FERNWOOD FITNESS - PULSE eMagazine - Issue#7 - Flipbook - Page 20
What is ADHD?
A琀琀en琀椀on-De昀椀cit Hyperac琀椀vity Disorder (ADHD) is a
neurodevelopmental brain disorder that a昀昀ects both children
and adults. It's characterised by di昀케cul琀椀es in regula琀椀ng a琀琀en琀椀on,
hyperac琀椀vity, and impulsive behaviour. While commonly associated
with children, ADHD persists into adulthood, and its impact on
individuals' lives can be substan琀椀al.
Symptoms of ADHD can vary widely but o昀琀en include:
Inattention
Hyperactivity
Impulsivity
Di昀케culty focusing,
forge琀昀ulness, trouble
organising tasks, or
avoiding tasks that
require sustained
mental e昀昀ort.
Restlessness, 昀椀dge琀椀ng,
impulsiveness,
or di昀케culty
remaining seated.
Interrup琀椀ng others,
di昀케culty wai琀椀ng for
one's turn, blur琀椀ng
out answers, and
making hasty or
impulsive decisions.
While they can be helpful in addressing
symptoms or providing treatment, broad
terms like ‘hyperac琀椀vity’ or ‘ina琀琀en琀椀on’ fall
short of capturing the complexity of ADHD,
as they oversimplify a mul琀椀faceted condi琀椀on
that encompasses a wide range of cogni琀椀ve,
emo琀椀onal, and behavioural challenges, such
as di昀케cul琀椀es in execu琀椀ve func琀椀oning, 琀椀me
management, emo琀椀onal regula琀椀on, and
working memory.
Diagnosing ADHD can be challenging due to
the overlap of symptoms with other condi琀椀ons
and the absence of de昀椀ni琀椀ve medical tests.
Misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis is common,
especially in adults. Addi琀椀onally, cultural
and gender bias can a昀昀ect diagnosis rates,
with women o昀琀en being overlooked due to
their symptoms di昀昀ering from the tradi琀椀onal
stereotype.