Fitting the ADHD Profile
Written by KirstineFebruary 12, 2011 How do you know if you really have ADHD? There is no substitute for a careful evaluation by an experienced clinician. However, if you answer six or more of these questions as “Yes”, and you can see these patterns as present for your whole life, then it is likely that you do have ADHD. And if you do, in fact, have diagnosable ADHD, it means that you need to gain a clear understanding of how your brain works so that you can be as organized and successful in life as those around you, who don’t have ADHD.
The ADHD checklist:
1. Do you procrastinate, regularly putting off tasks that, for you, require a lot of mental energy?
2. Do you have difficulty completing tasks or projects?
3. Do you often forget or find yourself late for appointments?
4. Do you feel restless or full of nervous energy and compelled to do things?
5. Do you have trouble organizing yourself to do a complex task?
6. Do you fidget or squirm, needing to move some part of your body if you have to sit or keep still?
Consider, as well:
1. Do you find yourself lost in your own thoughts, even when someone is talking directly to you?
2. Do you have difficulty throwing things away, even if they have little value or specific usefulness to you?
3. Do you react quickly to conflicts?
4. Do you sometimes blurt things out and then wish that you hadn’t spoken?
5. Do you take things to heart, finding yourself easily hurt and sensitive?
6. Do you find that most of these problems disappear when you have something fun or interesting to do?
If you understand why you are the way you are, perhaps with some external support, you will find your own ways of staying clear, focused, and organized.