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Also see our Testing/Assessment section.What is Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
 Although, no two people with ADHD have the exact same cluster of symptoms, difficulties with attention, impulsivity, disorganization, or hyperactivity characterize the disorder. ADHD can be classified by three types: Primarily Inattentive Type, Primarily Hyperactive Type, and Combined Type.
It was once believed that ADHD or ADD went away after adolescence or adulthood. However, research has shown that 50% or more children with ADHD / ADD continue to show signs of the disorder in their adulthood. Signs include not seeming to listen, trouble staying on tasks to completion, forgetting daily errands, misplacing things, and disorganization. Impulsivity, such as impatience or acting without thinking ahead, is often present. Hyperactivity or difficulty sitting calmly or having a sense of restlessless may be present, although, this is not necessary to have ADHD. Intelligence is unrelated to ADHD, although, the disorder does interfere with learning and can make meeting job demands difficult.
How Counseling Can Help
Although there is no cure for ADHD, there are ways to manage it. While medication can be beneficial, others prefer counseling to better understand the disorder and learn organizational, memory, and other coping skills.
For adolescents and adults with ADHD / ADD, difficulties in organization, time-management, and planning make life stressful. Symptoms of the disorder can affect work performance and impair relationships with peers, supervisors, and loved ones. Problems in these areas sometimes relate to anxiety or depressed mood, as well. In counseling, clients learn more about ADHD / ADD and in what types of social, work, or academic situations it may play a role. Clients learn and practice time-management techniques and coping skills to help increase efficiency, meet goals, and improve relationships. In addition, therapy can help deal with depressive or anxious feelings or self-esteem issues, which often accompany ADHD / ADD (See the link for Therapy at the top of this page). |
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