Key Symptoms of ADD and ADHD and What to Look Out For

There was a time when disorders like ADD and ADHD were once thought of as afflictions that only affected the young, something that children would eventually grow out of. ADHD, originally called hyperkinetic reaction of childhood, wasn't formally recognized as a mental disorder by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) until the 1960s and it wasn't until the 1980s that it was changed to attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity.

For those diagnosed with ADHD in the 1990s or before, there was a distinction between ADD and ADHD. Previously, ADD was considered to be similar to ADHD but without the hyperactivity. Additional research has been done since then and ADD is now considered an outdated term since ADHD can present itself in many different ways depending on a person's age, gender, and other factors.

There are several different types of ADHD, depending on which symptoms are most prominent. These types are primarily inattentive ADHD, hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, and combined type ADHD. ADHD is a problem in the brain caused by a low level of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in your brain that plays a significant role in things like attention, movement, and motivation.

Since those with ADHD have a dopamine deficiency, this often leads to frequent movement and fidgeting, struggling to concentrate, and a lack of motivation. With the current medication shortages across the country, the lives of those being treated for ADHD have been significantly impacted, and the number of people being diagnosed with ADHD is on the rise, particularly among women.

To create this list of key symptoms of ADD and ADHD and what to look out for, 24/7 Tempo consulted several sources including Child Mind Institute, Healthline, and Cleveland Clinic. We also consulted several studies on how ADHD presents itself in different people. Here are 15 common symptoms of ADHD. (After this article, check out How to Tell the Difference Between Anxiety and Depression.)

Hyperactivity is one of the most common symptoms of ADHD, especially when it comes to diagnosing children. Those with hyperactivity are constantly moving, have a hard time sitting still, and are often described as seemingly being "run by a motor."

Although girls with ADHD can also be hyperactive, boys are more likely to display hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. This is one of the reasons why boys are diagnosed with ADHD more frequently.

ADHD often leads to impulsive decision-making, or making decisions without thinking through the consequences. Those with ADHD are more likely to make risky decisions without weighing the potential impact of their choices.

Due to the low level of dopamine in the brain of someone with ADHD, they often seek out ways to make up for the lack of dopamine. However, they have a hard time thinking through the long-term consequences of these actions.

Hyperactivity in children or adults with ADHD doesn't always look like running or jumping around. Sometimes it can look like fidgeting or squirming in their seat. Some children or adults with ADHD develop habits such as biting their nails or picking at their skin.

Although fidget toys have become popular among children in general, these types of toys were designed to help those with ADHD, autism, or other sensory disorders to focus and reduce their anxiety.

Those with ADHD often have a shorter attention span than those without this disability. Since children generally struggle to stick with one task for long periods, this symptom is especially prevalent in children. Children with ADHD will easily become bored and distracted when working on a task they're not interested in.

It's much easier for someone with ADHD to pay attention to something they're interested in, but they struggle to focus on tasks they don't enjoy.

Another symptom of ADHD is excessive talking due to impulsivity and hyperactivity. Children and adults with ADHD may start talking about a topic they're passionate about without realizing how long they're talking for.

Excessive talking is especially prevalent in girls with ADHD. While boys are more likely to be physically active and have trouble sitting still, girls with ADHD are more likely to talk excessively. However, excessive talking can be a symptom for boys or girls with this disability.

The impulsivity also leads individuals with ADHD to interrupt conversations. For those with ADHD, the thoughts in their brain are moving faster than the conversation which can lead to them blurting out a thought in their head while someone else is talking.

Sometimes interruptions are also caused by a fear of forgetting. Someone with ADHD might interrupt so they don't forget what they are going to say.

While it's difficult for those with ADHD to focus on things they don't enjoy, they can concentrate on tasks that are interesting to them. They sometimes even experience a period of intense concentration known as hyperfocus.

Hyperfocus is when someone with ADHD intensely concentrates on something they enjoy or they're passionate about. When they are hyperfocusing on something, it can be difficult to pull them away from that task.

ADHD is often diagnosed in school-age children because of how they act in a classroom setting. Traditional classroom settings are challenging for students with ADHD because they're expected to sit still for long periods.

One of the symptoms that children with ADHD may present in the classroom or other locations is running or climbing in situations where it's not appropriate. Most children will run and play when they get to the playground, but children with ADHD may struggle with running, jumping, and climbing indoors when they're supposed to be sitting still.

Forgetfulness is another common symptom. While we all forget to do certain tasks at times, those with ADHD struggle to remember even routine tasks. For children, this might look like forgetting to brush their teeth or wash their hands.

For adults, it might look like forgetting to pay a bill or run an errand. Some scientists believe forgetfulness related to ADHD is caused by the differences in the brain of a person with ADHD and which parts of the brain are activated.

The forgetfulness or memory loss that often comes along with ADHD can also lead to misplacing items. Someone with ADHD may put their phone or keys down and completely forget where they put them.

While this symptom is common for many people, those with ADHD may find they commonly lose items throughout the day and struggle to come up with a system to prevent this.

Dopamine in the brain significantly impacts both motivation and the level of interest someone has in a certain task. Since those with ADHD have low levels of dopamine, it's challenging for them to focus on things they're already uninterested in.

While someone who doesn't understand the disability might tell them to just focus, individuals with ADHD are unable to activate the part of their brain that would allow them to push through a difficult task.

Disorganization is another common symptom of ADHD. Although those with ADHD need some sort of structure to be successful, they also struggle to keep things organized and come up with a system that works for them.

For these individuals, it's difficult for them to plan ahead, which also makes it difficult to create a functional system of organization.

Since those with ADHD struggle to focus on tasks they're not interested in, this can lead to making careless mistakes. These mistakes can be related to school work or tasks in the workplace for those with adult ADHD.

When they're not able to give their full attention to a task, it's easy to make mistakes that might not have happened if they were hyper-focused on a task they enjoyed.

Following through with tasks and projects is another struggle for those with ADHD. They might start a project but stop in the middle of it without ever following through.

This is often attributed to laziness or lack of willpower. However, it's important to remember that those with ADHD have an actual deficiency and even simple tasks are far more challenging for them to complete.

Individuals with ADHD also struggle to stay on task when working on something. This is especially true if they're working on something that requires a lot of mental effort.

Even the smallest distraction can completely derail someone with ADHD. This is also why they can become frustrated when they're interrupted if they're working on a specific task. (Next, don't miss Warning Signs That Your Health Is in Trouble.)