• What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
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    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
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  • What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
    • Children and teens with ADHD
    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
    • Think you're an adult with ADHD?
    • Think your child has ADHD?
    • How to get a diagnosis for ADHD >
      • Getting an assessment and diagnosis for ADHD
      • Self screening assessment tool for adults who suspect that they have ADHD​
    • Co-Morbidities
    • FAQs
  • Succeed with ADHD
    • Access ADHD Healthcare Professionals >
      • The Different Types of Healthcare Professionals
    • Managing ADHD >
      • Families living with ADHD
      • ADHD in schools
    • ADHD Medication >
      • ADHD Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication
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​WHAT iS ADHD?

Photo by NDE
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and describes the unique structure of your brain.

A significant number of New Zealanders have ADHD, and for those of you who do, have many positive characteristics which are experienced alongside some challenges.

Researchers who are passionate about ADHD have been helping to increase our knowledge and understanding of what makes ADHD unique. It's now clearly understood that the frontal lobe (prefrontal cortex to be specific) in the ADHD brain develops or mature at a slower rate. Generally, maturing is slowed by approximately three years in developing children and adolescents.

The frontal lobe is responsible for:
  • filtering and controlling attention
  • behaviour
  • emotion
  • energy or motor control 
  • judgement, and
  • executive functioning - which includes your ability to plan and organise.

As the development of the frontal lobe is slower and less matured than "typical" development it means the "neurodevelopmental delay" to the prefrontal cortex makes automatically controlling and filtering attention, behaviours, emotions etc so much harder.

This means your ADHD brain has to work much harder to control aspects that come naturally to others the same age, and this is the nature of the "disordered" part.

It's also the reason why you experience significant fatigue by the end of the school or workday. This doesn't, by any means, make you less than your peers, however, but rather does make you different in terms of your developmental trajectory.

What are the different types of ADHD?

Under the general understanding/diagnosis of ADHD, individuals usually fit into one of three different "subtypes" or groups. This is because even with a diagnosis of ADHD, it's recognised that within ADHD everyone is different. However, there are commonalities that help to provide understanding of the more specific features of each type. 

The ADHD subtypes are:
ADHD predominantly Inattentive
​

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ADHD predominantly
​Hyperactive and Impulsive
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ADHD Combined (both)
​

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Following are characteristics of each subtype.​

Predominantly Inattentive ADHD: 

This subtype tends to be more prevalent in:
  • girls
  • those who have encountered a head injury to the frontal lobe, and
  • those also on the Autistic Spectrum (ASD).

The main characteristics include an under control of attention, focus and concentration. 

Some impulsivity, behavioural and emotional hyperactivity and executive dysfunction are often also experienced but to a much lesser degree.

Predominantly Hyperactive and Impulsive ADHD: 

This is the most well-known subtype of ADHD as childhood hyperactivity (including inappropriately high activity levels such as running, climbing, moving around) is more obvious, as is impulsive actions - which can lead to trouble with authority and peers.

In adolescence and adults, as the brain matures, so too does the control level and the hyperactivity turns from major movement to more minor restlessness and fidgeting.

The main characteristics include an under control of behaviour, activity (hyperactivity is sped up activity levels that are not lessened appropriately in given situations), and acting on impulses without controlling these with thinking before acting.

​Inattentiveness and executive dysfunction are often also present, though generally to a lesser extent.
​
Predominantly Combined ADHD: 

​The main characteristics include an under control of attention, behaviour, activity and impulses. They are all present in fairly equal measures.

​​The common areas affected and behaviours/symptoms of ADHD are:
Inattentive behaviour
Easily distracted
Difficulties maintaining attention/ focus (especially when bored)
Daydreams or off-task
Makes silly mistakes
Trouble switching between tasks, getting lost
Difficulty keeping track or remembering instructions
Vertical Divider
Hyperactive behaviour
Constant activity
Restlessness
​Fidgeting
Difficulty sitting still
Trouble switching off/ sleeping
Talks excessively
Vertical Divider
Impulsive behaviour
Acting without thinking
Interrupting people
Accident-prone as not thinking before doing
Blurts out answers/ secrets
Doesn't mean to do or say all the things done 
​Rushes into things
Vertical Divider
Emotional impulsivity
Big, raw and sudden emotions
Once calm it's over and as though nothing happened
Easily upset, angry or afraid
Easily frustrated or annoyed
Hard to calm down
​Self-soothing is difficult
Vertical Divider
Executive functioning
Losing things
​Not knowing what they're doing and when
​Trouble organising thoughts onto paper
​Poor sense of time
​Often late
​Doesn't mentally rehearse before entering new situations

