An expert has opened up about the five signs that may signify a person is living with high-functioning ADHD.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD - Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder - affects millions of children and often continues on into adulthood.
The long-term condition usually exhibits signs before the age of 12, including hyperactivity and impulsiveness - and the symptoms can improve with age.
However, as more becomes known about ADHD, an expert has shared some of the signs a person could be living with high-functioning ADHD without even knowing it.
Jeffrey, a licensed mental health counselor from Florida, took to his YouTube account - Therapy To The Point - to share the common signs.
He revealed that people living with high-functioning ADHD often:
- Start many tasks but leave them unfinished
- Get easily distracted during tedious tasks
- Have a really hard time sitting still
- Constantly interrupting others in the middle of conversations
- Regularly lose important items
Though these signs are often seen with high-functioning ADHD, a proper diagnosis can only be made by a medical professional.
According to Medical News Today, people with high-functioning ADHD often exhibit symptoms which do not significantly affect their daily lives.
It adds: "High functioning ADHD is not an official diagnosis. However, the term may refer to people with mild ADHD symptoms or who have found coping mechanisms to manage symptoms that interfere with daily functioning."
The cause of ADHD is not currently known, however, growing research appears to suggest that genetics and the environment may play a role.
Though ADHD is most often noticed in childhood, some people mat not receive a diagnosis until adulthood.
In order to diagnose ADHD, doctors will ask questions and make observations about symptoms occurring over a period of time, which must have started before the age of 12 and occur in multiple settings.
Treatment for ADHD can include therapy and medications to help manage the symptoms.
According to the American Psychiatric Association, treatment aims to lessen symptoms and improve functioning at school, work, and home.
People living with ADHD may also have behavioral therapy or coaching to help identify unhelpful coping mechanisms or patterns of thought and come up with healthier strategies to manage the condition as well as understanding how their brain works.
ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children according to the American Psychiatric Association, with an estimated 8.4 percent of children and 2.5 percent of adults having it.
It is more commonly diagnosed among boys than girls due to the variations in how symptoms often present, such as hyperativity in young boys, however, it is not thought that boys are more likely to have ADHD over girls as symptoms in young girls are often overlooked.