

The use of drugs to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, more than tripled worldwide since 1993, U.S. researchers reported. The United States led the pack, accounting for 83 percent of the prescriptions and $2.4 billion in 2003.

[dwes09]

05:28 AM on 08/06/2011

To all you folks talking about "the pioneers who knew how to discipline their children", and cell phones, and parents who don't know how to discipline their children and food allergies and so on.... YOU ARE SIMPLY WRONG AND MISINFORMED. ADHD/ADD is a problem with brain chemistry. It has always been with us, the sufferers were simply seen as "problem children" as were all the kids with undiagnosed issues. I am 60 years ols, and so went to school long before there was an understanding of these problems. And yet i recognize that there wer kids who suffered from this. They simply had a hard time in school, either learned to cope or were unable to realize their potential in life.

Parents now can either get help and (where necessary) medication for their kids., or as zi see many parents on this forum doing, can ignore reality and consign their kids to a less than ideal future.

Friends of mine had a severly impaired son who struggled in his early years. With a proper diagnosis, medication and some adjustments in his home life he prospered and is now a totally awsom adult; bright and successful in the arts.

[Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D.]

05:43 PM on 08/22/2011

Yes, ADHD is a biological and genetic disorder, and should be accepted and treated as such.

[flfyktn]

01:54 AM on 08/06/2011

You can all hate me after this post. LOL

•Difficulty following multi-step directions
•Not listening
•Disorganization
•Interrupting others
•Distractibility
•Difficulty following through on tasks/projects
•Losing items often
•Acting before thinking

These are all traits I've seen in children who have not been taught the proper way to behave. Parents who think that the tv or the game boy are the entire scope of entertainment for their children. Then everyone wants to turn around and say it's a medical condition and give them medication to zone them out.

I don't recall hearing a lot about ADHD ADD from the pioneers. They knew how to discipline their children and keep them busy enough that they were too tired to act out.

[metusmetu]

04:25 AM on 08/06/2011

No hating here, you hit it pretty much on the head. People don't keep their kids busy, nor teach them how to do things. They need work, and goals to accomplish, something other than watching TV, Video Games, or Texting on their cell phones! Children, when old enough,....need to get a reality check.

[saskatoonie]

02:39 AM on 08/09/2011

Gee, my son who is now 29 did chores on the farm with his sisters and always was involved in sports and activities such a scouts, he has ADHD, he was diagnosed at age 8!

[dwes09]

05:15 AM on 08/06/2011

The pioneers? They were too busy making sure that theit women lived through childbirth, and that their children lived through the first few years of life. And are you old enough to have been ther or do you really think "little house on the prairie" is reality?

Get real! There is no need to dismiss a real medical condition just because it does not fit into your simplistic view of the world. Befire it was identified and diagnosed those kids were the simply considered "difficult" or they were the troublemakers in school. They were the ones who had difficulty all through life. Now they can be treatedf and be active contributing members of the community, or in the hands of parents who refuse to understand, still have a difficult tiem.

[Eric Graff]

10:20 PM on 08/05/2011

Huh? Oh yeah, what? I like birds, what were we talking about again?

[Stephanie Sarkis, Ph.D.]

05:45 PM on 08/22/2011

Lol! Yes, I also get the "Oh look, a squirrel" and "Oooh look, something shiny!" comments. :)

[FredVenice]

06:52 PM on 08/05/2011

is there any correletaion of IQ and time on twitter etc ?? it seems to me that the more one is on the cell phone or twitting it might be confirmation of ignorance and laziness . but we need these people, so I encourage them . the more dumies the merrier, easier for the rest of us

[tskfce1]

06:08 PM on 08/05/2011

people really need to understand the actual agenda of theis bogus,insane all info,,all the time ,social DANGER,,ever heard,,outta sight,,outta mind??????well,,those cell phones are DRIVING U INSANE,,WITH UN NEEDED MENTAL STRESS!!!!!!!!!.its un natural,,and very very dangerous,,along with the other toxins,,like chlorine mixed with flouride in city water,,,caffiene,,and coffee /soda,,and the horrific,,unbelieveable damage from CORN FRUCTOS,SYRUP,,IN EVERYTHING!!!!!!! ,,,BEWARE,,OF SOFTKILL GLOBALIST,,IN THE NAME OF PROFITS!!!!!

[feartheswans]

09:44 PM on 08/05/2011

I add the Internet to this list.

I don't know how many times in a day I stop just to Google something, or how many hours I have spent on Wikipedia.

