If you are looking for a direct answer, it is a no. ADHD (Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder in which abnormalities occur in some parts of the brain, such as the gray matter, the basal ganglia, and the cerebellum. So, video games cannot affect these already existing deformities.
However, there is a relationship between ADHD and video games since people with ADHD are more addicted to video gaming and those with more intense symptoms of ADHD have higher levels of addiction.
Technology is on the rise, and children get exposed to video games even as toddlers. 91% of the children aged from 2 to 17 play video games. Nowadays, developers and manufacturers are creating games targeting young children and toddlers. Furthermore, more than 30% of children have used a tablet before age 2.
Data from 2016 to 2019 shows that 6 million children aged from 3 to 17 were diagnosed with ADHD. A study conducted in 2021 found children show addictive attitudes toward video games. The study also concluded a significant correlation between ADHD and video game addiction. Children with more severe ADHD symptoms had greater levels of addiction.
People with ADHD live on two extremes. Either they are extremely fidgety, show excessive movements, or cannot stay focused on one thing. Or they get hyper-focused in a state of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Video games grasp your attention for smaller periods and do not allow you to divert your focus onto something else.
We discuss the many different aspects of ADHD and how video gaming may influence them.
When children with ADHD get into hyperfocus mode, they cannot think about anything else and divert all their attention to the thing at hand. Such children exhibit hyper-focused behavior when playing video games. They can be so hyper-focused that they don’t even hear someone if their name gets called out.
Studies conducted on 3000 children show that children who did more gaming showed high rates of impulsiveness and had smaller attention spans.
Video games are a source of instant gratification and satisfaction for children with ADHD. Video games offer rewards in the form of money, unlocking new levels and new costumes, etc. They allow children to fulfill a goal and move on to the next. It gives them a sense of accomplishment where they achieve something of their own accord and simultaneously escape reality.
Children with ADHD struggle to socialize with others. They find it hard to communicate, wait for their turn, share, get bored and distracted and lose track of a conversation. As such, they find it hard to make long-lasting friendships. Video games allow children with ADHD to make online friends and long-lasting friendships.
Winning a video game also helps boost the confidence of such children, and without these games, the children start to feel aimless. However, winning a game gives them a sense of invincibility and that they cannot get overpowered, which makes the children enter into a never-ending cycle of playing games and winning.
Since ADHD makes people lose focus and impairs their ability to control movement when performing any motor task, children with ADHD may find difficulty playing physical games. Video games allow such people to compete but differently.
It may be embarrassing to lose focus in a crowd of people and fail to throw the ball into the net. However, children do not feel scared that someone will judge them when playing a video game. If they make a mistake, it stays hidden from the outer world, between their computer and them.
Similarly, video games are not checked by teachers. If the child loses a game, it’s not a big deal, as they can retry multiple times and get their record right. In a way, several attempts also help them master the game without anyone judging or bullying them.
Dopamine is a chemical substance that gives you pleasure. Children with ADHD have low levels of dopamine in their brains. For example, at higher altitudes, dopamine levels are naturally high, which is why the symptoms of ADHD are lesser. Gaming allows children with ADHD to feel pleasure despite low levels of dopamine. As a result, such children self-medicate and feel better.
Oftentimes, children’s video gaming allows peace and solace to parents. Parents having children with ADHD need even more peace as they seldom get it because of the hyperactive nature of their children. The kids get distracted and do not show actions of inattentiveness while being inactive physically. However, such parents must be careful that their children do not get a gaming disorder on top of ADHD. To do this, parents must take strict action and consult with specialists.
Parents should set certain limits to video gaming and also enforce them. Children with ADHD tend to hyperfocus, get too involved to notice the time fly by, and lack organizational skills. Parents need to analyze their children, their levels of ADHD, how addicted they are to gaming, the type of video games their children like to play, and the environment at their house.
Many online guides may help parents develop the best set of rules. Parents should set rules and explain to their children the importance of implementing and neglecting these rules.
They can make a reward system; for example, if they help you with chores, they will be gifted thirty minutes of game time. Parents can ensure full control by taking their devices and reminding their children of the time limit when handing them the device—also, setting a visible timer so children cannot complain later.
Cutting down on time spent playing video games means that children have more time at hand, so parents need to find other alternatives to keep their children engaged. Physical activities such as outdoor sports help with ADHD symptoms and thinking capabilities.
Since ADHD symptoms of inattentiveness may prove as disadvantageous for group activities, parents should look for sporting activities that require individual focus. Such activities include sports like gymming, swimming, and golf. Other non-sporting but also non-competitive activities include drama and arts and crafts.
Around 3 in 4 children in the United States receive treatment for ADHD. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports that people exposed to electronic devices are twice as likely to exhibit symptoms of ADHD as compared to those who play video games less often.
Remember that although video gaming does not cause ADHD, there is a relationship between ADHD and video games. If your child shows symptoms, get your kid checked as soon as possible.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 6.1 million children in the US were diagnosed with ADHD in 2016. ADHD symptoms might differ from person to person, but they frequently involve focus, attention, and impulse control issues. Although the exact etiology of ADHD is unknown, experts think that genetics, particular environmental variables, and brain alterations may contribute to its onset. Additionally, the function of neurotransmitters like dopamine has been studied. In this blog, we go through the connection between dopamine and ADHD. We also discuss further consequences of low dopamine levels and available ADHD therapies.
About 2.5% of adults, according to the American Psychiatric Association, are thought to have ADHD. People who do have ADHD often have a harder time focusing than those who do not. Additionally, they could behave more hastily than their other classmates. They could find it challenging to perform effectively in their other pursuits, at work or at school, as a result.
