ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis

Understand how ADHD shows up in adults and what to expect from the diagnostic process.

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    What You Need to Know About Diagnosing ADHD in Women

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    ADHD diagnosis in women is complicated… It’s not uncommon for both men and women I work with to first receive their ADHD diagnosis as an adult. Sometimes they call me after a very recent diagnosis. And, as we talk about this late diagnosis, the conversation often touches on their feelings about having ADHD and finding out so late in life. They may experience both sadness and relief when they first find out. They feel relief because they can put their past into context — they have a better understanding of their challenges. But they may also feel grief that it took so long to find out. However, women are often more surprised at their diagnosis than men. Which Type of ADHD Do Women Have? Like…

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    Answers to the Top 10 Questions About Adult ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    It can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff when seeking out facts about adult ADHD. Learn more below. So you can be sure you’re on the right path! #1 What is ADHD? I’ve heard the statements below and more in my conversations with ADHD adults. “My therapist says I’m too successful to have ADHD.” “I got by for a long time and then all of sudden I start struggling. I had no idea I had ADHD!” “I was never impulsive or hyperactive. So, it never occurred to me that I might have ADHD.” There is a lot of confusion and misinformation about ADHD… In simplest terms ADHD is a neurological condition that is usually genetically transmitted, characterized by distractibility, impulsivity and restlessness…

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    What You Need To Know About the Causes, Symptoms & Diagnoses of ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      Trying to figure out more about ADHD causes, symptoms and diagnosis? Confused from all the information on the internet? It can be frustrating trying to find information you need and can trust. There is a lot of hype out there, making it almost impossible at times to separate the wheat from the chaff. I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. After endless amounts of time googling I bet you are often left confused, wondering: Arghhh… If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you know I’m not a fan of hype or hyperbole. And neither are you. You want the facts. Here they are. What is The Cause of ADHD? You may have heard in the media that poor diet, food dyes,…

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    When an ADHD Diagnosis is a Great Thing

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      “After living with ADD for many years I started believing that I was lazy, stupid, and crazy.” Before being diagnosed with ADHD you may have believed, like my former client quoted above, that there was something wrong with you and maybe even that there was nothing you could do about it. While it will likely take you time to adjust to your ADHD diagnosis, as you go through the stages of coping , it can be the beginning of a journey that can turn your life around. And you can start to create a life you enjoy and where you are able to thrive. Oh, That’s Why! Many, if not most of the people I work with individually and in groups already have an…

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    ADHD Is Not A Real Diagnosis?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    My daughter had been through 6 hours of neurological testing over two days by a highly regarded neuropsychologist in the Boston area. When I read Lessons from Atticus: is “ADHD” a problem of not listening? written by a pediatrician, I was reminded of a remark my daughter’s former pediatrician made when I shared with him the report from the neuropsychologist indicating that she had ADHD. His response was, “She is too cute to have ADHD.” What I heard was, “ADHD is not real.” It has been almost 8 year since that appointment. Fast forward to recent years. As of late ADHD seems to have become a lightning rod for attacks from experts and non-experts alike. It is always distressing to me when I read opinions…

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    Is This Normal or Do I Have Undiagnosed ADHD?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      Below is an excerpt from a letter that I recently received (and was given permission to post) along with my response. I decided to include it here, as it is such a common question and might be of interest to you, too.   Hi Marla, I’ve really been identifying with everything you and your testimonials have been saying on your website, but I’ve never been diagnosed myself. For years as a university student I have constantly struggled with mastering my procrastination on assignments and study, and I’ve realised recently it seems to stem from this impulsivity, this tendency to immediately act on every thought I have. All the issues you are talking about that adults with ADHD have to deal with, I feel that…

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    Understanding Your ADHD Brain

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

      Usually, I write about how ADHD symptoms are expressed and how to manage them. In fact, I bet most of the time this is the information you are looking for as you attempt to answer the question, “How do I deal with my ADHD?!” And I know from talking to a lot of people that having an understanding of the genetics and neurobiology of ADHD is probably not at the top of your list when looking for ways to address the challenges of your ADHD. But I think it should at least be on the list. I hope this brief intro whets your curiosity and prompts you to find out more about the relationship between the brain and ADHD. Causes of ADHD While we…

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    ADHD and Solving “Insurmountable” Problems

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, ADHD Tools & Strategies, Blog

    Can you think of a time when you were worrying about an issue, but not doing anything about it? Just worrying… I mean the kind of worrying that seems to take over your brain; it is like a record that is stuck playing over and over again. Some call it ruminating or perseverating. Maybe you are even doing this right now. If you are an adult with ADHD, you can’t afford to rent out this valuable real estate in your head. You have too much on your plate that you want to accomplish to devote your time and energy to just worrying. If you feel stuck and are tired of thoughts flooding your mind, there really are steps you can take to make a molehill…

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    Do You Know How You Feel About Having ADHD?

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    You may be familiar with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross’ model of the Five Stages of Grief.  If you are, then you know that the intent of her model is to describe the stages  of feelings you may go through in response to the death of another or to your own terminal illness. Subsequently, using her model as a foundation, others created similar models to describe the cycle of feelings that people go through when faced with an event that they perceive as negative. At some point after being diagnosed with ADHD you may have considered having ADHD as a burden, something negative. That is normal, to be sure. If you are trying to accept your ADHD and work with it, one of the keys is understanding and…

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    Summary of Causes of ADHD

    ByMarla Cummins ADHD Symptoms & Diagnosis, Blog

    You may have heard in the media that poor diet, food dyes, too much sugar, environmental chemicals, poor schooling, too much TV, poor pre-natal care or poor parenting are causes of ADHD. Whew! It is possible that drug or alcohol use during pregnancy could alter the brain and may be a possible cause of ADHD. As for the other factors, while credible research has not been able to validate any of them as causes of ADHD, they definitely can exacerbate ADHD symptoms. What we do think is that ADHD is a brain based biological disorder, caused by a number of factors that affect how the brain develops and functions. And the one factor that stands out is a neurotransmitter imbalance. Neurotransmitter Imbalance As you know,…