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People Are Getting Convinced They Might Have ADHD After Seeing This Illustration About 6 ADHD Moods
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children, and it affects many adults too. However, society knows very little about what it actually means to live with this condition and how to care for the people who have it.
Moreover, Len Adler, M.D., one of the leading researchers in adult ADHD and a professor of psychiatry at New York University, believes that at least 75 percent of adults who have ADHD do not know that they have it. Adults with undiagnosed ADHD get fired from their jobs more frequently, or they impulsively quit, or they underachieve, slowly losing self-esteem, confidence, drive, and joy in life, resigning themselves to a life with less happiness than it could have been if they were diagnosed and treated.
So, to raise awareness of ADHD, a 26-year-old artist from the UK, who has been diagnosed with it, has created a comic series, titled ADHD Couple, where she shares both medical information and her own personal experiences.
Recently, one of her strips has been going viral all over the Internet, and people have been thanking her for opening their eyes to what’s happening to them.
Image credits: adhd_couple
“I’ve got diagnosed with ADHD last year, and honestly, the diagnosis was life-changing,” Ingri told Bored Panda. “It helped me to accept myself, knowing why my brain works a certain way, has helped me to look at my struggles with more compassion. Also, getting the right treatment, helped with many uncomfortable ADHD symptoms, and made life more manageable.”
The artist said that living with undiagnosed ADHD is very hard. “I’ve constantly felt out of place, like there was something wrong and I’m somehow different from everyone else. I constantly felt overwhelmed and emotionally drained. For many people, undiagnosed ADHD can bring comorbidities like anxiety and depression, therefore it is especially important to get the right treatment as soon as possible. Also finding the community of people going through the same things really really helps! It made me feel less alone.”
Image credits: adhd_couple
Image credits: adhd_couple
Image credits: adhd_couple
Ingri thinks that one of the biggest misconceptions the public has about ADHD is that only children have it. “The truth is that most people with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults too. However, many adults are shamed and not taken seriously for the symptoms they experience. I know for myself, it was quite hard to accept the fact that I have ADHD because all I knew about this condition were the misconceptions and stigma surrounding it. I didn’t fit the ‘hyperactive boy’ image, therefore it was hard to understand this diagnosis for myself, as well as explain it to others.”
Another big myth is that everyone with ADHD is visibly hyperactive. The artist said there are three types of ADHD, and one of them is ‘the inattentive type’ (which she also happens to have)—it doesn’t have an impact on activity levels. “Many girls and women tend to have this type of ADHD, therefore they are usually diagnosed later in life, as the ones who get noticed first are hyperactive boys.”
Image credits: adhd_couple
Image credits: adhd_couple
Image credits: adhd_couple
Ingri has based the characters we see in this and other ADHD Couple comics on herself and her boyfriend Jay. “I’ve started this Instagram account with the comics from our daily life portraying the struggles that ADHD brings into our relationship with a bit of humor (like our kitchen being constantly messy, or me waking him up every night because I can’t sleep, or us constantly forgetting things and ruining our date nights).”
“If anyone who reads this article recognizes these symptoms in themselves… you’re not alone!” Ingri added. “There’s a whole community of us going through similar things, we understand and support each other! Connecting with others and learning as much as you can about ADHD is key.”
If you want to learn more about ADHD, fire up this article by the American Psychiatric Association.
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People think the comic is super accurate
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Uncommon Boston 3 years ago (edited)
This is a partial list, there are many more symptoms, such as hyper awareness of small sounds, getting distracted by things everyone else isn't see or hear. Soft repetitive sounds. In high school, 1970's, I knew something was wrong. I would get everything ready to start my homework, then was unable to do the work. Try harder wasn't the answer, it quickly into headaches and physical ailments preventing me from accomplishing anything. At times I cant read because I can't remember the sentence before, which made things like homework more difficult. There was no way other people had so much trouble. This is minor, full blown ADHD is much worse. Adderal calms me, gives me patience, the ability to focus and I don't get angry easily. It isn't an upper.
anxiousPansexualnightmare 3 years ago
i have really awful a.d.d. and that is totally correct. especially with small sounds. all of what you've just described is exactly what i am going through right now. my mother won't let me get meds for it though
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Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
There is more to ADHD than what is depicted and it also varies in severeness. Yes everyone has these traits but they are usually mild and don’t significantly effect your daily life. ADHD often negatively effects the person day in and day out and can significantly effect your education, employment, relationships, and have high risk of mental health issues. etc.