The cause of ADHD is probably a combination of multiple factors. As per the National Institute of Mental Health, risk factors for ADHD may include the following:
Researchers have been examining the link between dopamine and ADHD and how dopamine contributes to the development of ADHD. A particular kind of neurotransmitter, dopamine, serves many crucial roles in the body and brain. Dopamine levels are linked to many mental and neurological conditions, including Parkinson’s disease.
A person’s mood, attentiveness, motivation, and activity may all be influenced by dopamine levels. Dopamine also governs the brain’s reward system, with brain dopamine levels rising during enjoyable activities like eating or having intercourse. Initially, experts thought that low dopamine levels were the cause of ADHD, but they have now recognized that the connection is a little more complex.
Dopamine transporters may be more prevalent in the brains of people with ADHD. These transporters deplete brain cells of dopamine. Dopamine has less time to act when multiple transporters are in one brain region because they move too rapidly. Lower serotonin and norepinephrine levels may also have a role in ADHD development alongside dopamine.
Scientists have researched the relationship between dopamine transporters and the symptoms of ADHD. However, additional evidence suggests that anatomical changes in the brain may contribute to ADHD. Experts say that the motor cortex is the area of the brain that regulates voluntary movement and where there is a gene that typically increases the function of dopamine transporters, which is inhibited by medications that increase the amount of dopamine in the brain.
The fundamental cause of ADHD is probably a problem with the brain. Although the specific origin of ADHD is unknown, several researchers have investigated the role that the neurotransmitter dopamine may possess in a potential contribution to ADHD. Dopamine enables us to control our emotional reactions and take some action to obtain particular rewards. Pleasure and rewarding emotions are caused by it.
Scientists have shown that dopamine levels in patients with ADHD differ from those in those without the disorder. According to the experts, this difference is caused by increased levels of dopamine transporter-containing proteins in the neurons of patients with untreated ADHD. These findings imply that dopamine transporter-related genetic variables may contribute to the development of ADHD.
Numerous ADHD drugs act by boosting dopamine and promoting concentration. Typically, these drugs are stimulants. They consist of amphetamines that raise dopamine levels in the brain by inhibiting dopamine transporters and boosting dopamine levels.
Some people think that taking these drugs in large doses would help them concentrate and pay attention better. That is untrue. It may be challenging to concentrate if your dopamine levels are excessively high.
It is unclear to scientists what causes ADHD categorically. In a broader sense, just two probable causes are dopamine and its transporters. According to the research, ADHD seems to run in families more frequently. This is partly addressed by the fact that several genes may increase the risk of ADHD.
There are several behavioral and lifestyle issues that can potentially affect ADHD. They consist of the following:
It’s promising that dopamine and ADHD are related. Increasing the action of dopamine in the body is how a number of efficient drugs used to relieve the symptoms of ADHD function. However, researchers are still looking into this connection. Dopamine is not the sole underlying reason for ADHD, though. Experts are looking into the latest theories and evidence, such as the quantity of grey matter in the brain. Consult a doctor if you think you have ADHD. They can properly diagnose you and put you on a treatment strategy involving drugs and other techniques that boost dopamine to manage ADHD.
In order to raise your dopamine levels, you can also try the following different techniques:
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ADHD can lead to attention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity issues. According to research, structural reforms in the brain and neurotransmitter imbalances like those involving dopamine may contribute to the emergence of this illness. Other neurological and mental health conditions, including Parkinson’s disease, drug abuse, depression, and schizophrenia, all appear to be influenced by dopamine levels.
Dyslexia and ADHD are two neurological characteristics that can impede learning. The signs of ADHD and dyslexia can be difficult to distinguish at times, as both can cause difficulties with reading and writing. However, while the symptoms may look similar, the underlying causes are very different.
Dyslexia is a type of learning problem that is caused by the brain. It impairs a child’s linguistic ability, making it challenging to read, punctuate, decode, and understand words. As a result, compared to other children of the same age who do not possess dyslexia, their reading, vocabulary, comprehension, and general knowledge are minimized. Remember that dyslexia does not constitute a sign of intelligence. The majority of dyslexics have normal and adequate intelligence.
ADHD is a disorder that impairs executive functioning skills, such as working memory, flexibility, and self-control. This may make managing your everyday activities difficult. ADHD can also impair your ability to concentrate in class or at work. ADHD could also impact managing emotions and make it challenging. ADHD patients might be hyperactive or aggressive.
ADHD and dyslexia are identified to co-occur frequently. Moreover, individuals with ADHD are more likely to have a learning disability than those who do not have ADHD. According to the National Center for Learning Disabilities, dyslexia is the most common learning disability.
Since both ADHD and dyslexia are neurobehavioral disorders, it can be difficult to distinguish which difficulties are related to which. ADHD is concerned with attention, and dyslexia is concerned with reading; the characteristics may appear similar. Here are a few examples to illustrate further.
People with ADHD and dyslexia could appear distracted; however, the cause of the distraction differs. A person with ADHD may appear distracted because it is challenging to focus, whereas a person with dyslexia may appear disturbed because reading requires a lot of effort and their energy has run out.
Proficient readers are capable of comprehending with accuracy, relative speed, and expression when reading aloud. A person must be able to read fluently to understand what they have read. An individual with ADHD may struggle to read, but they get lost or skip between the lines because their fast brain has moved on to the next section. Dyslexic people may not be fluent readers because they spend too much time sounding out every word or reading terms correctly.
