5 Common Symptoms of ADHD

Here is a list of things that are normal for people with ADHD. Hopefully this list will help people with ADHD feel better about themselves, and people who don't have ADHD understand their friends and loved ones better.

1. Feeling Lazy

People with attention disorders often feel lazy or unproductive, when in reality, they just can't focus on the task they're trying to complete. If there is other stimulants around that could distract you, like your phone, your friends, a video game, or even just your own thoughts, it can be difficult to keep your focus on the task at hand. People with an AD sometimes beat themselves up over feeling unproductive, or because they've been called lazy. Personally, it took me a long time to realize that I wasn't lazy, and I just had ADHD.

2. Bad Memory

Having a bad short term memory, or frequently misplacing items is another hallmark of attention disorders. People with attention problems, especially ADHD, often forget and lose things because of how often their brains jump around from topic to topic. When your thoughts are moving a mile a minute, it's hard to remember that your phone is where you put it two seconds ago, let alone what your friend just said to you. Remember to have grace with AD people, and accept that you're probably going to have to repeat yourself a couple times before something sticks. And if you have an AD, the notes app is your new best friend! If you need to remember something important, just quickly right it down. If you do this enough, then every time you feel like you're forgetting something or you've lost something, just open your notes app and see what you wrote down.

3. Poor Task Management

Task management can be anything from a work project, a homework assignments, or even replying to an email. Your life can feel extremely chaotic when you can't focus. Even adding a small task can feel overwhelming. A helpful solution to this problem is to break the task into smaller, and more manageable chunks, so the task seems less daunting or impossible.

4. Being Late

People say ADHD is never on time, and while this isn't true for everyone, it is very common. This doesn't just mean showing up late to work or school, but also handing in assignments, or returning someone's call. You are so easily distracted with ADHD, that time doesn't move the same way. If you keep telling yourself that your just going to do one more thing, or give yourself five more minutes, it often turns into nine more things, and thirty more minutes. You could also being experiencing the symptom called 'time blindness'. This means that your perception of time is altered and you often can't tell how much time has passed from one point to another. Personally, setting labeled alarms is very helpful and keeps me on a more steady schedule.

5. Impulsive Behavior

Impulsive behavior is another common AD trait, and it could also be affecting your time management. Everyone experiences impulses, but people with ADHD usually act on them more frequently. This can affect your timeliness by distracting you from when you have to leave. Like if you are on your way to work, but you suddenly notice the kitchen sink has some dirty dishes in it and you just need to clean them up really quick. You only realize that you missed the bus when the last dish is done.

It's not all negatives though! Living with ADHD can make you resilient from years of navigating through these problems and finding solutions that are unique to you. Having to think of new ways to solve your problems also makes people with ADHD more creative, and particularly good problem solvers (from all the years of experience). ADHD may also give you a leg up in physical activities and sports, where you can chanel your hyperactivity better. Lastly, people with ADHD are often more adventurous and courageous because of their impulsiveness. Spontaneous decisions can lead to fun situations, while also making you feel brave because you're thinking in the moment, and not about all the consequences of your actions.

Remember that not everyone with an attention disorder experiences the same symptoms or functions the same way. These are just some of the most common ways it affects peoples lives. It is important to always have grace with yourself and others experiencing these things, and be sure to ask yourself, am I lazy, or is it just ADHD?