Jenifer’s Shelter Island Journal: Alphabet soup

In the I’ve always been a fidgeter, a hair-twirler, a nail-biter — my foot always bouncing when I’m sitting still.  

An inveterate procrastinator by age 8, by high school my notebooks were 20% notes, 80% doodles, and early on I became aware of my tendency to interrupt myself, in whatever I was saying, with a new thought that might suddenly pop Into my head. In fact, I’ve always thought of myself as a quick study but a slow learner; my teachers labeled me an “under-achiever.” In the 1960’s, my school had “tracks:” one, two and three. I recall now, with morbid fascination, my sophomore year, when I was put in the Track #3 English class. Oh, well.

By my early 20’s, I was a high-energy adult who was either laser-focused or pretty much unfocused, a walking contradiction who, for instance, loved to drive but had no sense of direction. It seems to me that the term “learning disability” didn’t enter the main-stream lexicon until I had kids of my own. I was laser-focused on “motherhood” and very attentive to updates in education. 

Dyslexia was the first disorder of which I became aware. In my understanding, it was a condition in which a child would tend to reverse letters and therefore have difficulty learning to read and write. Fast on the heels of that, came an alphabet soup of disorders: LPD-Language Processing Disorder, NVLD-Non-Verbal Learning Disability, FASD-Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder, etc.

Fortunately, my children were spared those conditions, but by the time I had grandchildren, ADHD — Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder — was near the top of a growing list, a condition that, according to AI, “began making significant news in the 1980s, following its inclusion in the DSM-III (1980) as ‘Attention Deficit Disorder’ (ADD) and subsequent renaming to ADHD in 1987.’” I’m sure I’m not the only parent or grand who has checked the behavior of a child or two against a list of some disorder’s symptoms.  These are the basic ones of ADHD:

• Difficulty paying attention and often getting distracted

• Disorganization and procrastination

• Poor time management, planning, or organization

• Trouble remembering daily tasks

• Frequently losing things or being forgetful in activities

• Frequently interrupting others or being very talkative

• Trouble focusing on a large task or multitasking

• Trouble following instructions or finishing projects

• Difficulty sitting still for long periods and often moving or fidgeting

• Feelings of restlessness and a need for constant activity or stimulation

• Choosing immediate rewards over future rewards or consequences

Obviously, most people can identify with one or two, but prevailing wisdom suggests that if five or six symptoms can be applied, then perhaps further investigation might be called for. Interestingly, school-aged boys were focused on at first — after all, problems with attention, with organization, with sitting still, all seemed very … boyish. Over time, however, it’s been realized that, though symptoms present somewhat differently in girls, they also frequently suffer from the disorder, too.  

When my adult daughter and I first looked over the symptoms, I remember we jokingly quipped that it explained our own behavior. Turns out, it’s no joke. Although a landmark 1994 Time magazine cover recognized the disorder in adults, it’s taken until now to become front and center. 

Recently articles in The Atlantic, The Yale Medical Journal and NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) have all highlighted the toll the disorder can continue to take on undiagnosed adults, especially those 50 and up, as well as the benefits of diagnosis even in the elderly.

According to the NIMH website (nimh.nih.gov) adults with ADHD may experience the following types of symptoms:

• Inattention: Difficulty paying attention, staying on task, or being organized

• Hyperactivity: Excessive activity or restlessness, even at inappropriate times, and difficulty engaging in quiet activities

• Impulsivity: Acting without thinking or having trouble with self-control

Diagnosing ADHD in adulthood is complicated by the need to show symptoms before age 12. For this reason, a diagnosis relies heavily on past reports of behavior. To help diagnose ADHD, a primary care provider or mental health professional may ask to talk to people who know you well, such as a partner, family members, and friends, to learn about your behavior in different situations and during childhood. 

They may look at school reports or other childhood records. It is never too late to seek a diagnosis and treatment for ADHD and any other mental health condition that may occur with it. Effective treatment can make day-to-day life easier for many adults and their families.

You can learn more about getting help on the NIMH website. You can also learn about finding support  and locating mental health services in your area on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website — samhsa.gov/.

Do I have ADHD? At least now I know I might— “Knowledge is power.’