maya P.K 3 years ago
i have a high risk of mental health issues? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
I just want to give you an example of how ADHD can affect someone whilst reading a book. My almost 7yo son takes approx 30 mins to read a 5 page book with 3 words on each page. 15 words in total, that is like one word every 2 minutes. Do you know why? Well, for a few reasons. He cannot sit still and I mean literally. He will swing his legs, sit down stand up, rock back and forth, flick his hands, stand up and jump etc. We have tried everything we and the OT can think of including some therapy equipment, without success. He is also easily distracted. He would be half way through a word and then suddenly ask a completely random question, or sees something more interesting and focuses on that, or all of a sudden start chatting about something completely irrelevant. And he is extremely forgetful so if there is a sentence that says "sit, Sam, sit" he would say the first word but forget it by the last word which is the exact same word. I hope that makes sense. I know he can't help it but it can sure test ones patience. And I will admit I have lost my s**t on more than one occasion. Not my finest moments and I have no excuses. But I am trying my best, I am human and I am not perfect.
tangy chip 3 years ago
i have been diagnosed with adhd. i cant read this! its too long and i got distracted...
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Merrill N. Munro 3 years ago
I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until my 50's. Going through life being accused of being scatter-brained, a chronic procrastinator, and a hyper-focused zombie made me question what was wrong with me. It's not that these symptoms are something every person has at some time or another, it's that some of us have them ALL THE TIME, and it cripples us. I have had issues with being unable to clean my house because I would start to do a task, then become overwhelmed because I couldn't find the right sponge. I literally made a bigger mess looking for a sponge I thought I had, and spent three hours pulling my cupboards, garage and bathroom apart looking for it. I've lost thousands of hours of living because of this disorder. Medication helps though. Things are getting better.
John Louis 3 years ago
The sad reality is for those of us who have Adult ADHD is that our behaviors are often blamed on moral failures. OBTY medication is of limited help.
I want cake 3 years ago (edited)
Yep. I've lost friends who got so frustrated with me for not 'living up to my potential' they couldn't be around me anymore. I've been accused so many times of not caring when I care so much, probably more than most, and it just feels like a wholesale rejection of me as a person. I've been called lazy, unmotivated, unambitious and been told more than I can count that 'if I really wanted it I would've put the effort in'. I have such low self-esteem after 29 years of this.
Load More Replies... Beate 3 years ago
There are many common traits and symptoms that can be linked to other mental disorders and are not just specific to ADHD. However, due to this, many people get misdiagnosed. For example, people with ADHD often gets mistaken for having depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, if ADHD goes undiagnosed for so long it often lead to depression or anxiety. Sadly, ADHD in girls and women also often got overlooked due to the stigma of ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity. There is a lack of research and complete misunderstanding how ADHD effects girls due to the fact that when ADHD first became a disorder it was believed to only effect boys. Luckily today awareness is growing and much more symptoms are now linked to ADHD. Still, many children fly under the radar and due to the utter crippling effect ADHD could have on a person's daily life, it leads to adults cracking or ending in complete adrenal failure. If you relate to these symptoms, even as an adult, and have done some more research, please go get a professional opinion and help. Last year at 29 I saw a similar comic of ADHD. After reading more articles and crying for a full week (partly due to relief but mostly anger), I went to see a professional. Turns out I'm not dumb, lazy or a failure. Medication does not take it all away and magically make you be better, but it makes it easier to handle. And from there you can get so many tips and tricks on how to manage your daily ADHD life.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Hear hear, I am getting myself assessed this year. After my daughters diagnosis I learnt about it and the more I learnt the more I realised it described me and certainly explains a LOT.
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Teresa Thomas 3 years ago
Similarly, BiPolar disorders experience these as well, many while in a hypo-/manic state, some while in depression. For example, the "did nothing until I Did the Thing day" would result in my being severely depressed and anxious about it for the next several days
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I don’t get anxious, I just get angry at myself for not doing it. But then I do it again the next day. Ends up being a vicious circle.
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oddkiddo 3 years ago
It is also important to stress the neuroaffective aspects of it. Like rejection sensitivity dysphoria, mental rumination, eagerness to please, internal unrest, etc.
Aliquid A 3 years ago
People that suggest "This happens to everyone" are interpreting the comic differently than I am. They seem to think that the comics are exaggerated experiences to make a point... but they are not. When #1 says "hyper-focused for 15 hours", it literally means that. So someone were to say "oh, I was hyper-focused for 1/2 an hour, it was crazy"... then no, you aren't quite getting the severity of ADHD. Or lets say #6 - zoning out. That happens to me EVERY MEETING, for at least half of the meeting, even if it is material that I should be paying attention to. Saying "oh yeah, I zone out when they talk about stuff that doesn't impact me" isn't the same. Or #2... that one seriously impacts my life. I don't allow myself to enjoy life until my chores are done... but there are days where I just can't motivate myself, so the entire day is a complete waste, I didn't get the chore done, AND I didn't enjoy myself, it isn't even a "chill out" day of nothing, it is a day of feeling useless.
