I have always been told by my doctors that I have ADHD because there is a component of hyperactivity in addition to my ADD.
ADHD comes in 3 subtypes, Hyperactive-Impulsive, Predominantly Inattentive, and Combined (which is what I am diagnosed with). There is also a disorder called Slow Cognitive Tempo that is similar to ADHD, but still a different classification of disorder.
The truth is, ADHD is way more complex than what most people believe ADHD is. Many people think they have it that do not. Many psychiatrists misdiagnose patients with ADHD, when the actual problem is a different disorder. And many people are struggling in life because they have not been diagnosed with ADHD yet.
ADHD has only ever been a huge burden on my education, relationships, and quality of life. It does not give people with ADHD any sort of "super powers" or "exceptional intelligence and creativity". It doesnt have any beneficial traits whatsoever.
Hyperfocus is a form of self medicating. It is the only time when the chaotic hurricane in our mind is calmed. We can focus on certain activities that stimulate us because its the only time were not extremely uncomfortable.
The problem is that we cant control what we hyper focus on. Many of us can not self motivate ourselves to not procrastinate. Many of us can not remember what we just read or where we put our keys 5 seconds ago no matter what. Many of us can not stop ourselves from saying absolutely offensive and cruel things without provocation. Many of us hardly have any real friends, and the friends we do have are just like us. Many of us can barely speak a full sentence clearly without stumbling over our words because our minds float away on a tangent.
ADHD is a horrible disorder to suffer with. Just as bad as schizophrenia, bulimia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, and autism. Anybody who is trying to live with ADHD untreated should seriously reconsider and seek professional psychiatric help. Research ADHD and all other closely related disorders, and figure out how you can help your psychiatrist better help you.
Its the single best decision I've ever made.
I'm not under the impression that medication is the only way to treat this condition, but without it, I would be homeless, bankrupt, and alone.
The current theory suggests that ADHD is caused by a mild disorder somewhere between when dopamine is released to communicate between the brain's neurons via synapses and when most of it is reuptaken back into the brain's dopamine bank and the rest is transported to other parts of the body. Some of this dopamine is converted in norepinephrine (adrenaline).
Explained in the simplest way, ADHD is caused either when not enough dopamine is let out, too much dopamine is reuptaken back into the storage and transported to become norepinephrine, and/or norepinephrine is reuptaken too fast.
This is why, theoretically, different ADHD medications are only effective on different types of ADHD patients.
This damned problem has been just that. I went without medication for over 18 years but in the last year have had to seek treatment again. I definitely needed to do it sooner but as life becomes more and more complex and I'm beholden to other's schedules something had to give.
Life with the medication is a much better place for me. Wish I'd pursued it again sooner.