Signs You Have ADHD & Aren’t ‘Stupid’
We have all experienced moments in life where people called us ‘stupid’, ‘dumb’, or other harsh words. Sometimes people may say it so often that you might even end up believing them even though deep down you know that you are far from ‘stupid’. They may have pointed out some of your personality traits and made you feel self-conscious or insecure but there may be a lot more to why some specific traits of yours may be different from that of your peers.
In today’s article let’s take a look at some signs that you have ADHD and arent ‘stupid’.
Your mind is always 2 steps ahead.
Have you ever found yourself on your way to finish a task but suddenly glance at an unfinished project around you and instantly shift your focus?
Did you find a blank page saying “remember ___” but next to it you’ve doodled something that doesn’t exactly belong under your ‘remember’ sections?
Inattention and lack of focus are the most common symptoms of ADHD. This could be due to a change in your brain chemistry.
According to research, people with ADHD have reduced levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, two neurotransmitters concerned with attention and focus in the brain.
So the next time someone calls you “stupid” for forgetting about an assignment or not remembering the topic of conversation, remind yourself that you are not stupid; in fact, you have so many wonderful and brilliant ideas that your brain takes a little extra love and care to keep up with them.
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You don’t always remember what you were ‘supposed to’.
Do you remember the time you just got introduced to someone and had a lovely conversation with them until suddenly no matter how hard you tried you couldn’t remember their name? Or perhaps you were on your way to a grocery store but saw an adorable puppy, played with it, and returned empty-handed?
Persons with ADHD perceive and process information in a different way than neurotypical people. An individual with ADHD may notice that forgetfulness is more frequent and that tasks requiring short-term memory are more difficult. ADHD can also affect how well your long-term memory works.
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You tend to focus on ‘minor’ details that most people won’t even notice.
Do you find yourself spending countless hours looking up details of ‘minor’ things that most people would fail to acknowledge? Do you find yourself feeling completely engrossed in the things that interest you?
Most people may not know this but hyperfocus is a common symptom of ADHD. Hyperfocus refers to a state of profound and intense concentration. ADHD is a disorder regulating one’s attention span to desired tasks, not necessarily a lack of attention. As a result, although some things are difficult to concentrate on, others are absolutely absorbing.
A person with ADHD can become so absorbed in something that they lose track of everything else going on around them.
It’s much simpler to lose track of time and disregard those around you when you’re focused like this. This might lead to misconceptions in relationships.
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People think you are ‘extra’
Do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with emotions? Perhaps the honk of a car terrifies you or a small present makes you burst into tears because you feel deep gratitude towards the gift-giver? Do people point this out and question your reactions to things whilst laughing at you and calling you ‘stupid’, ‘quirky’, ‘weird’, or another unacceptable term?
In both pleasant and unpleasant situations, people with ADHD experience heightened magnified emotions. It’s not rare for people with ADHD to be physiologically hypersensitive to touch, sound, light, and even textures such as garment tags, gravel, etc.
Research suggests that many persons with ADHD struggle with emotional regulation, as demonstrated by symptoms such as low frustration tolerance, impulsivity, temper outbursts, and major mood swings.
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It may be hard for you to cope with ADHD when you are initially diagnosed with it. However, as time goes by you learn to overcome the difficulties.
Several treatments are available to assist you in managing ADHD. If you resonate with several of the above-mentioned scenarios maybe you could schedule an appointment with your doctor and they can assist you in finding the right support. There are available treatment options to help children, adolescents, as well as adults with ADHD, find the needed support they may need.
References:
Reed Brice (July 18, 2019). A User’s Guide: 4 Signs That It’s ADHD, Not ‘Quirkiness’. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from;
https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/4-signs-adhd-or-quirky
Hope Gillette (June 23, 2021). Tips on How to Focus With ADHD. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from;
https://psychcentral.com/adhd/adhd-tips-to-fire-up-your-focus#why-i-cant-focus
Kathryn Watson on (August 14, 2021). ADHD and Memory: What to Know. Retrieved January 30, 2022, from;
https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/adhd-memory#adhd-and-memory
Philip Shaw, Argyris Stringaris, Joel Nigg, and Ellen Leibenluft. Emotional dysregulation and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from;
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282137/
Healthline Editorial Team and Rena Goldman (February 9, 2021). 14 Adult ADHD Symptoms. Retrieved January 31, 2022, from;
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