Phoenix 3 years ago
I am pretty sure everyone has these traits, just for ADHD they’re notched up a bunch of notches. My sister has ADHD and only has the boxes 3 and 6. While I don’t have ADHD and I have all of them except number two but it never effects my life too much and on the rare occasion it does it’s never by much. Meanwhile my sister is having a hard time keeping her grades up above a D because she’s getting constantly distracted and as I said, it’s upped a bunch because she has ADHD.
I want cake 3 years ago
That's the crux of it: it has to negatively affect your life and your ability to function.
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Barbz 3 years ago
There's more to ADHD than depicted in this list. It's pretty informative, I can relate to 5/6 of these illustrations. But the artist kinda depicted it like each person with ADHD/ADD fits into one of these categories like its Harry Potter House. When in reality, it's like a random generator. Some days I will wake up and be very drowsy and have no motivation to do anything, and others I wake up and want to find out all about Armenia (cuz I really like geography and world history). People make out ADHD/ADD like a disorder where we're all puppies that can't focus on one thing for too long so we stare into space. Yes, there is a lot of zoning out, but ADHD/ADD has a greater effect on people's mental health than most people think. It's more random on how we will behave. Right now, I'm feeling hyper-focused, but tomorrow I might feel depressed and out-of-it. No hate to the artist. The artist seems to have made it seem so simple and so people could comprehend.
I want cake 3 years ago
It's like some twisted wheel of chance, isn't it.
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DogMatic 3 years ago
People without ADHD may often experience one or more of the illustrated moods. That is normal human behaviour. Most people with ADHD experience all those moods at different times, sometimes all in the same day, to an extreme point, which has a serious effect on/detriment to daily life. There are also many other more complex symptoms too, sensory/auditory sensitivity/processing issues, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, paradoxical hyperfocus, & lots more. Please be cautious regarding self-diagnosis. Not only can it harm you, but also make it more difficult for those with formal diagnoses to be taken seriously in society.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
They forgot the intrusive thoughts. Sometimes, it's just a snippet of a song running through my head...one line over and over again. Other times, it's a series of self-critical thoughts that are exaggerated. It's awful, especially when I'm trying to fall asleep.
Ripley Dog 3 years ago
Quick side track; I was diagnosed ADHD as a kid, and it was not. It was bipolar. These two conditions are very similar but for different reasons. E.g. being unfocused or restless because you're manic, procrastinating or zoning out while depressive, trying to do ALL the things and having poor impulse control while manic... I'm not minimizing ADHD, but if ADHD doesn't seem to quite fit your symptoms, consider that it might be the milder form of bipolar (bipolar 2). Bipolar is often misdiagnosed among kids because it's very similar to ADHD. Regardless which one, being medicated will be a godsend.
maya P.K 3 years ago
tyanks, i just remebered i have to write an email to my teacher bbut then i saw bored panda...
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Bone_of_midfield 3 years ago
I don’t have adhd (that I know of) but literally all of these describes me. The only thing I’m ever constant in is playing football 😅
FullyStupid 2 years ago
I’m 15yr old and I have ADHD and Dyslexia…And Adhd has ruin my life so much…Like my mom thinks that I’m not trying in school and she also thinks that because I don’t take my adhd pills…And I’m 15yr old and my adhd pills brought down my weight to 93 pounds because I was not eating and taken my adhd pills also kept me form sleeping…And on top of dat my reading teacher even said that I would be smart in reading if I would try..And I do be trying and it’s annoying that people think that I do not try. But if I’m begin honest I’m not smart at anything🤷🏾♀️
FullyStupid 2 years ago
I’m 15yr old and I’ve been diagnosed with adhd and Dyslexia when I was 5 or 4 I think..But in my opinion I hate having adhd because adhd gets me in trouble a lot and I could never stay focus in class which brings down my grades… My Mom thinks its just me not trying and that I also don’t be taken my adhd medication.. But that’s not case I do be trying in class and if I take my medication it will keep me form eating and sleeping…And on top of dat my READING teacher even said That i would be smart in reading class if I wold try..And in my opinion again im not really smart at anything in real life tbh..
Kitty Luna Darrow 3 years ago
Just remember that relating with ADHD stuff online doesn't mean you have it. There's a difference between regular human distraction and laziness and this mental disorder. Having it myself, I have learned all of the aspects of ADHD and what it truly is. Some people see a relatable post that is all "yee ADHDer here I was going to clean my room and ended up staring at the ceiling for 30 minutes." That obviously happens, but just because you relate to that doesn't mean you have it. Consider the fact that you could just be lazy. People with ADHD truly want to do so much, but there are mental blocks and imbalances that get in the way.
thepinkrobot 3 years ago
lol just bc they have six symptoms here, these ppl think they all have it? EYE ROLL. The real stuff has so much more unfortunate issues.
