ADD/ADHD: Understanding Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment
October is ADHD Awareness Month, making it a good time to look beyond the stereotypes and better understand attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ADHD can affect children, teens, and adults in different ways, influencing school, work, relationships, and everyday life.
It is also important to recognize that occasional forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, or restlessness does not necessarily mean someone has ADHD. ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder with persistent symptoms that interfere with functioning. A proper diagnosis requires more than recognizing a few familiar behaviors.
What Is the Difference Between ADD and ADHD?
ADD is an older term that is still commonly used to describe attention difficulties. Today, the clinical diagnosis is ADHD, which can present in different ways.
Some people primarily experience inattentive symptoms, such as difficulty staying focused, organizing tasks, following instructions, or remembering responsibilities. Others primarily experience hyperactive and impulsive symptoms, such as excessive activity, restlessness, interrupting, or acting without thinking. Some people experience a combination of both.
So, while someone may say they have “ADD,” the current diagnostic term is ADHD, with different presentations based on the symptoms involved.
How Is ADHD Diagnosed?
There is no single test that determines whether someone has ADHD. Diagnosis involves considering symptoms, when they occur, how long they have been present, and how they affect daily life. Other conditions, including anxiety, depression, sleep problems, and learning disabilities, can cause similar difficulties and may need to be considered.
For an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must have begun during childhood. For adults, clinicians generally look for evidence that symptoms were present before age 12, even if ADHD was not recognized or diagnosed at the time. Information from parents, teachers, partners, or others who know the individual may also help.
What Are the Signs of ADHD?
ADHD symptoms can look different from one person to another. Common signs can include:
- Difficulty paying attention or following through on tasks
- Frequently losing or forgetting things
- Disorganization or poor time management
- Procrastination or difficulty completing projects
- Excessive talking or interrupting
- Fidgeting or difficulty sitting still
- Acting impulsively
- Difficulty waiting or taking turns
- Trouble managing responsibilities at school, work, or home
The important question is not simply whether someone experiences these behaviors, but whether they are persistent, occur in more than one setting, and interfere with daily functioning.
ADHD in Children and Adults
For children, ADHD may show up as difficulty completing schoolwork, following classroom expectations, staying organized, or getting along with peers. Children may also experience frustration, low self-esteem, or conflict at home when ADHD-related behaviors are misunderstood.
For adults, ADHD may affect work performance, organization, time management, finances, household responsibilities, and relationships. An adult who was never diagnosed as a child may have spent years wondering why certain everyday tasks seem unusually difficult. Symptoms can also change as a person gets older.
Tips for Parents of a Child With ADHD
If your child has ADHD, remember that behavior is not always a matter of choice or effort. Parents can help by establishing predictable routines, breaking larger tasks into manageable steps, giving clear directions, recognizing progress, and, when appropriate, working with teachers and healthcare providers.
Parent education and behavioral strategies are important parts of ADHD treatment for children. Counseling can also give parents a place to learn strategies for responding to challenging behaviors while supporting their child’s confidence and emotional well-being.
Common ADHD Myths vs. Facts
Myth: Everyone who has trouble concentrating has ADHD.
Fact: Difficulty concentrating can have many causes. ADHD involves a persistent pattern of symptoms that causes meaningful impairment.
Myth: ADHD is only a childhood condition.
Fact: ADHD begins in childhood but can continue into adulthood, although symptoms may change over time.
Myth: ADHD is simply a lack of discipline.
Fact: ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. Treatment focuses on managing symptoms and improving daily functioning rather than simply telling someone to “try harder.”
Myth: Medication is the only treatment for ADHD.
Fact: ADHD treatment may include medication, behavioral interventions, psychotherapy, parent training, or a combination of approaches.
How Can Talk Therapy Help With ADHD?
Therapy does not have to be about “fixing” someone with ADHD. It can help children, teens, and adults understand how ADHD affects their lives and develop practical strategies for managing challenges.
Depending on the individual’s needs, therapy may address organization, emotional regulation, impulsivity, relationships, self-esteem, stress, and coping skills. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), behavioral approaches, family therapy, and parent-focused interventions may all have a role in ADHD treatment.
Restore Counseling Services has therapists who work with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing ADHD, and members of the team have experience with ADHD treatment, parenting strategies, CBT, and ADHD evaluations.
Can Restore Counseling Prescribe Medication for ADHD?
Restore Counseling Services provides counseling and psychotherapy. Our team includes licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and a licensed psychologist.
Medication for ADHD must be prescribed and monitored by an appropriate medical or psychiatric provider. If medication may be appropriate, a therapist can work as part of a broader treatment team and coordinate with other healthcare providers as needed.
ADHD Counseling in Lancaster County, PA
Whether you are concerned about your child’s attention and behavior, navigating an adult ADHD diagnosis, or looking for support with the effects ADHD can have on relationships, school, or work, counseling can provide a place to understand the challenges and develop practical strategies.
Restore Counseling Services offers in-office counseling in Denver and Ephrata, PA, as well as school-based services for students in several Northern Lancaster County school districts.
Want to dig deeper into the topic of ADHD? We suggest additional reading:
- National Institute of Mental Health: ADHD information for children and adults
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: ADHD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment
- CHADD (Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder): ADHD education and resources
If you or your child are struggling with attention, organization, impulsivity, emotional regulation, or other challenges associated with ADHD, contact Restore Counseling Services to learn more about counseling options.
Whether you’re seeking individual counseling, couples counseling, family therapy, or support for your child or teen, therapy offers a place to pause, reflect, and move forward with confidence.