We all know kids who can’t sit still, who never seem to listen, who blurt out inappropriate comments, or don’t follow instructions no matter how clearly you present them.
While it’s normal for kids to forget their homework, daydream during class, or act without thinking, inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity are also signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. ADHD makes it difficult for a person to inhibit their spontaneous responses, including everything from movement to speech to assertiveness.
Some children with ADHD may be constantly in motion, bouncing off the walls and disrupting others around them. Other children with ADHD may sit quietly, with their attention miles away.
There are three primary characteristics of ADHD: Inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, though all three aren’t always prominent in one child.
Children with ADHD may:
- Have trouble staying focused or get easily distracted
- Appear not to be listening when spoken to
- Constantly fidget and squirm
- Talk excessively
- Act without thinking
- Interrupt often, or say the wrong thing at the wrong time
- Have a quick temper or “short fuse”
Whether or not your child’s symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are due to ADHD, they can cause problems if left untreated. Children who can’t focus or control themselves or get into trouble at school often find it hard to make friends. These frustrations can later lead to low self-esteem as well as friction for the whole family.
Treatment can make a dramatic difference in your child’s symptoms. With the right support, your child can get on track for success in all areas of life.
Adults with ADHD
Counseling for adult ADHD focuses on practical, goal-oriented strategies to address specific areas of difficulty in daily life. Key goals include:
- Improving executive function: Developing skills for planning, organization, and time management.
- Enhancing self-esteem: Addressing long-standing feelings of failure or underachievement that often stem from undiagnosed or mismanaged ADHD.
- Regulating emotions: Learning techniques to manage emotional dysregulation and control impulsive behaviors.
- Improving relationships: Developing better communication and conflict-resolution skills to address interpersonal problems caused by ADHD-related behaviors.
- Developing coping strategies: Identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors that interfere with daily functioning.
Several types of therapy are effective for adults with ADHD:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Considered a gold standard for ADHD psychotherapy, CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented approach that helps individuals identify and change unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors. A therapist might help an adult with procrastination by breaking a large task into smaller, more manageable steps.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): This therapy focuses on teaching skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and distress tolerance, which can be particularly helpful for those with emotional dysregulation and interpersonal challenges.
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): MBCT combines mindfulness meditation with CBT principles to help improve attention, focus, and impulse control by training individuals to focus on the present moment non-judgmentally.
- ADHD Coaching: While not formal psychotherapy, an ADHD coach can help set goals, structure daily life, and provide motivation and accountability for practical skills like time and money management.
- Supportive Psychotherapy: This type of therapy helps enhance existing coping skills and address mental distress, often working to reframe negative self-perceptions into a more hopeful outlook.
The best approach often depends on an individual's specific symptoms and life goals and often works best when combined with other treatments, such as medication.