Brandy Grote 3 years ago
As a 55 yr old woman, I can't get a dr to test me for ADHD at all, despite showing & being dismayed by several symptoms. Without the test, there's no treatment. Ugh.
Ryan Kennedy 3 years ago
Neurodiversity like all diversity is a good thing that should be accepted. There are probably a dozen genes that impact focus etc. ADHD-associated traits have become more problematic due to the nature of work and school (not to mention environmental distractions.) Aside from the most severe presentations (which often has comorbidity with other more severe conditions) I think we do ourselves a huge disservice in making a medical condition. There is also difference between ADHD and ADD (no hyperactivity) and ADD (general distractability) is much more open to interpretation. If you are suffering or do better at school, by all means go get your Adderall, but note that distractibility is often associated with anxiety (and adderall can make this worse). Remember that hyperfocus (aside from those with primarily multitasking roles like adminstrators and managers) is a huge advantage for creatives, computer programmers, and others with work that require extended periods of deep thinking.
sylvanticx 3 years ago
well, now i know that i don't have ADHD. i don't have those symptoms. at all.
Damon Tripodi 3 years ago
I dunno adhd sounds a lot like normal life. If everyone has it... Is it really a thing?
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Whilst yes, everybody does have those traits. People with ADHD have some or all of those traits in extremes and negatively effect daily life. Education, employment and relationships is often very difficult for many people with ADHD. If you read some of the other comments you might get a better understanding.
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Devin Schmitt 3 years ago
It's a spectrum disorder. Unfortunately , I wasn't diagnosed until my son was in grade school. ADHD is hell on relationships.
Jarrod Nichols 3 years ago
This is a dangerous thread. You CAN'T diagnose ADHD by behavior alone. See a professional before blindly medicating your children because they don't listen.
PhoebeBird 3 years ago
I relate to this so much. I have ADHD and I hate it. It is so much more then being hyper and constantly distracted. It makes so many things difficult. Somebody else said this in the comments and the same thing happens to me where I read a book and I cannot even remember the sentence before. I used to be on meds for it and I am going to get back on them because they helped so much.
Boo Neke 3 years ago
I believe we are not designed for sitting still for hours on end. We are apes after all. We are designed to be alert for danger, to find food, shelter, eat, sleep and reproduce. The school system is designed to equip us with the knowledge and skills to get a job, work and make money. People diagnosed with ‘disorders’ such as adhd are normal in my view. It is our capitalist society with all its wants and needs which is not normal and makes us anxious, depressed and sick. We are totally out of sync with nature and have so much to learn from traditional cultures so we can find a balance between our creativity, our needs and the needs of the planet.
Janoel Murrey 3 years ago
As a person with ADHD i really understand these i am sad or hungry all the time i am depressed i have a short attention span and i really just zone out a lot
DogMatic 3 years ago
People without ADHD may often experience one or more of the illustrated moods. That is normal human behaviour. Most people with ADHD experience all those moods at different times, sometimes all in the same day, to an extreme point, which has a serious effect on/detriment to daily life. There are also many other more complex symptoms too, sensory/auditory sensitivity/processing issues, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, paradoxical hyperfocus, & lots more. Please be cautious regarding self-diagnosis. Not only can it harm you, but also make it more difficult for those with formal diagnoses to be taken seriously in society.
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Lola 3 years ago
Ok, this is either every human on the planet, or I have ADHD. Don’t people go through this on a daily basis?
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
Everyone does have these traits but they don’t significantly negatively effect day to day life. Education, finding work, maintaining relationships is often quite difficult for people with ADHD. Some of the most common traits of ADHD is Easily distracted and I mean EASILY. They struggle with eye contact, they have a lot of emotional outbursts, getting told off a lot and getting in trouble at school, they struggle with impulse control, they often can’t sit still whether it is shaking their leg, wiggling their bottoms, twiddling their thumbs, always chewing or fiddling with something etc, struggles to wait their turn and just blurts our what they want to say even if someone hasn’t finished talking, they have a high risk of mental health issues, they are at a higher risk of doing risk taking behaviours including drugs because of their lack of impulse and at a higher risk of being bullied. Now not everyone with ADHD has all these symptoms they may have some that negatively impact their lives. My hubby and daughter have all of these symptoms and looks like my son does too. Getting assessed in May.
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Kateryna 3 years ago
I relate to the first one a lot. I get so focused on one small task, one new hobby, a project!
