Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a disorder that can lead to significant academic, social and psychiatric problems and its negative effects can last a lifetime. The prevalence in the population is very high, 5-7%, and it can start in childhood and continue into adulthood in 60-70% of cases. Treatment approaches include pharmacological treatments, behavioral therapies and educational support. While medication reduces attention and focus problems, therapies help individuals improve their social skills and control their behavior. Family education and support groups also help individuals with ADHD and their families to better understand and manage the condition.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioral disorder. ADHD has 3 different symptom groups. These are attention deficit, impulsivity and hyperactivity. Some patients have active attention deficit symptoms, some have hyperactivity symptoms and some have both impulsivity and hyperactivity symptoms. The diagnosis of impulsivity and hyperactivity in ADHD can be easier than the diagnosis of attention deficit. Impulsivity and hyperactivity are symptoms that go hand in hand. While impulsivity and hyperactivity symptoms may decrease with age, attention deficit may not decrease in the opposite way.
What are the Symptoms of ADHD?
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ADHD is known to have 3 different types of symptoms.
Attention deficit type symptoms of ADHD;
- Difficulty focusing
- Inability to sustain attention
- Not making eye contact
- Not being able to continue in the same activity for a long time
- Getting bored quickly
- Losing sight of the details
- Forgetfulness
- Difficulty listening to the other person
- Losing personal belongings and relics
- Inability to remember simple instructions
- Making frequent mistakes
Symptoms of the hyperactivity type of ADHD;
- Hyperactivity
- Being unable to stay in place
- Constant movement of hands and feet, even when sitting
- Talking fast
- Saying words incorrectly and not connecting sentences
- Difficulty listening
- Interrupting the other person
Symptoms of the impulsivity type of ADHD;
- Wanting and imposing demands to be met immediately
- Being impatient
- Acting without thinking
- Acting in haste
- Not being able to wait in line
- Failure to control reactions
Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder according to DSM 5
*DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders): The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, published by the American Psychiatric Association, which sets criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
- Does not pay attention to details, constantly makes mistakes,
- He has trouble keeping his attention,
- He does not seem to listen,
- Difficulty in following commands,
- He has problems with organization,
- Avoids or dislikes tasks that require intense thinking,
- He loses his belongings,
- Easily distracted,
- Forgets daily tasks.
What Causes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?
ADHD is not caused by attitudinal mistakes of parents or teachers. ADHD is a neurobiological disorder with genetic causes. According to follow-up studies, the causes are as follows;
- The dropout rate of those with ADHD compared to those without ADHD (32-40%),
- University completion rate (5-10%),
- Very few or no friends (50-70%),
- Low performance rate at work (70-80%),
- Involvement in antisocial activities (40-50%),
- Smoking and substance abuse rates are much higher,
- In addition, children who grow up with ADHD are more likely to become pregnant and contract sexually transmitted diseases in adolescence (),
- The rate of depression in adulthood (20-30%),
- The incidence of personality disorders (18-25 percent),
- They are much more likely to misdirect and endanger their lives in various ways.
Despite these serious consequences, studies show that less than half of people with ADHD receive treatment.
ADHD Treatment
If the person with ADHD is a child, the diagnosis should be made by a specialist in child-adolescent psychiatry, and if the person is an adult, the diagnosis of ADHD should be made by a specialist in adult psychiatry. The first step in ADHD treatment is psychoeducation. The first step in the treatment of ADHD is psychoeducation. This involves raising the awareness of the family about the disorder, providing information about what kind of treatment will be followed and what kind of problems will be encountered in the absence of treatment. The age of the patient is important in the treatment of ADHD. If the person being treated is a child or adolescent, the participation of the family in the treatment will contribute positively to the treatment and increase the speed of recovery. At the same time, individuals in the social environment outside the family are also expected to contribute to the treatment. ADHD treatment is done with medication and therapy according to the patient's criteria. In drug treatment, the dosage of the drug should be adjusted by the specialist. Therapies are psychotherapy and psychosocial therapy. ADHD can also be treated with a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
All official child psychiatry clinics in the world and in Turkey agree that ADHD is a neurobiological disorder with genetic causes and that one of the most important options in the treatment of ADHD is drug treatment. Methods such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, neurofeedback, play attention and attention enhancement training, which are applied concurrently with drug treatment, provide rapid onset of action and better recovery rates.
Behavior of People with Hypactivity-Impulsivity Problems
- He cannot stand still; his hands and feet are restless,
- They have trouble sitting in the same place for a long time,
- As a child he runs or climbs, as an adult he is restless,
- He has trouble quietly engaging in something,
- It moves as if the motor is attached or as if climbing a straight wall,
- He talks a lot,
- Before the other person finishes their question, they paste the answer,
- They have trouble with tasks that require waiting or taking turns,
- Interrupts others,
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, children should have 6 or more of the symptoms listed above and at least 5 symptoms after the age of 17. In addition, the occasional occurrence of symptoms is not sufficient for the diagnosis. Symptoms must have manifested themselves in many settings and in large numbers.
