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ADHD is one of the most well-known conditions out there. But do you know what it is? ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It affects how a person’s brain works, mainly when focusing, staying organised, and controlling emotions. The ADHD brain works differently from other brains, but it’s not just about being hyper or distracted.
All brains need something called dopamine to help us stay motivated and focused. Dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter. It sends messages between your brain and your body. When you enjoy something like playing video games or hanging out with friends, your brain increases dopamine levels, making you feel good and want to keep going at whatever you are currently doing.
In people with ADHD, the brain doesn’t make or use enough dopamine, so tasks that aren’t fun or interesting to someone, like homework or chores, are more challenging to get started on. Without enough dopamine, it’s like trying to drive a car without enough fuel. This is why people with ADHD often look for activities that are exciting or new because those things give their brains the dopamine they need.
The part of the brain that helps people plan, organise, and get things done is called the prefrontal cortex. In people with ADHD, this part of the brain works differently. It’s harder to make a plan, follow through, or even remember to do important things.
For example, someone with ADHD might forget to turn in a school project, not because they didn’t do it but because their brain had difficulty remembering when it was due. They don’t feel the same pressure to finish things until the last minute.
People with ADHD often feel emotions more intensely and may have trouble controlling them. If you have ADHD, you might get really frustrated or angry quickly, even if it’s over something small. This happens because the ADHD brain has difficulty managing impulses—the sudden urges to act or react.
For a neurotypical brain without ADHD, emotions are easier to control. But for someone with ADHD, feelings can seem really big, and they might do or say things they didn’t mean to, just because the impulse was too strong.
You might think that people with ADHD are always distracted, but that’s not true. Sometimes, they experience something called hyperfocus. This means they get highly focused on something they’re really interested in. They can spend hours doing it without even realising how much time has passed!
Hyperfocus can be great when it’s on something fun or important, but it can also make it hard to switch to other tasks, like getting ready for school or doing homework. So rather than being forgetful or hyper, ADHD is actually about difficulty controlling your attention.
People with ADHD often live in the “now”. This means they might have trouble thinking about things that are coming up, like future tests or assignments. For them, everything feels like it’s either happening right now or so far away that it’s hard to care about.
That’s why they sometimes wait until the last minute to start things. Their brain doesn’t register that something is due soon until it’s almost too late. This is why time management can be tough for someone with ADHD.
While having ADHD can make some things harder, it can also make people more creative. ADHD brains love new and exciting things, which helps them come up with unique ideas and solutions to problems. This is why many people with ADHD are great at things like art, music, or inventing new ideas. People with ADHD can think outside the box and come up with creative solutions that other people might not have thought of. This is just one of the strengths of the ADHD brain
The ADHD brain works differently, and that’s no bad thing! While people with ADHD may struggle with things like paying attention or staying organised, they also have amazing strengths like creativity and hyperfocus. Understanding how the ADHD brain works—especially when it comes to things like dopamine—can help people with ADHD learn how to use their brains in the best way possible.
Remember, just because someone’s brain works differently doesn’t mean it’s bad—it’s just different!
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