Arctic Fox Lover 3 years ago
My sister has ADHD, but I'm nothing like her. I have a few of these symptoms, and I am easily distracted, but like... I can listen to blaring music and read a book just fine. And I can fall asleep with hard metal music playing as well (I've done it multiple times in the past) so... I guess I'm just a somewhat easily distracted person :>
𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊 2 years ago
I know you may want to connect, however, this post is abt adhd specifically ^^ (Who am I to comment tho I do similar things sometimes)
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lunar eclipse 3 years ago
All of these ticked for me. But I’ve never gotten myself checked. Could I have ADHD?
marie elle 3 years ago
I am a teacher for 15 years, I have 4 kids myself and I very much hope, that adhd come out as one of great failiours especially in treatment. I saw so many kids become totally incapeable of any social life after the were put on medication. Our society has a way to handle all parts of social live that is a burden to loads of people. The miscredity of work with humans in general and the understatement of the need of social skills is one of great tasks of our future.
Kaseylulu 3 years ago
My daughter is 8 and was diagnosed with adhd at age 5 because it was affecting her life and ability to learn very negatively. We put her on medication and I do not regret it for a second. Before she had medication she was in trouble constantly and had a really hard time making friends because she couldn't control her impulses. She also had a hard time learning because of a lack of focus. After going on medication she has flourished academically and socially. As a teacher, I would recommend you educate yourself more on what adhd is for your students sake because if you think treating adhd with medication is a failure, you clearly don't know what adhd is.
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Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Just because they say it doesn't exist doesn't make it so. There is proof of exists, live it daily with my family. And just because you don't believe it exists, doesnt mean it is not real. My kids ADHD is never used as an excuse for their behaviour and their behaviour is not through lack of discipline, especially when a lot of ADHD behaviours is not "naughty" behaviours like distractibility, lack of focus, poor impulse control, always on the move etc. Educate yourself.
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Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I can guarantee you it does. It effects my family every day.
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Uncommon Boston 3 years ago (edited)
This is a partial list, there are many more symptoms, such as hyper awareness of small sounds, getting distracted by things everyone else isn't see or hear. Soft repetitive sounds. In high school, 1970's, I knew something was wrong. I would get everything ready to start my homework, then was unable to do the work. Try harder wasn't the answer, it quickly into headaches and physical ailments preventing me from accomplishing anything. At times I cant read because I can't remember the sentence before, which made things like homework more difficult. There was no way other people had so much trouble. This is minor, full blown ADHD is much worse. Adderal calms me, gives me patience, the ability to focus and I don't get angry easily. It isn't an upper.
anxiousPansexualnightmare 3 years ago
i have really awful a.d.d. and that is totally correct. especially with small sounds. all of what you've just described is exactly what i am going through right now. my mother won't let me get meds for it though
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
There is more to ADHD than what is depicted and it also varies in severeness. Yes everyone has these traits but they are usually mild and don’t significantly effect your daily life. ADHD often negatively effects the person day in and day out and can significantly effect your education, employment, relationships, and have high risk of mental health issues. etc.
maya P.K 3 years ago
i have a high risk of mental health issues? AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
I just want to give you an example of how ADHD can affect someone whilst reading a book. My almost 7yo son takes approx 30 mins to read a 5 page book with 3 words on each page. 15 words in total, that is like one word every 2 minutes. Do you know why? Well, for a few reasons. He cannot sit still and I mean literally. He will swing his legs, sit down stand up, rock back and forth, flick his hands, stand up and jump etc. We have tried everything we and the OT can think of including some therapy equipment, without success. He is also easily distracted. He would be half way through a word and then suddenly ask a completely random question, or sees something more interesting and focuses on that, or all of a sudden start chatting about something completely irrelevant. And he is extremely forgetful so if there is a sentence that says "sit, Sam, sit" he would say the first word but forget it by the last word which is the exact same word. I hope that makes sense. I know he can't help it but it can sure test ones patience. And I will admit I have lost my s**t on more than one occasion. Not my finest moments and I have no excuses. But I am trying my best, I am human and I am not perfect.
tangy chip 3 years ago
i have been diagnosed with adhd. i cant read this! its too long and i got distracted...
Load More Replies... Merrill N. Munro 3 years ago
I wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until my 50's. Going through life being accused of being scatter-brained, a chronic procrastinator, and a hyper-focused zombie made me question what was wrong with me. It's not that these symptoms are something every person has at some time or another, it's that some of us have them ALL THE TIME, and it cripples us. I have had issues with being unable to clean my house because I would start to do a task, then become overwhelmed because I couldn't find the right sponge. I literally made a bigger mess looking for a sponge I thought I had, and spent three hours pulling my cupboards, garage and bathroom apart looking for it. I've lost thousands of hours of living because of this disorder. Medication helps though. Things are getting better.
John Louis 3 years ago
The sad reality is for those of us who have Adult ADHD is that our behaviors are often blamed on moral failures. OBTY medication is of limited help.
I want cake 3 years ago (edited)
Yep. I've lost friends who got so frustrated with me for not 'living up to my potential' they couldn't be around me anymore. I've been accused so many times of not caring when I care so much, probably more than most, and it just feels like a wholesale rejection of me as a person. I've been called lazy, unmotivated, unambitious and been told more than I can count that 'if I really wanted it I would've put the effort in'. I have such low self-esteem after 29 years of this.
