ADHD BASICS
What does ADHD stand for?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
True or False: Someone with ADHD is unable to pay attention.
False. People with ADHD can pay attention, but regulating attention can be difficult. Actually, hyperfocus is a common symptom in people with ADHD.
What is an "executive function"?
A mental skill that helps us manage things like planning, organizing, remembering, starting tasks, controlling impulses, and managing time.
Which is usually easier to remember: something you were told once or something you can see written down?
For many people (especially people with ADHD), a visual reminder can be helpful.
You put your phone down and five minutes later have no idea where it is. What ADHD-related challenge might this represent?
Difficulty with working memory, attention, or keeping track of belongings.
Name one of the three main presentations of ADHD
Predominantly inattentive (ADHD-PI), predominantly hyperactive/impulsive, or combined presentation (ADHD-C)
What is one thing that can make it easier for someone with ADHD to focus on a task?
Reducing distractions, taking breaks, using a timer, making the task shorter, movement, visual reminders, or choosing a quiet environment.
Which executive function helps you remember what you're supposed to do while you're doing it?
Working memory.
Name one tool someone with ADHD could use to help manage time.
Timer, alarm, calendar, visual schedule, clock, reminder app, or planner.
You think something will only take 10 minutes, but it ends up taking an hour. What ADHD-related challenge could this be?
Difficulty with time estimation/time blindness.
True or False: ADHD is only something children have.
False. ADHD can (and often does) continue into adolescence and adulthood.
What is hyperfocus?
A period when someone becomes extremely absorbed in an activity and has difficulty shifting their attention away from it.
You know you need to do your homework, but you keep doing other things instead. What executive-function skill might be involved?
Task initiation and/or difficulty regulating attention.
You have a huge project that feels overwhelming. What is one strategy you could use?
Break it into smaller steps and work on one step at a time.
You're playing a video game, watching TV, or working on something you enjoy. Someone asks you to stop and start another task, but switching your attention feels surprisingly difficult. What ADHD-related challenge might this represent?
Difficulty with task switching or shifting attention from one activity to another
ADHD can affect more than just paying attention. Name two other areas it can affect.
Organization, impulse control, working memory, time management, emotional regulation, planning, task initiation, or managing activity level.
You tell someone with ADHD, "Go clean your room." They become overwhelmed and don't start. What could make the task easier?
Break it into smaller steps, such as "Put dirty clothes in the hamper" or "Clear off your desk."
You have an assignment due Friday. You don't start until Thursday night because Friday seemed "far away." What ADHD-related difficulty might this demonstrate?
Time management or difficulty sensing/managing the passage of time.
What is "body doubling"?
Working near or alongside another person to help with motivation, focus, accountability, or task initiation.
You're doing homework, cleaning, or working when suddenly you notice a notification, hear a noise, or think of something else—and completely lose track of what you were doing. What might this demonstrate?
Distractibility and difficulty regulating attention.
Two people can both have ADHD but have very different symptoms and challenges. Why?
ADHD affects people differently. Symptoms, strengths, personality, environment, age, other conditions such as anxiety and depression, and the individual's presentation can all influence how ADHD looks.
Why might someone with ADHD be able to spend three hours playing a favorite video game but struggle to spend 20 minutes on homework?
ADHD isn't simply an inability to focus. Interest, novelty, urgency, reward, and stimulation can influence how easily someone engages and maintains attention.
You have a big assignment due next Friday. You know what the assignment is, but you need to figure out what materials you need, break the project into steps, decide what to do first, and make sure you finish everything on time. Which executive-function skills are being used?
Planning, organization, prioritization, working memory, and time management.
A student keeps forgetting to turn in completed assignments. Name two strategies that could help.
A homework checklist, a visual reminder, a phone/calendar reminder, a "turn-in" folder, teacher check-ins, packing assignments immediately, an electronic submission reminder, etc.
Which works best for you?
You have several things to do. You don't know where to start, become overwhelmed, avoid everything, and then suddenly get a burst of motivation when the deadline is very close. What ADHD-related difficulties could be happening here? Only one answer is needed,but name as many as you can.
task initiation, prioritization, executive-function difficulties, time management, overwhelm, procrastination, and urgency-based motivation.