Its that instant Gratification, it gets you every time, and drives you insane when you can't reach it.

[NancyPeske]

04:31 PM on 08/05/2011

I do believe that the focus-busting activities you describe can, over time, change our brain's ability to focus well. It may not be ADHD but there is such a thing as ADHD-like behaviors, and they can be exacerbated by focus-busters. One of my favorite focus-restorers is pandora dot com's channels for Indian music and spa music. Another is Self-Control, a free software program you can download off the internet and set to lock you out of your favorite procrastination websites for hours (Farmville is calling...no! no!). Of course, if you then just pop over to someone else's computer to check Facebook, you do defeat the purpose... :)

Also, sensory processing issues can be unbelievably distracting and cause ADHD-like symptoms. In fact, there's a host of reasons why it might SEEM you have ADHD when you don't, but whatever they are, I believe putting some boundaries up against constant interruption can do quite a lot for your sanity.

http://www.sensorysmartparent.com

[p---]

03:21 PM on 08/05/2011

what? i lost track.

[NancyPeske]

04:31 PM on 08/05/2011

LOL. Multitasking distracted you, right?

[p---]

06:21 PM on 08/05/2011

wall-o-text!

[items17070]

04:47 PM on 08/05/2011

I forgot what I was going to say! lol

[Margit Roshal Crane]

01:53 PM on 08/05/2011

Great article, Stephanie! I'm linking to it from my blog. You so clearly explained the differences between overload and ADD ADHD. THANK YOU!

[FredVenice]

06:55 PM on 08/05/2011

you're the best

[Veronica Lee Gillis]

12:34 PM on 08/05/2011

I always thought ADHD was just an excuse for kids being kids or parents neglecting them and they were looking for attention...until I had a son who has severe ADHD and OCD. It is very real. So real in fact that after 4 years of doctors and residential treatment and other treatment programs, nutrition changes, medication, parenting classes ect.., he is 8 and unable to attend public school and I go through a babysitter every 2 months. It is very real. Trust me. My son is 8 now and I hope with time he will learn to live with his ADHD but right now it is very difficult for him.

[FredVenice]

06:58 PM on 08/05/2011

just have patience and faith in God . and you can sue to get him in regular classes or get about $100,000 a year if you can get a goot lawyer who represents autistic kids like my tennis partner, he get's millions and millions for them, and it's tax payers well spent money. we're in california and have unlimited education funds, if you get a good lawyer . we have the school system in our control

[dopamineboy]

04:22 PM on 09/16/2011

we're in california and have unlimited education funds, if you get a good lawyer . we have the school system in our control - Is this satire?

[marx1234]

03:47 AM on 08/06/2011

You are not alone out there. As a mother, I can relate to exactly what you are going through. Only difference is that my son is six. I've beat my head into a wall, blaming myself and thinking of what I can or could do differently. Thankfully I came to the realization that it was out of my hands and I will just keep fighting for my son no matter what it takes. I've been thinking of joining a support group...I need to keep my sanity to help him keep his :) Stay strong!

[Conk]

10:01 AM on 08/05/2011

It's called malnourishment. Get these kids the nutrients their brain and nervous system need and they will behave normally. Why does everyone overlook the most simple answer, the most effective answer? The science clearly makes its case here.

[Veronica Lee Gillis]

01:05 PM on 08/05/2011

If only this were true..:(

[NancyPeske]

04:32 PM on 08/05/2011

Addressing nutrition deficits and taking out any foods a child is allergic to or intolerant of can make a huge difference, but they don't fix problematic executive function or OCD, alas. I suspect you know whereof I speak, Veronica!

[gabbybaby8705]

07:36 PM on 08/05/2011

F&F :) I'm the adult who always had the ADD/ADHD, and my daughter is on the autism spectrum. I've changed my own diet several times, and me and my daughter both went GFCF for almost a year. No changes... (except her not being able to participate in 90% of school party treats, making her even MORE of the strange kid) If it was as simple as changing the way we eat... it wouldn't be a problem. This is genetic in our case, my father is just the same.

[RoughCollie]

10:40 PM on 08/05/2011

Why does everyone overlook the most simple answer? Because in your case, it simply is not true.

Nutrition is very different than malnourishment and "in general" has nothing to do with genetically inherited ADD or AD/HD. that said, it has been clinically shown that increased Omega 3 in the diet does reduce the severity of some AD/HD "symptoms" (as well as depression and anxiety) for certain individuals. As you said, the science makes it's case here.