Load More Replies... Beate 3 years ago
There are many common traits and symptoms that can be linked to other mental disorders and are not just specific to ADHD. However, due to this, many people get misdiagnosed. For example, people with ADHD often gets mistaken for having depression or anxiety. Unfortunately, if ADHD goes undiagnosed for so long it often lead to depression or anxiety. Sadly, ADHD in girls and women also often got overlooked due to the stigma of ADHD symptoms such as hyperactivity. There is a lack of research and complete misunderstanding how ADHD effects girls due to the fact that when ADHD first became a disorder it was believed to only effect boys. Luckily today awareness is growing and much more symptoms are now linked to ADHD. Still, many children fly under the radar and due to the utter crippling effect ADHD could have on a person's daily life, it leads to adults cracking or ending in complete adrenal failure. If you relate to these symptoms, even as an adult, and have done some more research, please go get a professional opinion and help. Last year at 29 I saw a similar comic of ADHD. After reading more articles and crying for a full week (partly due to relief but mostly anger), I went to see a professional. Turns out I'm not dumb, lazy or a failure. Medication does not take it all away and magically make you be better, but it makes it easier to handle. And from there you can get so many tips and tricks on how to manage your daily ADHD life.
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Hear hear, I am getting myself assessed this year. After my daughters diagnosis I learnt about it and the more I learnt the more I realised it described me and certainly explains a LOT.
Load More Replies... Teresa Thomas 3 years ago
Similarly, BiPolar disorders experience these as well, many while in a hypo-/manic state, some while in depression. For example, the "did nothing until I Did the Thing day" would result in my being severely depressed and anxious about it for the next several days
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I don’t get anxious, I just get angry at myself for not doing it. But then I do it again the next day. Ends up being a vicious circle.
Load More Replies... oddkiddo 3 years ago
It is also important to stress the neuroaffective aspects of it. Like rejection sensitivity dysphoria, mental rumination, eagerness to please, internal unrest, etc.
Aliquid A 3 years ago
People that suggest "This happens to everyone" are interpreting the comic differently than I am. They seem to think that the comics are exaggerated experiences to make a point... but they are not. When #1 says "hyper-focused for 15 hours", it literally means that. So someone were to say "oh, I was hyper-focused for 1/2 an hour, it was crazy"... then no, you aren't quite getting the severity of ADHD. Or lets say #6 - zoning out. That happens to me EVERY MEETING, for at least half of the meeting, even if it is material that I should be paying attention to. Saying "oh yeah, I zone out when they talk about stuff that doesn't impact me" isn't the same. Or #2... that one seriously impacts my life. I don't allow myself to enjoy life until my chores are done... but there are days where I just can't motivate myself, so the entire day is a complete waste, I didn't get the chore done, AND I didn't enjoy myself, it isn't even a "chill out" day of nothing, it is a day of feeling useless.
Phoenix 3 years ago
I am pretty sure everyone has these traits, just for ADHD they’re notched up a bunch of notches. My sister has ADHD and only has the boxes 3 and 6. While I don’t have ADHD and I have all of them except number two but it never effects my life too much and on the rare occasion it does it’s never by much. Meanwhile my sister is having a hard time keeping her grades up above a D because she’s getting constantly distracted and as I said, it’s upped a bunch because she has ADHD.
I want cake 3 years ago
That's the crux of it: it has to negatively affect your life and your ability to function.
Load More Replies... Barbz 3 years ago
There's more to ADHD than depicted in this list. It's pretty informative, I can relate to 5/6 of these illustrations. But the artist kinda depicted it like each person with ADHD/ADD fits into one of these categories like its Harry Potter House. When in reality, it's like a random generator. Some days I will wake up and be very drowsy and have no motivation to do anything, and others I wake up and want to find out all about Armenia (cuz I really like geography and world history). People make out ADHD/ADD like a disorder where we're all puppies that can't focus on one thing for too long so we stare into space. Yes, there is a lot of zoning out, but ADHD/ADD has a greater effect on people's mental health than most people think. It's more random on how we will behave. Right now, I'm feeling hyper-focused, but tomorrow I might feel depressed and out-of-it. No hate to the artist. The artist seems to have made it seem so simple and so people could comprehend.
I want cake 3 years ago
It's like some twisted wheel of chance, isn't it.
