1. First of all, ADHD is a legitimate neurobehavioral disorder — it's not just feeling distracted and disorganized.
2. The brain of someone with ADHD is literally different.
3. Most of the symptoms are caused by an impairment in your brain's executive functioning, which is basically the control center.
4. There are actually three different types of ADHD.
5. Actually being diagnosed with ADHD can be a long and frustrating process.
6. People with ADHD don't have a lack of knowledge, they just have trouble putting that knowledge into practice.
7. So performance-based things like school and work are especially tough.
8. But ADHD can affect all parts of your life, not just school or work.
9. Focusing on just one thing can be tough, since people with ADHD are hypersensitive to their surroundings.
People with ADHD often see and hear everything around them, noticing things that most people are able to completely tune out, Murphy says. It can be helpful at times (especially in some creative fields), but at other times these distractions can easily becoming overwhelming.