BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE! WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ADHD

If we’re talking about a sale at our favorite store, the BOGO sign is likely to bring a smile to our face, but unfortunately, it can also pertain to many disorders, such as ADHD.

ADHD loves company, and there are multiple disorders that are more than willing to tag along for the ride. I think of it as sort of kicking you while you’re down! Some of its favorite partners are: anxiety disorders (including generalized and social anxiety, and OCD,), depression, Bipolar Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorders (including Asperger’s Syndrome and PDD NOS), learning disabilities, and Conduct Disorder. This is not an exclusive list, and it is common to have more than one.

This is so important for people to understand because of the tendency people have to compare themselves, or their child, to someone else that has been diagnosed with ADHD. So often we hear people say things like, “Jimmy’s teacher suggested to me that he may have ADHD, but I know that he doesn’t. My nephew has ADHD, and Jimmy is nothing like him!”, or “My brother has ADHD and is usually bouncing off of the walls! I’m nothing like that. I couldn’t have ADHD.” These comparisons can keep people from getting a proper diagnosis, which is unfortunate because the right interventions can remove so many obstacles from the ADHD’er’s life.

Certainly, there are characteristics that are hallmark of ADHD, but a free- loading disorder is likely to throw a big kink into the picture. Someone who experiences anxiety along with their ADHD will not necessarily have the same behaviors as someone who experiences Oppositional Defiance Disorder. There are countless combinations which make each person with ADHD unique.

Whether it’s you, your spouse, or your child, make sure to investigate if an accompanying disorder(s) might exist. Understanding the whole picture is key to the ADHD’er’s success!