More About Inattentive Type ADHD

If you’re in your mid 30s or older, you may have come across the term “ADD,” which stood – at the time – for “attention deficit disorder.” ADD was considered, at last in casual conversation, to be a separate condition than ADHD. If the person struggled to pay attention, they had “ADD.” If the person was also (or primarily) hyperactive, then people would say that person had “ADHD” – attention deficit/hyperactive disorder.

In 1994, this changed. Rather than consider ADD and ADHD separate disorders, ADD became a part of the ADHD diagnosis, and was referred to as “ADHD – Predominately Inattentive Type.”

This reclassification has its benefits from a psychiatric perspective. Still, one small challenge that has arisen is that “inattentive type” ADHD doesn’t always get talked about as often, nor as easily recognized. Many programs are focused on helping those with hyperactive behaviors. But children, teens, and adults with predominantly inattentive type still have their struggles.

With that in mind, here are some things to know about inattentive type ADHD:

  • It can be harder to spot and diagnose. Because so much of it is an internal struggle, someone may not realize you have it because there may not be as clear signs. Academic problems may also not be as apparent, and some people do not have academic problems at all, making it even more difficult to diagnose.
  • It is more common in girls and young women, and misogyny may lead people to believe that it’s a “female” thing rather than ADHD. For example, a young girl with inattentive ADHD may be called terms like “ditzy” or a “dreamer,” with the distracted symptoms considered a part of their personality, when in reality they have a treatable condition.
  • It can make it feel like they’re in more control than they may be. When someone isn’t experiencing externally visible symptoms, then we often feel like they’ll be easily able to change it. We may feel like their forgetfulness is a choice, or their procrastination is because they’re being lazy. We might forget, because we don’t see it, that they are struggling behind the scenes.
  • They may do a great job of fixating on a task. What people do not understand about any form of ADHD, but especially inattentive type, is that even though they may find themselves easily distracted often, they may also experience “hyper-fixation,’ where they are actually over-attentive to a task, and put all their energy into it. Because they may also have time management struggles, hyperfixation can mean that hours pass without doing anything else.
  • They may have vivid dreams. Inattentive ADHD is known for its “day dreaming” behaviors, but night dreaming can also be different for those with inattentive ADHD. They may have more vivid dreams and, despite sometimes trouble with memory, they may have better recall of those dreams.

Inattentive ADHD can disrupt a child’s life. But it can also be managed. For more information about helping children, teens, and adults with ADHD – or for programs to help you get the help you need, reach out to ADHD Training Center, today.

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