More About ADHD

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More About ADHD *

A spectrum labeled 'ADHD PRESENTATION SPECTRUM' with three points indicating 'HYPERACTIVE-IMPULSIVE PRESENTATION', 'COMBINED PRESENTATION', and 'INATTENTIVE PRESENTATION'.

ADHD — Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder — is currently diagnosed under three main presentations, which describe the types of symptoms someone shows most consistently. But here's the real talk: ADHD is a spectrum, and these categories are just snapshots, not full stories.

Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation

This one includes:

  • Fidgeting or restlessness

  • Talking a lot or interrupting

  • Trouble sitting still

  • Impulsive decisions or blurting things out

  • Feeling constantly “on the go” or like there’s a motor inside you

This presentation is more likely to be identified in young boys — and is the image most people associate with ADHD, even though it’s only one piece of the puzzle.

Combined Presentation

This is when you meet criteria for both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms — and it’s the most common diagnosis in adults.

Inattentive Presentation

Formerly known as “ADD,” this type is mostly marked by:

  • Trouble focusing

  • Forgetfulness

  • Disorganization

  • Daydreaming

  • Being “quiet” or “spacey”

  • Avoiding tasks that take sustained mental effort

This type is often missed in girls, women, and AFAB folks because it doesn’t always cause disruption in classrooms or draw attention — but it can be deeply distressing and exhausting to live with.

ADHD Is a Spectrum

Even if you’re diagnosed with one “presentation,” your experience of ADHD can shift depending on:

  • Age

  • Hormones

  • Stress levels

  • Environment

  • Support systems

  • Medication or lack thereof

You might start out seeming mostly inattentive and later notice hyperactivity showing up — or vice versa. You might mask certain symptoms so well that they’re never seen by others, but still impact you every day- even if you don’t realize it.

And let’s not forget: executive dysfunction, emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, and time blindness are just as real — even if they’re not in the diagnostic criteria.

Diagnosis Is a Tool, Not a Box

The label isn’t meant to limit you — it’s meant to help you understand how your brain works so you can support it better. Your ADHD might not look like someone else’s, and that doesn’t make it any less valid.