Focusing: something that most students don’t have a problem doing. However, there are those few who are incapable of remaining focused for an extended period of time.
In teens and adults, the average attention span is around 20 minutes. This is lowered to as little as eight minutes for those who deal with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
ADHD is a common condition in adults and children that negatively affects concentration. It is commonly found in high school students, but it is often not officially diagnosed.
“I’ve had ADHD since elementary school but I wasn’t officially diagnosed until last year,” senior Julia Copenhaver said.
There are three categories in which doctors diagnose this condition. However, the overall symptoms of this disorder include difficulty staying focused and paying attention, difficulty controlling behavior, and anxiety or restlessness.
Inattentive ADHD mainly involves having problems with paying attention and easily becoming distracted. Those who retain this type struggle with completing tasks and often find themselves daydreaming at inappropriate times.
“I have had ADHD for six years now,” sophomore Rachael Allshouse said. “I take medication for it and that’s what helps me focus during the day.”
Hyperactive ADHD causes one to become fidgety along with the feeling of constantly moving and being active. Talking in excessive amounts is also common when diagnosed with this classification.
Lastly, impulsive ADHD makes waiting difficult, causing one to speak and act out of turn. When used to medically diagnose, hyperactive and impulsive behavior can be combined, resulting in the most common type of ADHD.
“I have combined hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive ADHD,” Copenhaver said. “I deal with it by taking my prescribed Adderall and doing most of my homework during school while I’m on the medication.”
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a general term often used to describe those who have ADHD without all of the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Identification of this disorder is based on the possession of at least six specific symptoms. They must be severe enough to cause an extreme amount of difficulties in many settings including home, school and in relationships with other people.
“I tend to have difficulty focusing on my task at hand,” senior Joe Bermingham said. “I take Vyvanse, which is a blue and orange pill, everyday and that seems to help my attentiveness.”
What causes ADHD is still being determined but it is said that genes play a large role along with other conditions such as environmental factors, brain injuries, sugar or even other food additives.
Regardless of age, ADHD can affect one’s memory and concentration making everyday tasks difficult to accomplish. With the help of medication, many discover a new way to cope with this disorder.
