5 Lesser-Known Symptoms of ADHD

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been misunderstood for a long time. Over the years, more and more research has led us to better understand the nuances of ADHD and ADHD symptoms. This has helped to offer an explanation as to why so many adults were not diagnosed as children.

However, another result of this research has been the discovery of patterns in the ways ADHD impacts people’s lives aside from struggling to focus. These commonly overlooked ADHD signs and symptoms might surprise you:

You have trouble with emotional regulation.

As a result of the prefrontal cortex (the brain’s CEO) struggling at times to meet the standards of its job, ADHD also takes away the brain’s “pause button.” Without that pause allowing you to quickly evaluate your emotions, the emotional side of the brain becomes less controlled and you may experience emotional dysregulation. Many adults with ADHD report struggling to manage their feelings. Not only to press pause, but to process their emotions effectively. This might mean you feel like your emotions come on more quickly or suddenly. Or it could mean your emotions feel sharper and more intense. And for many adults with ADHD, it can also feel like it’s harder to recover from those strong emotions. This might look like feeling guilty or worried for prolonged periods of time, past the point of the stress.

You can focus, sometimes “too well.”A man sits in front of his laptop with a pensive look. This could represent the search for understanding ADHD symptoms Ohio. Learn more about this and anxiety symptoms Columbus, Oh by searching "what are anxiety symptoms Columbus, OH" today.

ADHD doesn’t mean the inability to pay attention, it means an uneven attention span. For many folks, this looks like “hyperfocus.” Hyperfocus is when you become completely engrossed in a task, tuning out everything else. For example, one can hyperfocus on their interests (e.g. video games or the parts of their job they enjoy), but to the exclusion of much more time-sensitive tasks.

You are getting poor sleep.

For many adults with ADHD, especially those with adult hyperactivity, it’s hard to shut your brain off. And if you can’t turn off your thoughts, it’s pretty hard to get good, restful sleep. This often looks like tossing and turning at night. Or waking with lots of energy early in the morning.

A woman touches her face while sitting in front of her laptop with an upset expression. Focused Mind ADHD Counseling can help you better understand ADHD symptoms Ohio. Learn more about anxiety symptoms Columbus, OH and emotional regulation therapy in Columbus, OH by contacting us today.You experience rejection sensitivity.

Many adults with ADHD feel as though they are always waiting for another piece of negative feedback. To be fired. Criticized. Dumped. Or ghosted. This makes it fairly common for adults with ADHD to just avoid taking risks and live with the fear of failure or imposter syndrome. This is often due to a lifetime of being criticized for unintended mistakes. Phrases like “you’re not living up to your potential” are almost commonplace for many ADHDers. The result can be a fear response that can feel crippling at times. Plus, ADHD can at times impact your ability to communicate effectively with others, which reinforces a sense of invalidation that creates more avoidance and in turn, more rejection sensitivity.

You’ve been told you have anxiety and depression over and over and over again.

It’s pretty common for adults with ADHD to hear they are depressed, and then anxious. And then depressed again. And then anxious. At some point, those are likely to be true. For example, 50% of adults with ADHD will struggle with an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. It’s stressful making unintended errors and struggling to manage the overwhelm of life. However, ADHD might be overlooked because other symptoms are often more apparent and show up first in therapy or treatment. Unless being directly tested for ADHD, it’s often unlikely ADHD will be diagnosed. It takes a thorough comprehensive testing process with an ADHD expert that helps to differentiate the symptoms of ADHD from other common issues or disorders that look like ADHD.

Begin Adult ADHD Testing and ADHD Treatment in Columbus, A man smiles while typing on his laptop. This could represent the joy of finding clarity of ADHD symptoms. Learn more about Focused Mind ADHD Counseling by searching "what are anxiety symptoms Columbus, OH" or emotional regulation therapy in Columbus, OH today.Ohio

You don’t have to live your life feeling overwhelmed and scattered. Our counseling practice in Columbus, Ohio has caring therapists who specialize in ADHD Treatment. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps:

  1. Fill out the contact form to reach out and schedule a free 15-minute phone
  2. Meet with one of our caring therapists
  3. Stop feeling scattered. Focus your busy mind.

Other ADHD Services Offered at Focused Mind ADHD Counseling

Adult ADHD treatment is not the only service we offer at our Columbus, OH-based counseling practice. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services including ADHD testing. We know that as an adult with ADHD, you may also benefit from anxiety treatment for ADHD, counseling for men with ADHD, or depression counseling for ADHD. You can also view our blog for more resources and helpful info!