Writing skills can also be difficult. Someone with ADHD may struggle with organization and editing, and proofreading, whereas a dyslexic individual struggle with grammar, spelling, pronunciation, organizing concepts, proofreading, and writing. A good way to distinguish between the two cases is to recall that dyslexia problems typically manifest themselves during writing and reading activities. In contrast, ADHD symptoms manifest themselves in a variety of settings and are more behavioral.
ADHD and dyslexia are diagnosed differently and commonly by different specialists. ADHD is classified as a mental disorder and can be diagnosed by a psychologist, therapist, neurologist, or some family physicians. Dyslexia is a condition that is frequently identified by educators, who also may refer the person to a physician or psychologist for further evaluation and diagnosis. A clinical psychologist, school counselor, educationist, or neuropsychologist typically diagnoses dyslexia. Dyslexia ranges from light to severe, and people with ADHD are no exception. This means that two individuals will not have the same symptoms.
One of the most challenging things for individuals with ADHD and dyslexia is feeling good about themselves. Their self-esteem and confidence are frequently low as they find it difficult with activities that their peers find those simple. Here are three ways you can help.
Identify: It helps people when they know they have a disorder with a name, such as ADHD or dyslexia. They acknowledge why they behave the way they are, and this prevents them from looking for answers for themselves, which are frequently terms like “I am stupid” or “I am dumb.”
Effort, not outcomes: Instead of outcomes, give your acquaintance reviews on the efforts they put into a task. A person with dyslexia and ADHD must work even harder than other students, but their efforts are not always rewarded in the form of an expected outcome. Knowing that you appreciate their efforts makes a significant difference in their self-esteem.
See Also: Dyslexia and Adhd
When learning about dyslexia and ADHD, one of the most common messages is that ‘early intervention is critical.’ Of course, timely screening of any disorder is beneficial. However, if you discover you have dyslexia or ADHD, do not feel guilty. It is never too late to get checked and receive the necessary treatment.
ADHD and dyslexia may co-occur. Though in the case of children, it may appear challenging when your child receives their early assessment, with the right tools and support, your child can learn to lead a fruitful life. You can help your child by ensuring that they receive scientifically proven interventions and learning how to assist them at home. They are more likely to succeed when learning is made enjoyable. A person with ADHD has a poor capacity for things that are not fascinating to them or that they do not feel are valuable. You want to protect them from being irritated because they would shut down if frustrated.
ADHD mostly receives negative press coverage relative to other neurodivergent conditions. A common belief among the general public is that doctors tend to over-diagnose ADHD, especially following the global pandemic. While we tend to disagree with this widely held opinion, a 2021 meta-analysis reported evidence of overdiagnosis of ADHD in both children and adolescents. This study stated that what looks like an overdiagnosis is more so a misdiagnosis of ADHD, where people with other conditions may be diagnosed with ADHD.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition in which your brain works differently from most of society. It is estimated that about 8.7% of adolescents in the United States were diagnosed with ADHD in 2011. Of this percentage, ADHD severely impacts approximately half of the adolescents, who then find it difficult to function normally. The concerns regarding overdiagnosis arise from the fact that ADHD cases roughly doubled between 2005 and 2014, as shown by a 2017 study.
The term overdiagnosis in the medical dictionary is described as a frequent diagnosis of a certain condition, regardless of whether it meets the diagnostic criteria. The common way to reach a diagnosis for ADHD commonly adopted by doctors includes a multi-person interview approach. The child’s parents, guardians, caregivers, and teachers are required to give an account of the child’s behavior. The information gathered by the healthcare practitioner is then analyzed, followed by a diagnosis.
Many factors, apart from misdiagnosis on the doctor’s end, contribute to the overdiagnosis of ADHD in children and adults. A few of them could be:
As much as someone tries to avoid it, it is almost impossible to be free of bias. Since the multi-person interview approach to diagnosing ADHD involves speaking to the parents and other adults surrounding the individual, the results tend to be biased. In some cases, the parents may subconsciously have a certain belief or perception of how ADHD looks. In this case, the parents’ bias may lead to ADHD being over diagnosed in individuals.
It is reported that clinicians often tend to assess children for an ADHD diagnosis strictly based on their numerical age. In this way, they end up giving positive diagnoses to younger children acting the same way as their fellow adult peers without considering other factors. Similarly, children who are younger than their grade-level peers may be provided a misdiagnosis owing to their reduced emotional and intellectual development. This also results in ADHD being over diagnosed in children of young age.
Ineffective or inadequate parenting commonly leads to behavioral changes in children, regardless of whether they have ADHD. When a child victim of neglectful parenting presents improper behavior, their symptoms might be misdiagnosed as ADHD. However, this is not always the case. Children with ADHD are equally affected by bad parenting and tend to show erratic behavior. Their condition later gets diagnosed when they seek professional help.
Another reason for ADHD overdiagnoses could be the rate at which social media is helping spread awareness regarding this neurodivergent condition. With years of effort put into destigmatizing neurodivergence, more people have come to terms with it and are being open about their symptoms. With multiple search engines at your service, more people are aware of what ADHD is supposed to look like and rush to their doctor when they suspect they have this condition.
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) is used to diagnose ADHD, among other conditions. The revision and improvement of the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 reduce the chances of errors during diagnostic procedures. The revision of diagnostic criteria from DSM-4 to DSM-5 has undoubtedly, led to low diagnostic thresholds. Improved editions of diagnostic tests warrant better results and may be responsible for the claim that ADHD is over diagnosed.
Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD – a mental illness) tend to present with impulsive behavior that may look very similar to ADHD at first glance. As an experienced clinician, one should know better and run thorough diagnostic tests to assess and provide the individual with a correct diagnosis. In some cases, confusion, impatience, or exhaustion owing to the inefficient healthcare system may cause your doctor to provide you with a misdiagnosis. This could also add to the belief that ADHD is over diagnosed.
People with attention-deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) must have noticed that they show optimal functioning rates when they stick to a routine. Since the global pandemic of COVID-19 vastly disrupted everyone’s routine, people finally started presenting with symptoms of ADHD.
While this does not mean that people ‘developed’ ADHD during the lockdown, they just started noticing their symptoms during that period of idleness. If you are diagnosed with ADHD at some point later in life, chances are you have always had it, but the symptoms were never so prominent. The disruption or lack of routine threw off the ADHD-wired brains, and people started presenting with symptoms similar to those of ADHD, hence the increase in diagnoses.
While Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder treatment is sufficient in greatly improving symptoms, its overtreatment, like any other, has its side effects. Some possible side effects of over diagnosed ADHD and its overtreatment include:
It is common for patients to feel anxious and uneasy when they get diagnosed with a certain condition. The same anxiety is seen in patients diagnosed with ADHD. Misdiagnosing ADHD in children or adolescents causes panic and unnecessary behavior changes. Since the individual in question would not have ADHD and was misdiagnosed, an otherwise successful treatment plan devised solely to deal with people with ADHD seems futile for healthy people.
Sometimes, the patient or their loved ones fret over the potential long-term side effects of over diagnosed ADHD; it may adversely affect their mental health. Such a person(s) is likely to develop anxiety or hypertensive disorders, to name a few.
Researchers worldwide continue working to find qualitative and statistical proof for overdiagnosis and overtreatment of ADHD. They work alongside experienced healthcare professionals to get to the roots of ADHD overdiagnoses or misdiagnoses and figure out ways to prevent that from happening. Furthermore, research now extends further toward analyzing the disparities in ADHD diagnosis among different genders, ethnicities, and races.
ADHD is gaining recognition as more individuals learn about this neurodevelopmental issue. Due to this understanding, many people who could benefit from treatment may be able to receive it. However, an increasing number of individuals are also being over diagnosed. Both misdiagnosis and overdiagnosis of ADHD are possible. It is also likely that some groups of children are diagnosed with ADHD more frequently than average, while others are never diagnosed.
Diabetic blurry vision makes it difficult for a person to distinguish minute details in what you are seeing. Diabetes can have several origins, as it might be an indication that your glucose level is out of range – either too much or too low. Fluid draining into the lens of the eyes might be causing your vision to blur. As a result, the lens swells and changes form. These changes make it difficult for your eyes to concentrate, causing everything to appear blurred causing blurry vision due to diabetes.
When you begin insulin therapy, you may have impaired vision. This is caused by shifting fluids, and it usually goes away after a few months. Many people’s vision improves when their blood sugar levels regulate.
This article describes how diabetes can cause blurry vision and how to safeguard it. It also investigates several other potential reasons for hazy vision.
Short-term blurry vision may occur as a result of low or high blood sugar levels.
Fluid can migrate from and into the eye of a diabetic owing to elevated blood sugar levels, often known as hyperglycemia. This might cause the eye’s lens to swell. Since the lens is the portion that focuses light into the backside of the eye, blurriness occurs when the shape changes. This is a temporary problem that usually goes away as blood sugar levels drop. This form of diabetes may cause blurry vision.
Insulin users may have hypoglycemia, which occurs when levels of blood sugar fall too low.
These variations normally disappear when blood sugar rises.
Diabetes-related optical issues tend to worsen over time. This means that they generally deteriorate with time. Following are a few long-term issues that might arise.
Diabetic retinopathy damages the retina, which is a component of the eye. In some situations, it might result in eyesight loss. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading reason for visual loss in Western countries. It is the most common ailment that affects persons with diabetes. It occurs when elevated blood sugar levels have an effect on the small arteries in the eye.
Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), often known as background retinopathy, is the first stage. At this time, people may not detect any symptoms.
Some people acquire proliferative diabetic retinopathy over time or PDR. This is an advanced and intense stage that can have a significant influence on eyesight. Although diabetic retinopathy may not necessarily advance to PDR, data show that when NPDR gets severe, 75% of patients will develop to PDR within one year.
Other reasons for blurry vision or vision loss can develop in conjunction with diabetes, especially when it comes to getting older
They consist of:
When they initiate using insulin to manage high blood sugar levels, some patients experience changes in their eyesight like blurry eyes due to diabetes or impaired vision.
Earlier a study from 2010 investigated how starting insulin treatment impacted the eyesight of 26 diabetics. After three days, nine persons noticed an increase in their blurry vision, but their eyesight returned to normal after ten days.
Blurry vision can be caused by both short-term and long-term diabetic problems.
When blood sugar levels restore to 70-130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), short-term blurry vision caused by low or high blood sugar levels generally resolves. Diabetic retinopathy, for example, is a progressive illness that worsens over time as a result of consistently high blood sugar levels.
Although it is not reasonable to recover from the damage caused by the factors discussed above, regulating glucose levels and adhering to a treatment plan can help delay their progression.
Blurred vision can be caused by a variety of factors, including early signs of diabetes. If a person experiences any of the following symptoms, they should consult an eye doctor:
Eye issues can occur as a result of a new case of diabetes or as a consequence of a current condition.
