What Is ADHD?

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that impacts executive function, attention, impulsivity, and energy. It influences how people think and experience the world. The disorder first occurs in childhood and continues into adulthood, and is often not diagnosed or misdiagnosed as people age. 

As stated previously, ADHD impacts executive functioning. Executive function skills involve time management, planning ahead, organization, and initiating tasks. When people have ADHD, they struggle in those areas and may have trouble with the demands of daily life, even if they are motivated. These difficulties may cause the individual to feel stressed out, especially when their ADHD interferes with school or work. 

How people experience ADHD varies from person to person, with different people experiencing different symptoms. Someone may struggle with focusing, while another individual struggles with impulsivity, and all the while others may struggle with both. It’s important to understand how someone experiences their ADHD so they can receive the correct treatment for their symptoms. 

Signs of ADHD

There are different signs of ADHD that present differently in different age groups. Listed below are some signs of ADHD in different ages.

Children:

Children with ADHD frequently receive more negative attention and criticism than their peers. So these children can struggle with strong feelings of shame and loneliness, and often will feel inadequate. When your child has ADHD and is struggling with the symptoms, they may also start to withdraw from others, have changes in how much they eat or sleep, stop wanting to go to school, or become disinterested in their hobbies and interests. These symptoms, combined with changes in mood and the potential for aggressive behaviors, can be a lot for a parent to handle. This is when professional help, such as counseling, can be a helpful avenue for your child. 

Teens:

They may struggle with focus and organization, may not complete their school assignments, have trouble overall in school, including an inability to sit still, and often will interrupt others or frequently be speaking.

Adults:

Adults may struggle with ADHD by frequently procrastinating and struggling with being disorganized. Additionally, they may have trouble focusing during important conversations, also struggle with sitting still, and will misplace important items like their keys or cell phone.

Types of ADHD

There are three different subtypes of ADHD. They are the inattentive subtype, hyperactive subtype, and combined subtype.

Inattentive Subtype

This individual doesn’t typically have hyperactivity. Instead, they struggle with paying attention and being organized. They may struggle with small details or maintaining motivation to complete a task. These symptoms affect them at work, school, and also at home.

Hyperactive Subtype

The individual with hyperactive ADHD often will feel restless and impulsive. Additionally, they may struggle to slow themselves down. Some symptoms they may experience could include interrupting people when they are speaking, struggling to not speak, or acting in impulsive ways without considering the consequences of their actions. Again, these symptoms can affect their lives at home, their lives at work, and their lives at school. 

Combined Subtype

The individual with combined subtype of ADHD has both inattentive symptoms and hyperactive symptoms. They can struggle with organizing and focusing, and also may be impulsive or restless.

How I Treat ADHD

Teens and adults with ADHD struggle with immense societal pressure to conform and get things done. As someone with ADHD myself, I know how hard that struggle can be. At my place of work, Oak Hills Counseling Center, I take a careful approach with clients who are experiencing ADHD. I think that, no matter the age, it’s important to work together collaboratively, as therapist and client, to find coping strategies that are favorable and most importantly work for the client. This could involve work on building routines, encouraging mindfulness practices, and building stronger frustration tolerance.

If you are an adult with a late in life diagnosis of ADHD, I am here for you as well. It’s one thing to be dealing with ADHD in your childhood or teenage years and have a name for what is going on. But becoming an adult, and suddenly realizing what has been plaguing you all these years can be a big reality check. I’m here to help you figure out what tools and strategies will help you better manage your ADHD symptoms. I’m also here to help you improve your life overall, so you can thrive without feeling like you’re “falling behind” your peers. 

I should make it clear that I am not a medication provider. I can not prescribe medications for ADHD or any other disorder. However, if we get to a point in our sessions where you are looking to add that to your roster of tools, I am happy to provide you with referrals to medication providers that can help you better manage your symptoms. 

Finally, I think it’s important to mention that ADHD can be a difficult condition to deal with. It can easily and often does impact someone’s life experience, and can cause them to experience other symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. The important thing to remember is, dealing with the ADHD head on can alleviate those feelings of anxiety and depression, by treating emotional regulation.

My Credentials

I am a Professional Counselor Associate and I earned my Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from George Fox University in 2025.

I work at Oak Hills Counseling Center in Tigard, Oregon.

I work under the clinical supervision of Leslie Taylor, MA, LPC

License # C9013