Load More Replies... DogMatic 3 years ago
People without ADHD may often experience one or more of the illustrated moods. That is normal human behaviour. Most people with ADHD experience all those moods at different times, sometimes all in the same day, to an extreme point, which has a serious effect on/detriment to daily life. There are also many other more complex symptoms too, sensory/auditory sensitivity/processing issues, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, paradoxical hyperfocus, & lots more. Please be cautious regarding self-diagnosis. Not only can it harm you, but also make it more difficult for those with formal diagnoses to be taken seriously in society.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
They forgot the intrusive thoughts. Sometimes, it's just a snippet of a song running through my head...one line over and over again. Other times, it's a series of self-critical thoughts that are exaggerated. It's awful, especially when I'm trying to fall asleep.
Ripley Dog 3 years ago
Quick side track; I was diagnosed ADHD as a kid, and it was not. It was bipolar. These two conditions are very similar but for different reasons. E.g. being unfocused or restless because you're manic, procrastinating or zoning out while depressive, trying to do ALL the things and having poor impulse control while manic... I'm not minimizing ADHD, but if ADHD doesn't seem to quite fit your symptoms, consider that it might be the milder form of bipolar (bipolar 2). Bipolar is often misdiagnosed among kids because it's very similar to ADHD. Regardless which one, being medicated will be a godsend.
maya P.K 3 years ago
tyanks, i just remebered i have to write an email to my teacher bbut then i saw bored panda...
Load More Replies... Bone_of_midfield 3 years ago
I don’t have adhd (that I know of) but literally all of these describes me. The only thing I’m ever constant in is playing football 😅
FullyStupid 2 years ago
I’m 15yr old and I have ADHD and Dyslexia…And Adhd has ruin my life so much…Like my mom thinks that I’m not trying in school and she also thinks that because I don’t take my adhd pills…And I’m 15yr old and my adhd pills brought down my weight to 93 pounds because I was not eating and taken my adhd pills also kept me form sleeping…And on top of dat my reading teacher even said that I would be smart in reading if I would try..And I do be trying and it’s annoying that people think that I do not try. But if I’m begin honest I’m not smart at anything🤷🏾♀️
FullyStupid 2 years ago
I’m 15yr old and I’ve been diagnosed with adhd and Dyslexia when I was 5 or 4 I think..But in my opinion I hate having adhd because adhd gets me in trouble a lot and I could never stay focus in class which brings down my grades… My Mom thinks its just me not trying and that I also don’t be taken my adhd medication.. But that’s not case I do be trying in class and if I take my medication it will keep me form eating and sleeping…And on top of dat my READING teacher even said That i would be smart in reading class if I wold try..And in my opinion again im not really smart at anything in real life tbh..
Kitty Luna Darrow 3 years ago
Just remember that relating with ADHD stuff online doesn't mean you have it. There's a difference between regular human distraction and laziness and this mental disorder. Having it myself, I have learned all of the aspects of ADHD and what it truly is. Some people see a relatable post that is all "yee ADHDer here I was going to clean my room and ended up staring at the ceiling for 30 minutes." That obviously happens, but just because you relate to that doesn't mean you have it. Consider the fact that you could just be lazy. People with ADHD truly want to do so much, but there are mental blocks and imbalances that get in the way.
thepinkrobot 3 years ago
lol just bc they have six symptoms here, these ppl think they all have it? EYE ROLL. The real stuff has so much more unfortunate issues.
Brandy Grote 3 years ago
As a 55 yr old woman, I can't get a dr to test me for ADHD at all, despite showing & being dismayed by several symptoms. Without the test, there's no treatment. Ugh.
Ryan Kennedy 3 years ago
Neurodiversity like all diversity is a good thing that should be accepted. There are probably a dozen genes that impact focus etc. ADHD-associated traits have become more problematic due to the nature of work and school (not to mention environmental distractions.) Aside from the most severe presentations (which often has comorbidity with other more severe conditions) I think we do ourselves a huge disservice in making a medical condition. There is also difference between ADHD and ADD (no hyperactivity) and ADD (general distractability) is much more open to interpretation. If you are suffering or do better at school, by all means go get your Adderall, but note that distractibility is often associated with anxiety (and adderall can make this worse). Remember that hyperfocus (aside from those with primarily multitasking roles like adminstrators and managers) is a huge advantage for creatives, computer programmers, and others with work that require extended periods of deep thinking.
sylvanticx 3 years ago
well, now i know that i don't have ADHD. i don't have those symptoms. at all.
Damon Tripodi 3 years ago
I dunno adhd sounds a lot like normal life. If everyone has it... Is it really a thing?
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Whilst yes, everybody does have those traits. People with ADHD have some or all of those traits in extremes and negatively effect daily life. Education, employment and relationships is often very difficult for many people with ADHD. If you read some of the other comments you might get a better understanding.
Load More Replies... Devin Schmitt 3 years ago
It's a spectrum disorder. Unfortunately , I wasn't diagnosed until my son was in grade school. ADHD is hell on relationships.