Frequent diabetes eye exams help uncover complications in the early stages in diabetics.
If you have early signs of eye issues, your doctor would most likely advise you:
To an extent, these measures may halt or prevent additional developments of the disorder.
People who have diabetes-related eye issues like blurry vision should begin taking preventive actions to safeguard their eyesight.
If retinopathy or other reasons for vision difficulties continue to an advanced stage, a person may require specialized eye care.
Diabetes complications might include blurry eye vision. Diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, glaucoma, and low or high blood sugar are all potential causes. However, many of these symptoms can occur in people who do not have diabetes, particularly as they become older.
Blood sugar control and frequent eye exams can help avoid blurry visual disorders. Regular inspections may also discover issues at an early stage, during which they are easy to address. Regular eye exams with an eye expert are recommended for patients with diabetes. Everyone with diabetes who is concerned about eye or vision issues should consult a doctor.
One of the most prevalent mental illnesses affecting children is attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). 2.5% of adults and 8.4% children are believed to have ADHD. Have you ever wondered how caffeine may affect ADHD? The impact of ADHD is known to affect a person in many areas of their life, including academic and professional success, interpersonal connections, and daily functioning. Hence, it is imperative for someone with the disorder to know the relationship between caffeine and ADHD.
If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, your doctor might have prescribed a stimulant drug like methylphenidate or amphetamine dextroamphetamine. These stimulants, which affect attention and behavior by increasing the brain’s supply of the neurotransmitter dopamine and norepinephrine, are among the most often given ADHD drugs. Another stimulant that many people use for self-medication is caffeine which also affects neurotransmitters.
Now, the question is; does consuming caffeine, whether it comes from coffee, tea, or any other source, make ADHD symptoms worse or help improve your condition? Furthermore, is it safe to use caffeine and ADHD medicine, or could it be harmful?
Whether you have ADHD or not, the fact that caffeine has an impact on your brain and body cannot be ignored. Most individuals choose to have coffee to become energetic and not feel sleepy. If your caffeine consumption is relatively high, people who already have insomnia or trouble getting a good night’s sleep can face further disturbance in their sleeping patterns. Sleep deprivation can lead to increased forgetfulness, irritability, difficulty controlling your emotions, or even difficulty sitting still and focusing.
When someone has ADHD, caffeine has a complex influence on their physiology. One must have a good grip over their coffee intake because not doing so can cause problems like anxiety, panic attacks, and even seizures.
Caffeine should only be consumed in the morning for those with ADHD, and no late-night coffee, tea, soda, or chocolate consumption is advised. ADHD drugs that contain amphetamine also shrink blood arteries. Some of the effects of caffeine may be comparable to those of popular ADHD medicines. Although the precise cause is uncertain, decreased blood flow may aid in treating ADHD. It calms overactive brain regions, enabling them to work more effectively and cooperatively with the rest of the brain. Caffeine helps increase your adrenaline levels and reduce depression.
Coffee is a central nervous system stimulant found to help boost overall mental functioning, improve attention and concentration, reduce fatigue, and improve memory. Caffeine mostly does this by functioning as an antagonist of the adenosine receptor. Caffeine binds to these receptors when we drink coffee, tea, or energy drinks, reducing the impact of adenosine and consequently reducing its effects by subtly enhancing dopamine release.
The majority of research has been conducted on animals or children, and some are fairly old. Thus, the evidence on caffeine and ADHD is not strong enough to be decisive. According to research, caffeine’s effectiveness for treating ADHD rises with increasing doses, but only until a point at which it starts to decline once more. Based on the meta-analysis from 2000, the dose may be around 150 mg per day for children, but the best timing and dosage, particularly for adults, are still unknown. However, generally, it is encouraging, and several experts have advocated for more research into the potential medical benefits of caffeine for ADHD.
Synergy is a term that defines the combination of caffeine and amphetamine drugs like Adderall, amphetamine, and dextroamphetamine. Synergy occurs when two medications have complementary modes of action, increasing the potency of their combined effects. A person on Adderall, for example, would probably experience a bigger effect, including more adverse effects, as caffeine increases the effectiveness of amphetamines.
We do know that taking caffeine and ADHD drugs together may potentially put someone at risk of having more serious adverse effects, such as cardiac overstimulation. This is because both are stimulants. However, depending on the dosage of each drug, some patients can combine coffee and ADHD medication, tolerating it well.
See a doctor if you or a family member of yours has ADHD. Even though no single test can definitively confirm or rule out ADHD, a thorough evaluation can aid in making the most precise diagnosis possible.
Your medical background, personal habits, and functional abilities are considered throughout the assessment. Medication is one of the most frequently recommended treatments for people with ADHD. You may also benefit from additional treatments, including psychotherapy, family counseling, behavioral therapy, and medication.
Given that it acts as a CNS stimulant, caffeine is still an option if you have ADHD and may even provide some advantages. Some studies indicate that taking low to moderate doses of caffeine helps improve focus and reduce harmful ADHD symptoms, including impulsive behavior, but not as well as medication.
Nonetheless, more study is needed to draw firm conclusions. More research is required, but caffeine’s health benefits may be increased when combined with the relaxing amino acid L-theanine.
Your caffeine tolerance, if you have a pre-existing medical condition like anxiety or cardiovascular problems, how much sleep you receive, and whether you take stimulant medicine will affect how caffeine affects you.
