In this episode of 300 Seconds of Science Rachael talks about all things ADHD including the 3 different types of the disorder and debunking some of the common myths surrounding it!
Have you ever had a day where you just couldn’t focus no matter how hard you tried you just couldn’t stay on task you felt energized and sitting down was just too hard for you we all have those days but imagine if every day was like that for many people with adhd this is a reality attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or adhd is a disorder characterized by
Inattention impulsive behaviors and over activity however as someone that personally has adhd i can tell you it has its blessings too my name is rachel sullivan and today on 300 seconds of science i’m going to be talking all things adhd so before we go any further let’s talk about what adhd actually is adhd is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a deficiency
In the neurotransmitter norepinephrine it’s not totally clear what causes the disorder however there is a strong genetic link some other theories are head traumas exposure to toxins in utero or during early childhood and being born prematurely there are three types of adhd first is the inattentive presentation this is characterized by making careless mistakes
Having difficulty paying attention for a long period of time difficulty in following instructions issues with organization constantly losing things and just being overall forgetful the second is the hyperactive impulsive presentation this is characterized by constant fidgeting and restlessness difficulty engaging activities quietly excessive talking constant
Interrupting and difficulty taking turns finally there’s a combined presentation where both the inattention and hyperactivity present themselves equally so now that we know the general symptoms of adhd let’s talk about how it can present differently depending on a person’s sex and their age the stereotypical picture of someone with adhd is a young boy who runs
Around screaming and has poor grades in class because he can’t pay attention this is just one piece of the puzzle however for example children’s hyperactivity involves being constantly in motion whether that’s running jumping or climbing for adults hyperactivity tends to present itself as having a difficult time sitting still and becoming bored with tasks easily
Adults impulsivity also tends to be more about their spending patterns and engaging in risky behaviors such as reckless driving in kids impulsiveness manifests itself as blurting out answers and cutting in line as for how adhd presents in women well that’s a different story there hasn’t been a lot of research into women specifically with adhd so there’s still
A lot of unknowns however what we do know is that women tend to have more mood dysregulation than men and are more likely to be chronically stressed and anxious once a person is found to be showing symptoms and they get diagnosed they can begin treatment treatment involves therapy and medication therapy helps teach those with adhd strategies on how to regulate
Their emotion how to better pay attention and other strategies to cope with issues adhd brings about in addition medication helps correct the neurotransmitter imbalance in a few different ways one way is through alpha agonists like clonidine and guanfacine these medications are normally used to treat high blood pressure but they also help manage adhd symptoms
Through an unknown mechanism of action the second way is through medications like the selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor atomoxetine like their name suggests snris delay the reabsorption of norepinephrine allowing for more to circulate in the brain finally stimulants like ritalin and adderall work by increasing the amount of norepinephrine and dopamine
In the brain acritalin or methylphenidate works by blocking the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain adderall or amphetamine salts work by increasing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine in the brain this seems extremely paradoxical because people with adhd tend to be hyperactive the best way to describe it is that people with adhd are
Trying to make up for their lack of internal stimulation through self-stimulation it’s kind of like drumming your fingers to try and stay awake like i said before though adhd is not all bad it makes you feel deeper have a constant amount of energy and allows for a lot of creativity so at the end of the day adhd can be both a superpower and your greatest enemy
Well this has been 300 seconds of science if you’re looking to learn more science the best way is by subscribing to ztv 300 seconds of science on youtube liking us on facebook following us on twitter and showing us some love on instagram once again this was rachel sullivan reminding you to go out enjoy life and stay curious online or follow us on social media
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Transcribed from video
What Really Is ADHD? | 300 Seconds of Science By ZTV 300 Seconds of Science
