One type of ADHD masking — known as mirroring — involves intentionally or unintentionally mimicking the speech, movements, or behaviors of someone else. While ADHD mirroring and body doubling may seem similar at first glance, you can work alongside a body double without imitating them in any way.
Mirroring can be a type of ADHD masking since it suppresses ADHD behaviors and replaces them with more socially acceptable alternatives. Some clinicians refer to mirroring as a type of impression management.
Another symptom of ADHD Masking is copying or mimicking others. People with ADHD might find that they need to copy or mimic the behavior of others in order to fit in and avoid any criticism. This is because they want to be socially accepted in every situation like the others.
But in the world of ADHD, a body double is someone who sits with a person with ADHD as he tackles tasks that might be difficult to complete alone. Many people with ADHD find it easier to stay focused on housework, homework, bill paying, and other tasks when someone else is around to keep them company.
Recent research suggests that children with ADHD may show specific impairments related to processing of other's eye gaze. For example, children with ADHD often fail to attend to others' eyes during emotion recognition [15] and are not using others' gaze direction to guide their attention [16].
ADHD masking may also be called "camouflaging." This is when someone with ADHD tries to cover up their symptoms by copying the behaviors of people who don't have it. ADHD masking may be a way for some people with ADHD to fit in socially, avoid being stigmatized, or feel more accepted.
ADHD burnout is a feeling of exhaustion largely brought on by stress, made more complicated by ADHD symptoms. People with ADHD are more likely to experience burnout. Common signs of ADHD burnout include: irritability. trouble sleeping.
These include body language, such as moving away from you, cutting conversations short, or crossing their arms or legs. Also note facial expressions, such as red faces, scowls, tight lips, or hurt or angry eyes.
Differences in the quality and fluency of speech are also often seen in people with ADHD. In some cases, this disorder has been detected and diagnosed as a result of these differences. As an individual with ADHD works to organize their thoughts when talking, using more filler words or repeating sounds/words is common.
Individuals with ADHD may appear self-centered in conversations because of difficulties with concentration, whereas individuals with NPD may act in self-centered ways because symptoms include an inflated sense of self and disregard for others. Neither ADHD nor NPD is a personal choice.
A recent review of findings on ADHD and FFM personality suggests that, in general, ADHD has associations with the FFM traits of Neuroticism (positive), Agreeableness (negative) and Conscientiousness (negative).
Interestingly, girls with untreated ADHD may be more likely to blame and judge themselves for these problems, leading to a higher risk for low self-esteem than boys who have ADHD. They may also be more likely to have problems with substance abuse, eating disorders, and anxiety.
A girl with ADHD may have impulsivity and be hyper-talkative. She may be verbally impulsive, interrupt others, talk excessively, or change topics repeatedly during conversations. She might even blurt out words without thinking about their impact on others. Girls with ADHD can also be overly sensitive.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
People with ADHD tend to experience life more intensely than others. This means that even if you're hyper-focusing on a certain task or assignment in front of you, you can still have many other thoughts and ideas coursing through your brain. It can feel like there's always a lot going on, which may become overwhelming.
ADHD is not on the autism spectrum, but they have some of the same symptoms. And having one of these conditions increases the chances of having the other. Experts have changed the way they think about how autism and ADHD are related.
Some ADHD symptoms can make you commit mistakes. Case in point: being easily distracted means you might not be able to give your full attention to a task. Also, being impulsive means you might have not thought about the consequences of your actions.
High-functioning ADHD isn't a formal diagnosis. It's a phrase used to describe people living with ADHD who see little to no major impact on daily life. Just because you've reached great success or have found ways to work around ADHD symptoms doesn't mean ADHD might not be affecting you.