ADHD inattentive type

If you have this type of ADHD, you may notice that you have more inattention symptoms than impulsivity or hyperactivity. At times, you could struggle with impulse control or hyperactivity. However, these aren't the most prominent features of inattentive ADHD. People who have a lot of inattentive behavior:

• omit important details and become easily sidetracked

• quickly become bored

• having difficulty concentrating on a single task

• having a hard time organizing their thoughts and learning new things

• Pencils, papers, or other objects required to complete a task are misplaced.

• don't seem to be paying attention

• They move slowly and look to be daydreaming.

• process information at a slower rate and with less precision than others

• having difficulty following instructions

Girls are more likely than boys to be diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD.

In the 1950s and 1960s, child psychiatrist Leon Eisenberg conducted some of the first stimulant medication experiments on children to reduce hyperactivity. At the time, intensive psychoanalysis was the major treatment option for mental and behavioral difficulties. Eisenberg's research supposedly aimed to make treatment more accessible to families of diverse income levels, with effective and speedy outcomes.

Eisenberg, who passed away in 2009, could never have foreseen how common the use of drugs for such circumstances has become. He openly expressed his concern about the growing number of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis near the end of his life. He also expressed displeasure with the strong link that exists between drug companies and doctors, sparking a debate regarding the dangers of overdiagnosing this once-rare (now-common) ailment. Eisenberg contended in his book, Were We Asleep at the Switch?, that economic interests were determining judgments about people's lives and children's well-being, giving science and society short shrift.

Unfortunately, ADHD is a difficult illness to identify, and as a result, it is frequently overdiagnosed in our society. There is no exact test; instead, a mental health practitioner must check off a certain amount of symptoms and behaviors on a list. Simply said, ADHD is defined as a pattern of hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity—in other words, ADHD can simply be children acting like children. Children with this "disease" are said to fidget more, lose concentration in school, get into fights with their peers, and perform worse academically. Symptoms must be present for at least six months and in a variety of contexts before a diagnosis may be made.

In 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders changed its definition for ADHD, making things even more confusing. This change included increasing the maximum age for some symptoms to show from 7 to 12, as well as lowering the number of symptoms required after the age of 17. As a result, the foundation for establishing whether or not someone has ADHD has widened.

A sharp increase in ADHD diagnoses has occurred in recent years, coinciding with these changes. While the prevalence used to range between three and seven percent, now 11% of all school-aged children in the United States have been diagnosed with ADHD, with 87 percent of those diagnoses leading to prescription drug use. Why aren't we treating symptoms with behavior modification, mindfulness practices, and plain old physical activity instead of prescribing pharmaceuticals?

A stimulant medicine, such as Adderall or Ritalin, is usually prescribed to those who have been diagnosed with ADHD. These stimulants raise dopamine levels in the brain, facilitating feelings of focus and relaxation while also raising the risk of addiction. Despite the fact that ADHD medication was designed to treat severe instances, just 14% of children with the diagnosis fall into this category. Medication for ADHD is a band-aid solution that can lead to long-term negative consequences.

So, what are your options? What about therapies that have no detrimental effects on the body or the mind? Children with ADHD who practiced meditation exhibited improved brain functioning and less symptoms, according to a study published in Mind & Brain, The Journal of Psychiatry. Adults with ADHD showed similar outcomes in trials.

The effect of physical activity on the developing brain has also proven promising: one study found that regular physical activity significantly improved cognitive performance and brain function in children. Diet has been linked to ADHD symptoms on numerous occasions; according to a study conducted by Dr. Lidy Pessler of the ADHD Research Centre in the Netherlands, as many as 64 percent of children diagnosed with ADHD have food sensitivities, and changing their diet will reduce their symptoms more dramatically than medication.