Putting together the feelings of a person living with ADHD into words is tricky. It gets even trickier writing about life with ADHD for a particular person since it is different for everyone. Two people with ADHD may have an entirely different perspective on a shared experience. However, the one thing that most ADHD life has in common is controlled chaos on most days, if not every day. It is difficult to analyze the impact of ADHD on every affected individual’s life. Each person with ADHD has different experiences, hardships, ticks, and symptoms.
Living with ADHD feels like a rollercoaster of interchanging successes and failures. ADHD life makes you question everything around you regularly. Some moments feel great, while other times, you and everything around you feels stupid. People with ADHD report symptoms of extreme difficulty in staying focused. You may find yourself procrastinating and getting easily distracted by everything around you. Similarly, they tend to put off work till the last minute and work best under the stress of deadlines and ultimatums.
People with ADHD are not good at taking criticism, even if it is constructive. They commonly dwell upon the world’s view of them or their actions and have a hard time dealing with it. ADHD in children presents as:
Many people claim that adults cannot develop ADHD, and it is true. You have either had ADHD since your childhood, or you do not have it at all. In some cases, the person does not present prominent symptoms of ADHD in their childhood. However, their symptoms become more obvious as they grow up, making the situation more confusing. This is quite normal – your ADHD symptoms as a child may often go unnoticed.
While it has been established that ADHD feels different for every individual, one thing is for certain – an ADHD life entails a lot of chaos. If not managed properly, ADHD can negatively impact the individual’s life and family. From education to basic lifestyle to relationships, ADHD affects everything.
As mentioned above, ADHD life makes it difficult for individuals to maintain relationships for multiple reasons. Since people with ADHD are forgetful, they tend to miss various commitments or even simple things, such as returning a call or replying to a text. It makes it difficult to develop healthy communication as individuals with ADHD are reckless and give little thought to what they are going to say. Spending an ADHD life with a partner may be tricky and often frustrating.
Eventually, consistently missing appointments, and important dates, failing to observe minute details about your partner and saying offensive things add to stress and tension within the relationship. However, it does not always have to be like this. Life with ADHD gets easier once you get a diagnosis and start treatment.
Increased anxiety in individuals with ADHD lowers their normal functionality. Around half of the individuals diagnosed with ADHD also tend to have an anxiety disorder. This causes you to always feel on edge and resort to unhealthy coping mechanisms. People start biting their nails or compulsive eating. ADHD life often involves being unable to set limits on your behavior. Low dopamine levels in your body will likely cause an individual to eat compulsively to feel good again temporarily.
Most hobbies for ADHD adults include thrill-seeking. This often leads to individuals consuming reckless amounts of alcohol and recreational drugs. Other than gaining weight due to stress eating, substance abuse, and chronic anxiety and stress consolidate to give rise to other issues. These may include breathing problems, digestion issues, heart issues, uncontrolled blood sugar, and muscle tension and pain.
It is fair for all workplaces to ask you to be punctual, organized, focused, and attentive. Since ADHD life makes it hard to do all the aforementioned, you might find yourself in hot waters if you cannot deliver your work on time. Adults with unmanaged and uncontrolled ADHD are more likely to be fired or, sometimes, not hired in the first place. Well, managing an individual’s ADHD decreases their need to struggle to keep a job.
For children with ADHD, studying can seem like an extremely daunting task. Since studies require focus and attention, and ADHD individuals fail to do just that, your education can be hindered. Many people with ADHD find trouble meeting deadlines, and this trait in children causes them to lose their grades.
Just like compulsive binge eating, impulsive spending temporarily makes individuals with ADHD feel good. This unplanned and unnecessary spending will likely drain your bank account and give you a bad credit score. If the situation gets out of control, you may even be unable to pay your bills or rent. This further adds to the stress and potential drug abuse, worsening an individual’s financial issues.
While it is imperative for you to visit your doctor for treatment/management of ADHD, we have a few solutions that may help you out at home.
These multiple hobby ideas for ADHD adults enable them to stay close to nature and things likely to make them feel at peace and happy. Spending a good time doing any of these hobbies will allow an individual with ADHD to focus better on their work when they plan on doing it. Finding a quiet workspace, avoiding multitasking, and setting timers for yourself with break rewards in the middle are all great ways to get your head back in the game.
Consult a physician if you or a loved one are living with ADHD and a comorbid mental condition, such as anxiety or depression. It is essential that children and adults with ADHD receive a comprehensive range of treatments, as living with ADHD can be difficult. Compassionate, high-quality medical care provided by an expert medical team makes life easier.
If you suspect your child may suffer from ADHD and anxiety, it’s good to know the facts about the two conditions and learn more about their treatment options.
People with an anxiety disorder, on top of ADHD, worry about various things, and they may have difficulty controlling their nerves. These issues can interfere with everyday activities, like attending school, working, and socializing.
The anxiety disorder may have recently surfaced or been a family trait. While the exact cause is unknown, treatment is essential for children with ADHD and their parents. These issues are best addressed together, as they are often accompanied by one another.
In this article, we will discuss the symptoms of ADHD and anxiety, contributing factors, and treatment options.
The common causes of ADHD and anxiety are not entirely clear. But experts say they may include environmental toxins, genetics, brain injury, premature delivery, and even alcohol or tobacco abuse during pregnancy.
In addition to ADHD, some people struggle with mental health problems, such as depression, anxiety, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, treatment is available for many of these conditions. Some effective treatments are discussed later in this article.
One of the first steps toward understanding avoidance as a contributing factor to ADHD and other types of anxiety is to understand how it occurs. For many children with ADHD, avoidance may manifest itself in a variety of ways.
