Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity

Jade Chin

[Institutional Affiliation(s)]

Author Note

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity

Dear John,

Hope my mail finds you well. I received your email and would be pleased to offer advice regarding your condition. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder ADHD is a disorder of the brain marked by the individual’s inability to focus their attention span in order to complete a cognitive process or activity in an effective manner before they proceed to another. This can often lead them to take impulsive decisions. The disorder generally originates in the brain impacting it in different ways. Most commonly, individuals with ADHD have lower levels of neurotransmitters generating between their brain’s basal ganglia and the prefrontal cortical area, which regulate noradrenaline and dopamine. Moreover, ADHD adults have lower levels of glutamate levels that impact neurotransmitter function and lead to dysfunctional neural networking in these parts of the brain CITATION Sal14 \l 1033 (Salamanca, 2014). As a result, this can impact your emotions, memory, motivation, and learning. Some of the ways ADHD can affect your learning is the tendency to get frustrated easily by minor annoyances and having trouble calming down when angry or annoyed. It is possible for you to get worried too and take offense even at the mildest criticism. However, there is no reason to worry. Studies of ADHD in adult learners reveal that they do not have problems in short-term memory and can recall instructions, words or digits with the same efficiency as their peers CITATION Bar11 \l 1033 (Barkley & Benton, 2011). Although, it is possible to face difficulty when manipulating or managing that information, or use information to guide behavior.

Students with ADHD are able to focus specifically on tasks that they find engaging or stimulating but find it difficult to attend to mundane tasks. Therefore it is possible for you to jump from one activity to another, become distracted by irrelevant sounds or sights, or become bored too quickly. Commonly, it is impulsivity and hyperactivity that are seen as a cause for concern, however, it is distraction from external events and low-priority tasks is what you should try to manage. It is possible for you to find it difficult to focus in my class during a lecture or during a written task, in which it is possible to zone out. This can also manifest in a tendency to overlook details which can lead to incomplete work or errors. However, studies suggest that conduct problems or impulsivity/hyperactivity are generally not associated with academic problems as are inattentive symptoms.

Although a tendency to have difficulty concentrating on a task for ADHD individuals is well-known, you should know that they also have the tendency to focus extremely well on activities they find rewarding and stimulating. This tendency is also known as hyper-focus, which is in fact, a coping mechanism that Individuals with ADHD employ as a distraction. Hyper-focus can be steered and channeled into productive activities, but it has the potential to get you engrossed into something that may cause you to neglect other responsibilities. Nevertheless, if managed well you can turn this to your advantage. Moreover, to acknowledge and accept that you may react without thinking or rushing through tasks unknowingly will help you cope with the condition. It is important not to be too hard on yourself, and instead, focus on achieving little targets at a time, so as to minimize impulse problems CITATION Bar11 \l 1033 (Barkley & Benton, 2011). When you have ADHD and find yourself having trouble acting in socially appropriate ways, it is possible to start believing that there is something wrong with you. However, this is no cause for concern, because ADHD is not an indicator of capability or intelligence. Although you find experience difficulty in some aspects, but that does not mean that it is not possible for you to achieve success, the key to finding your niche is to capitalize on the strengths you have discovered about yourself.

In the end, I would remind you that ADHD is simply a collection of negative and positive traits that works similar to any other qualities that you may possess. If it brings about impulsivity, then it also has the tendency to bring about enhanced creativity, energy, passion, and a constant flow of ideas. The key is to identify your strengths and then make adjustments to the environment that best support you.

Regards,

Professor

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY Barkley, R., & Benton, C. (2011). Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. New York, NY: Guilford Publications.

Daley, D., & Birchwood, J. (2010). ADHD and academic performance: why does ADHD impact on academic performance and what can be done to support ADHD children in the classroom? Child: Care, Health and Development, 36(4), 455-464. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2214.2009.01046.x

Salamanca, L. M. (2014). Biopsychosocial perspective of ADHD. Open Journal of Epidemiology, 4, 1-6. doi:10.4236/ojepi.2014.41001