Lack of Dopamine in the ADHD Brain As you know, one trademark of ADHD is low levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine — a chemical released by nerve cells into the brain.
You may not realize that tossing and turning all night is a symptom of ADHD, but between 25% and 50% of people with ADHD have issues getting a good night's sleep. People with ADHD frequently have trouble both falling and staying asleep, and struggle with insomnia.
A lack of self-acceptance. Prohibitively expensive medications. Here, commiserate with fellow ADDitude readers as they share some of their biggest challenges of managing life with ADHD or ADD. > Creating rituals to keep track of things.
Atypical Presentation of ADHD Symptoms
Sleep disturbances (has trouble with sleep initiation, sleep deprived, can't wake up easily, etc.) Weak executive function (poor recall of information, internalizing language, controlling emotions, problem-solving, etc.)
Studies have shown that symptoms of bipolar disorder often overlap with those of ADHD, making it hard to diagnose both of these disorders. Bipolar disorder is marked by mood swings between periods of intense emotional highs and lows.
The ADHD iceberg is an analogy representing the visible and invisible symptoms of ADHD. Above the water, the tip of the iceberg represents the external symptoms of ADHD many people recognize.
The mind of a person with ADHD is full of the minutiae of life (“Where are my keys?” “Where did I park the car?”), so there is little room left for new thoughts and memories. Something has to be discarded or forgotten to make room for new information. Often the information individuals with ADHD need is in their memory…
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.
Executive functions have other roles which affect how someone thinks. In people with ADHD, these executive dysfunctions impact thinking in numerous ways. People with ADHD don't really think faster than people without it, but it can sometimes seem like they do. People with ADHD do think differently though, in a sense.
But scientists believe that has to do with how they process information. When you have ADHD, distractions may prevent you from taking in information, or your brain may store it in a disorganized way. Memories aren't lost, they aren't made in the first place.
The rarest type of ADHD diagnosed is the hyperactive-impulsive type with no indication of inattentive or distracted behavior, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.
People living with ADHD may have a variety of skills and abilities beyond those of their neurotypical counterparts. These may include hyperfocus, resilience, creativity, conversational skills, spontaneity, and abundant energy.
Masking is when a person with ADHD acts in a “socially acceptable” way to fit in and form better connections with those around them. This usually involves camouflaging their symptoms by controlling their impulses, rehearsing responses, and copying the behaviors of those who don't have ADHD.
The ADHD nervous system is overwhelmed by life experiences because its intensity is so high. The ADHD nervous system is rarely at rest. It wants to be engaged in something interesting and challenging. Attention is never “deficit.” It is always excessive, constantly occupied with internal reveries and engagements.
People with ADHD can have great empathy for others. ADHD challenges can make it especially hard for them to apologize. Putting things in perspective can help people with ADHD let go of guilty feelings and move forward.
“Frustration, pain, and low self-esteem are all a direct result of ADHD. Never meeting neurotypical expectations beats up the emotions of some with ADHD. Overreactions and meltdowns are all part of ADHD, but they are compounded by the emotional anguish that comes from taunts and criticism.
Some of the common foods that can cause ADHD reactions include milk, chocolate, soy, wheat, eggs, beans, corn, tomatoes, grapes, and oranges.
Those with combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive ADHD experience both poor sleep quality and a later bedtime. Many ADHD symptoms are similar to symptoms of sleep deprivation. Among others, adult ADHD sleep problems can lead to forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating during the day.
Previous research has shown that school-aged children with ADHD walk with higher gait variability compared to controls (Leitner et al., 2007; Papadopoulos et al., 2014; Manicolo et al., 2016), indicating a less regular walking pattern in children with ADHD compared to typically developing children.
We tend to react self-defensively, or worse, angrily. Rejection sensitivity is extremely common in people with ADHD. We get overly excited about things, including good things. Just as we often overreact to minor problems and annoyances, we can also go overboard in the other direction.
ADHD and NPD are two different disorders that sometimes can co-occur. While NPD is a personality disorder and ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, they may, for different reasons, share central features like lower levels of empathy and interpersonal difficulties.