We always hear these terms... "Oh, sorry I'm ADD..." "Let me do it, I have OCD.." "I can't focus. I have ADHD..." Do you really know what these terms mean? Well, that's today's topic! Let's get started!
If you were to ask someone, what is ADHD? What is the most common answer, do you think? I asked some friends and family, and the most common answer was hyperactivity. That answer is partly right. ADHD is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. ADHD's key symptoms are severe inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Typically, kids with ADHD have a very hard time in a school setting, because they can't sit still and stop talking. I've had an experience with a child who has this and it is very frustrating. The child is constantly moving, talking, asking questions, asked to stop talking over and over, told what to do over and over. I don't understand how teachers deal with students like that on a daily basis.
ADHD is diagnosed three times more often in boys than in girls. It is more common for African American children to be sent for ADHD assessment over Caucasian children (on behalf of a teacher's recommendation). However, African American youth are less likely to be diagnosed with ADHD.
It can be difficult to diagnose children with ADHD because honestly, sometimes it is a kid being a kid. Kids can be hyper at times and can have times of not wanting to focus. There is a difference in those children and consistently hyper children.
Also, I want to mention that ADD is actually an old-time term that used to be used before ADHD was researched. Those who were diagnosed with ADD before ADHD would actually associate themselves with the diagnosis of ADHD, predominately inattentive type.
(I was going to find a video of an ADHD child, but no clear cut videos have been posted)
The other diagnosis I want to touch on today is OCD. In preparation, I asked my family if they knew what OCD was. They answered that someone with OCD can be very particular about how things have to be done. I know what they're trying to get it, but let's get a more accurate description.
OCD is known as obsessive compulsive disorder. OCD causes severe anxiety and guilt in those affected. I have firsthand experience with this. I was diagnosed with OCD a few years ago. I've dealt with recurring bouts of sadness and self-harm in the past year or so (I will talk more about that with my depression blog). With OCD, though, imagine that you think something very sad at the beginning of the day. Then, through the whole day, you can't stop being sad and thinking about how sad you are. You go to bed with that sad thought, and when you wake up, it's still there. Constantly there, always recurring and making you sad. That is one part of OCD. The other part of OCD is compulsions. This is a repetitive behavior or thought much like the sadness that I felt. I dealt with a compulsion of hitting my head with my fist over and over and over until I was in tears from pain. The other compulsion I had was a statement that I had to beg of my mom. For some reason, my brain was telling me that my mom hated me. Obviously not true, I love my mom very much. However, I couldn't leave the subject of my mom hating me alone. This frustrated and saddened my mom, too. She couldn't control me when I was trying to hit myself, but also it was hard for her not to get frustrated when I asked her 50 times in 5 minutes if she hated me. I couldn't help myself.
At this time, I was already seeing a psychiatrist who also acted as my psychologist. We were trying to find a good drug cocktail to control my compulsions (which thank god we did). Today, I am under control, completely happy and normal.
I would never wish OCD on anybody because of what it can do to your relationships with friends and family.
So, today you learned a little bit more about me personally. I hope if you have someone who exhibits either behaviors of ADHD or OCD, that you can get them the help they need.
Thanks for reading! Check back next time!
References
What is ADHD or ADD? (n.d.). Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://www.help4adhd.org/en/about/what
What is OCD? (2014, April 28). Retrieved April 26, 2015, from http://iocdf.org/about-ocd/
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