What can ADHD be mistaken for?

What is commonly misdiagnosed as ADHD?

Bipolar disorder is a condition that is also sometimes misdiagnosed as ADHD. Bipolar disorder can cause impulsivity, irritability, and distractibility, similar to ADHD symptoms.

Can ADHD symptoms be something else?

Substance Misuse

9 A person who is misusing drugs and/or alcohol can also have behavioral symptoms that mimic ADHD. Those symptoms can include difficulty concentrating, problems with memory, restlessness, irritability, talkativeness, sleep problems, moodiness, and academic or work difficulties.

What personality disorder is similar to ADHD?

Several features of borderline personality disorder overlap with those of ADHD such as a chronic course, emotional instability, impulsivity and risk taking behaviors, and disturbed interpersonal relationships.

What is adult ADHD confused with?

ADHD misdiagnosis stories are all too common. Particularly among adults, symptoms like rejection sensitivity, poor focus, and stress are diagnosed as depression, anxiety, and even bipolar disorder.

Most People Mistake These for ADHD | MedCircle

Do I have ADHD or am I just weird?

The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor. That's because the disorder has several possible symptoms, and they can easily be confused with those of other conditions, such as depression or anxiety. Everyone misplaces car keys or jackets once in a while. But this kind of thing happens often when you have ADHD.

Could my adult ADHD diagnosis be wrong?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, misdiagnosis can happen because many of its symptoms overlap with those of other conditions. The symptoms of ADHD — such as difficulty concentrating, restlessness, and finding it hard to respond to instructions — can all arise from a wide variety of causes.

What personality type do most ADHD people have?

All children with a verified diagnosis of ADHD seen by the psychologist were enrolled (n = 117). Children were mostly male (78%), with a median age of 10 (interquartile range [IQR] 8 – 12), and were in the 4^th grade (IQR 3 – 6). The most common 4-type personality indicator was ISFJ (Table 1).

Can ADHD be misdiagnosed?

ADHD is not overdiagnosed, but it may be often misdiagnosed. Sometimes people think ADHD is overdiagnosed because diagnoses have increased over time. It could be true that some diagnosed people do not really have ADHD. There are college students who fake ADHD to get medications that help them study faster.

Is ADHD on the spectrum?

Experts now consider ADHD to be on a spectrum, as each person can experience varying levels of symptom severity. There are also different types of ADHD, which cause different types of symptoms. When diagnosing ADHD, a doctor will use set criteria to determine the type and severity of ADHD.

Can brain scans show ADHD?

Brain MRI is a new and experimental tool in the world of ADHD research. Though brain scans cannot yet reliably diagnose ADHD, some scientists are using them to identify environmental and prenatal factors that affect symptoms, and to better understand how stimulant medications trigger symptom control vs. side effects.

What do ADHD mood swings look like?

Symptoms of ADHD Mood Swings

Switching from excited one moment to sad, angry, or anxious the next. Fluctuating between having trouble paying attention and hyperfocusing on an activity. Having bursts of energy and fatigue through the day. Feeling emotions intensely and having difficulty regulating them.

What not to say to someone with ADHD?

What happens if ADHD is left untreated?

If left untreated, ADHD can lead to problems with productivity, interpersonal relationships, and further mental health problems. Untreated ADHD in adults can also lead to problems with anxiety, depression, and substance abuse.

What is the most misdiagnosed mental illness?

Statistics on Misdiagnosis in Mental Health

In this sample of patients, researchers found that schizoaffective disorder was the most misdiagnosed condition (75 percent of cases), followed by major depressive disorder (54.72 percent), schizophrenia (23.71 percent), and bipolar disorder (17.78 percent).

Can ADHD symptoms come and go?

However, the short follow-up periods of many studies miss what doctors see in practice. Many adults continue to have ADHD limitations and symptoms that come and go. Growing evidence points to ADHD following a relapsing/remitting cycle, with periods of mild to no symptoms, followed by periods of noticeable symptoms.

Do ADHD people have high IQ?

If you have ADHD, you can have any level of intelligence. Your IQ might range from an intellectual disability to typical or above. Brain scans reveal differences in the brain changes associated with ADHD versus intelligence, and that these changes exist independently from each other.

Do people with ADHD have average IQ?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with lower than average intelligence quotient (IQ) scores. However, research done on this disorder often excludes participants based on lower than average IQ's (i.e., between 70 and 85).

Why are so many adults now being diagnosed with ADHD?

There are hypotheses that explain the growing prevalence of the adult condition, including greater awareness and previously missed diagnoses. But one understudied environmental factor may be technology-related ADHD.

How do doctors rule out ADHD?

There is no single test that can show if an individual has ADHD. Doctors typically use a combination of physical exams, behavioral testing, and questionnaires. Although it has no cure, treatment can reduce ADHD symptoms and help people with daily functioning.

What are the texting habits of ADHD?

ADHD and texting

forgetting about information from previous texts. sending incomplete messages. sending multiple messages in a short space of time. impulsive texting, which could involve flirtatious texts, inappropriate questions, or changing topics.

Is ADHD real or am I just lazy?

It's a myth that ADHD is just being “lazy” when in fact, it is a neurodevelopmental disorder and can be managed.

What aggravates ADHD?