Important facts about ADHD

Each of you will vary in the type, number, frequency and severity of your ADHD behaviour/symptoms. To determine if you, or someone you know, has ADHD and to get the best treatment, a specialist Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist (but not an Educational Psychologist) assessment is needed. A list of healthcare professional providers can be found here.
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ADHD is real 
  • ​It's a neurodevelopmental delay in a particular, specific part of the brain that 's responsible for filtering and control.
  • It's not wilful naughtiness or laziness.
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ADHD has nothing to do with your intelligence
  • Just as there are differing levels of intelligence across the general population, there are differing levels of intelligence in people with ADHD.
  • The delays only affect the prefrontal cortex (a small part!) of your brain. You're as intelligent as you were going to be according to your genes and environment, and irrespective of having ADHD neurodevelopmental delays.
Blue arrow pointing right
There's less stigma and more support for ADHD
  • How the public, families and professionals have understood ADHD has changed across the generations. There is much less stigma around getting an assessment and support for ADHD.
  • More and more people are getting assessed and diagnosed with ADHD than ever before, and the highest proportion is in adults. Often, these are parents who have had their child assessed and realise they too experience the behaviours/symptoms. 
  • Adult ADHD adulthood often means access to understanding yourself in new and non-judgmental ways that allow for support structures to help you to adapt to different situations, relationships, workplace requirements and life stages.
Blue arrow pointing right
Having ADHD also means that you have immense strengths
  • These include being energetic, enthusiastic, creative, highly intuitive, sensitive and fun. You're also more likely to become experts in your field.
  • Parents, teachers, employers, colleagues, partners and friends who understand, are supporting, and helping you to manage ADHD, by capturing and enhancing your strengths are your allied champions! They know that ADHD is different but not less!
For more information have a look at our ADHD FAQs, find a healthcare professional, check out supporting organisations or contact us.

ADHD is more common than you think
ADHD is more common than you think
Have you got ADHD?
Have you got ADHD?
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Find out what happened during our October Awareness Month 2021 
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What's ADHD?

Adults with ADHD
​Children and teens with ADHD
​ADHD is more common than you think
Why it's good to have ADHD

Have you got ADHD?

Think you're an adult with ADHD?
Think your child has ADHD?
How to get a diagnosis for ADHD

Getting an assessment and diagnosis of ADHD
Self-screening tool for adults with ADHD
Co-morbidities
​
FAQs

Succeed with ADHD

Find healthcare professionals near you
The different types of healthcare professionals
Managing ADHD
Families living with ADHD
ADHD in schools
​
ADHD medication
ADHD stimulant medication
ADHD non-stimulant medication
ADHD anti-depressant medication

Get support from other organisations
Become a member of ADHD NZ's community
ADHD Wellington
ADHD events and promotions
Vlogs, blogs and ADHD NZ in the media

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Contact us
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​Ambassador

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Content on ADHD.org.nz is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 International License.​
Picture
  • What is ADHD?
    • Adults with ADHD
    • Children and teens with ADHD
    • ADHD is more common than you think
    • Why it's good to have ADHD
  • Have you got ADHD?
    • Think you're an adult with ADHD?
    • Think your child has ADHD?
    • How to get a diagnosis for ADHD >
      • Getting an assessment and diagnosis for ADHD
      • Self screening assessment tool for adults who suspect that they have ADHD​
    • Co-Morbidities
    • FAQs
  • Succeed with ADHD
    • Access ADHD Healthcare Professionals >
      • The Different Types of Healthcare Professionals
    • Managing ADHD >
      • Families living with ADHD
      • ADHD in schools
    • ADHD Medication >
      • ADHD Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Non-Stimulant Medication
      • ADHD Anti-Depressant Medication
    • ADHD Support Organisations
    • Become a member of ADHD NZ's community >
      • ADHD Wellington
      • Events and promotions
      • Vlogs, blogs and ADHD news
  • About Us
    • Our People
    • Help Us By Volunteering
    • Contact Us
    • Sponsors
    • ADHD Ambassador