Jarrod Nichols 3 years ago
This is a dangerous thread. You CAN'T diagnose ADHD by behavior alone. See a professional before blindly medicating your children because they don't listen.
PhoebeBird 3 years ago
I relate to this so much. I have ADHD and I hate it. It is so much more then being hyper and constantly distracted. It makes so many things difficult. Somebody else said this in the comments and the same thing happens to me where I read a book and I cannot even remember the sentence before. I used to be on meds for it and I am going to get back on them because they helped so much.
Boo Neke 3 years ago
I believe we are not designed for sitting still for hours on end. We are apes after all. We are designed to be alert for danger, to find food, shelter, eat, sleep and reproduce. The school system is designed to equip us with the knowledge and skills to get a job, work and make money. People diagnosed with ‘disorders’ such as adhd are normal in my view. It is our capitalist society with all its wants and needs which is not normal and makes us anxious, depressed and sick. We are totally out of sync with nature and have so much to learn from traditional cultures so we can find a balance between our creativity, our needs and the needs of the planet.
Janoel Murrey 3 years ago
As a person with ADHD i really understand these i am sad or hungry all the time i am depressed i have a short attention span and i really just zone out a lot
DogMatic 3 years ago
People without ADHD may often experience one or more of the illustrated moods. That is normal human behaviour. Most people with ADHD experience all those moods at different times, sometimes all in the same day, to an extreme point, which has a serious effect on/detriment to daily life. There are also many other more complex symptoms too, sensory/auditory sensitivity/processing issues, rejection sensitivity dysphoria, paradoxical hyperfocus, & lots more. Please be cautious regarding self-diagnosis. Not only can it harm you, but also make it more difficult for those with formal diagnoses to be taken seriously in society.
Load More Replies... Lola 3 years ago
Ok, this is either every human on the planet, or I have ADHD. Don’t people go through this on a daily basis?
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago (edited)
Everyone does have these traits but they don’t significantly negatively effect day to day life. Education, finding work, maintaining relationships is often quite difficult for people with ADHD. Some of the most common traits of ADHD is Easily distracted and I mean EASILY. They struggle with eye contact, they have a lot of emotional outbursts, getting told off a lot and getting in trouble at school, they struggle with impulse control, they often can’t sit still whether it is shaking their leg, wiggling their bottoms, twiddling their thumbs, always chewing or fiddling with something etc, struggles to wait their turn and just blurts our what they want to say even if someone hasn’t finished talking, they have a high risk of mental health issues, they are at a higher risk of doing risk taking behaviours including drugs because of their lack of impulse and at a higher risk of being bullied. Now not everyone with ADHD has all these symptoms they may have some that negatively impact their lives. My hubby and daughter have all of these symptoms and looks like my son does too. Getting assessed in May.
Load More Replies... Kateryna 3 years ago
I relate to the first one a lot. I get so focused on one small task, one new hobby, a project!
Arctic Fox Lover 3 years ago
My sister has ADHD, but I'm nothing like her. I have a few of these symptoms, and I am easily distracted, but like... I can listen to blaring music and read a book just fine. And I can fall asleep with hard metal music playing as well (I've done it multiple times in the past) so... I guess I'm just a somewhat easily distracted person :>
𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊 2 years ago
I know you may want to connect, however, this post is abt adhd specifically ^^ (Who am I to comment tho I do similar things sometimes)
Load More Replies... lunar eclipse 3 years ago
All of these ticked for me. But I’ve never gotten myself checked. Could I have ADHD?
marie elle 3 years ago
I am a teacher for 15 years, I have 4 kids myself and I very much hope, that adhd come out as one of great failiours especially in treatment. I saw so many kids become totally incapeable of any social life after the were put on medication. Our society has a way to handle all parts of social live that is a burden to loads of people. The miscredity of work with humans in general and the understatement of the need of social skills is one of great tasks of our future.
Kaseylulu 3 years ago
My daughter is 8 and was diagnosed with adhd at age 5 because it was affecting her life and ability to learn very negatively. We put her on medication and I do not regret it for a second. Before she had medication she was in trouble constantly and had a really hard time making friends because she couldn't control her impulses. She also had a hard time learning because of a lack of focus. After going on medication she has flourished academically and socially. As a teacher, I would recommend you educate yourself more on what adhd is for your students sake because if you think treating adhd with medication is a failure, you clearly don't know what adhd is.
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Just because they say it doesn't exist doesn't make it so. There is proof of exists, live it daily with my family. And just because you don't believe it exists, doesnt mean it is not real. My kids ADHD is never used as an excuse for their behaviour and their behaviour is not through lack of discipline, especially when a lot of ADHD behaviours is not "naughty" behaviours like distractibility, lack of focus, poor impulse control, always on the move etc. Educate yourself.
Load More Replies... Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
I can guarantee you it does. It effects my family every day.
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