Social avoidance is a common reaction to unfamiliar people, such as being uncomfortable with strangers. For some children, however, social avoidance may be a symptom of anxiety or ADHD rather than a core characteristic.
Previous studies have indicated that social avoidance predicts the severity of ADHD and anxiety symptoms. While social avoidance may not be a direct cause of these conditions, it may be a salient marker. For example, a child with autism is less likely to show symptoms of anxiety or ADHD than a child with the same disorder. If social avoidance is an underlying symptom of both types of disorders, this ailment likely has some impact on the symptoms of these conditions.
There’s some evidence that a family’s genes could contribute to ADHD and anxiety. Researchers from Cardiff University have identified twelve genomic regions that differ among people with ADHD and those without. According to Dr. Joanna Martin, one of the study’s authors, many of these regions are located near genes known to have biological relationships with ADHD. This could have a profound effect on the treatment of ADHD and anxiety.
Other genetic risks may include gene variants that commonly affect ADHD and anxiety or chance events and environmental factors. These risks may interact with the inherited risk of ADHD. For example, common gene variants that affect multiple neurodevelopmental and psychiatric traits may interact with the 3′ UTR VNTR gene. Despite this, the association with these factors has not been replicated widely in studies.
The incidence of attention deficit disorders and autism spectrum disorders has steadily increased over the last decade, and experts wonder if modern chemicals may be the cause. Studies published in respected medical journals have revealed that environmental toxins may be responsible. One study published in the Journal of Pediatrics showed that organophosphate insecticide residues were found in children’s urine. Another study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology examined the cord blood of infants whose mothers lived near contaminated harbors.
Although environmental toxins have been associated with ADHD, they are not known to be a direct cause and must be studied more rigorously. Although many of the associations observed in the literature do not exclude other factors, these associations may represent the result of ‘third-party’ variables, such as the child and parents’ psychopathologies. These associations may also result from a randomly distributed ‘third-party’ variable, in which the child’s genes are more or less shaped by their environment.
Anxiety is the opposite of concentration, which makes ADHDers nervous before starting a task. Over-preparation can occur for simple tasks like taking medication or food with them. Even if it’s just getting dressed in the morning, they’ll have a plan B in case the weather turns.
Overprotective parenting is a behavior wherein parents become overly sensitive to their children’s needs. This heightened sensitivity to their child’s safety can have negative effects.
Children can develop a hypersensitivity to danger and other threats by observing overly protective adults. Children learn this from their parents and internalize it at an early age, usually before the child reaches age eight. Consequently, parents should be aware of their overprotective behaviors and work on them.
The study investigated differences in the symptoms of ADHD vs. anxiety in children from two groups: ADHD and parents with anxiety. A community sample of children was recruited from elementary and high schools in Amsterdam and matched with ADHD and anxiety samples from the study participants. The study included 16 families with paternal dysfunction within the family unit. The parents reported their child’s ADHD symptoms with a questionnaire that measured parental overprotectiveness.
Interestingly, the researchers found that brain regions involved in attention and anxiety disorders had different WM properties. ADHD and anxiety have high r-scores on the MMSE, and a higher proportion of the right sulcus (or amygdala) was associated with increased dFC in the right PFC. The researchers also noted a correlation between SFA dFC and IS (error) in the two groups. The differences between these regions were found to be persistent throughout adulthood.
The findings suggest that there are widespread changes in brain structure associated with a diagnosis of ADHD. However, many adults with this condition report improvement in their symptoms over time. These changes may explain the reduced correlation between ADHD symptoms and brain structure during the early adolescent years, possibly due to increased coping skills and brain maturation. There are few studies examining the anatomical correlates of anxiety vs. ADHD.
Anxiety and ADHD often coexist, but the symptoms are often confused. Anxiety can be triggered by a wide variety of external events, including arguments with friends, financial worries, stress at work, or sensory processing problems.
Children with ADHD also struggle with poor impulse control and work habits, as well as a reduction in their attention span. In addition to these symptoms, children with ADHD often struggle with poor organization and a lack of time management.
The symptoms of anxiety and ADHD overlap in many cases, and clinicians must determine if the impairments are secondary to the disorder or the ADHD. The presence of chronic anxiety in people with ADHD can impair a person’s daily functioning, self-esteem, and happiness. Two national surveys have revealed that 30% of children and 40% of adults have another coexisting condition besides ADHD.
Those with both conditions often suffer from chronic stress and anxiety, making treatment more challenging. In addition, symptoms of anxiety may worsen the symptoms of ADHD, causing a person to withdraw from life and feel more depressed and unhappier.
ADHD and anxiety are two conditions that go hand in hand. Anxiety is often the result of poor attention in class. Children who are unable to focus in class may miss important information or get into trouble.
Treatment options for ADHD and anxiety help kids learn to focus and hear reassurance from adults. These therapies are recommended by ADHD and anxiety specialists. These treatments are also considered the most effective. If you suspect your child may have both disorders, it’s best to see a doctor.
Symptoms of both disorders can exacerbate each other. If both conditions coexist, treating the anxiety may improve symptoms of ADHD while relieving anxiety can help ADHD. In addition, treatment may help reduce the severity of symptoms in both conditions.
Many adults only get treatment for these symptoms much later in life. However, treating both conditions simultaneously can help reduce anxiety. Treatment for ADHD is usually a combination of therapy. It is important to get a proper diagnosis of ADHD vs. anxiety.
When combined with a mood disorder, a child or young adult can experience greater health risks, a larger disease burden, and a more severe illness course. Although the two conditions of ADHD and anxiety often coexist, they may be treated differently.
Treatment of ADHD and anxiety contributing factors differ based on the individual. For example, pharmacotherapy for ADHD requires the use of stimulants that are more readily available to college students and university students. However, individuals taking psychostimulants should be aware of the risks of diverting these medications.
See Also: ADHD and Autism
The connection between the conditions of ADHD and anxiety is quite substantial to overlook. Both conditions cause restlessness, distraction, excessive worry, stress, and obsessions.
Anxiety disorders are often misunderstood, misdiagnosed, and left untreated. Anxiety disorders (social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive-compulsive, etc.) are more common in individuals with ADHD than in the general population. However, childhood anxiety disorders are considered to be the second most common condition coinciding with ADHD.
The best course of action to treat the symptoms of ADHD and anxiety is to work with a qualified integrative medicine provider. Medication, psychotherapy, family therapy, and behavioral therapy can help combat and manage these symptoms.
Autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) sometimes resemble one another. Individuals with this illness may have difficulty concentrating. They may be aggressive or have difficulty communicating. They may struggle with schooling and interpersonal interactions. Although ADHD and Autism may have similar symptoms, both ADHD and ASD are separate. Autism spectrum disorder is a developmental problem condition that impacts language abilities, behavior, socialization, and learning capacity. ADHD is a widespread disorder that can affect your ability to focus, stay still, or consider before acting. Timely diagnosis allows individuals to receive the appropriate therapy and avoid missing out on critical developmental and learning opportunities. People with these illnesses can have fulfilling lives.
You should have a close check on your loved one`s attention span. Similarly, children with autism have difficulty focusing on activities they dislike, such as reading books or working on a puzzle. And they may become fixated on something they enjoy, such as engaging with a certain toy. Likewise, people with ADHD frequently hate and avoid tasks that require concentration.
You should also investigate how these individuals attempt to communicate. Although adolescents with either disease, i.e., ADHD and ASD, may struggle to engage with others, those with autism may be less socially aware of their surroundings. In addition, they frequently struggle to put their ideas and feelings into words. They may also be unable to point to an item to provide context for their remarks. They have difficulty making eye contact.
In contrast, an individual with ADHD may chatter incessantly. They are more inclined to interrupt when others are speaking or trying to dominate a conversation. Consider the subject as well. Similarly, some autistic adolescents can chat for a long time about a subject that interests them.
Order and repetition are frequent favorites of autistic people. However, even if it is beneficial, an individual with ADHD may not benefit. A youngster with autism may grow unduly attracted to one toy or outfit, for example, or desire the same sort of meal at a particular restaurant. When routines alter, they might become agitated. An individual with ADHD, unlike ASD, dislikes doing the same thing again and over.
The symptoms of autism and ADHD overlap somewhat, so it is possible to have both ADHD and ASD. APA guidelines prohibited clinicians from diagnosing persons with autism and ADHD concurrently. As a result, there has been relatively little study involving coexisting conditions. However, medical practitioners are now aware that many youngsters fit both requirements.
According to the CDC, 14% of children with ADHD in the United States also have autism spectrum disorder. According to other research, this figure is between 15 and 25%. Unfortunately, researchers do not completely understand what causes each illness, although genetic factors are believed to play a role in both ADHD and ASD.
If you suspect your loved one has ADHD or autism, consult your doctor about the appropriate tests. No one factor can determine if someone has either ASD or ADHD. You can begin by consulting your care provider, who may recommend you to a specialist.
Care practitioners may look for a pattern of behaviors over time to diagnose ADHD, such as:
They will solicit comments from the child’s parents (in the case of children), caregivers, and other providers. A doctor would also attempt to rule out any other potential reasons for the symptoms. An autism diagnosis begins with filling out a questionnaire, frequently regarding behaviors that started when they were very young. More evaluations, surveys, checkpoints, interviews, and observable activities may be included in future assessments and tools.
It might be difficult for doctors to distinguish between ASD and ADHD, but your kid needs the appropriate therapy. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to ADHD treatment. Younger children begin with behavior treatment; if symptoms do not improve sufficiently, the physician may prescribe medication. Older children are more likely to receive both. ADHD symptoms and therapy may evolve over time.
Different types of treatment, such as behavior, linguistic, sensory integration, and vocational, can help children with autism interact and communicate more effectively. Medicine cannot cure autism, although it can help with symptoms such as difficulty focusing or excessive energy.
Yes, both these ASD and ADHD scenarios are practical. People with autism spectrum disorder are more likely to have symptoms of ADHD. Furthermore, some individuals with ADHD may have the tendency to develop autism at an early age, with signs such as difficulty with interpersonal skills or being overly sensitive to clothing texture. People who possess both ASD and ADHD are more prone to have a mixed kind of ADHD, which involves obsessive and compulsive symptoms and difficulty paying attention.
Some doctors have experience in treating patients suffering from both ASD and ADHD. If you can’t find one, you may have to meet with more than one specialist, such as:
See Also: Adhd and Anxiety
Work with your medical team to develop a treatment plan appropriate for your developmental stages. It might involve both autistic behavior treatment and ADHD medication. Some specialists believe ADHD medication is vital for children with both illnesses. ADHD medications may assist with some autism symptoms that overlap with ADHD, such as being hyper, aggressive, or inattentive. Although neither disorder has a cure, numerous therapies and drugs can assist individuals in making progress in areas that individuals find difficult.
