Twenty years ago, we hardly heard of ADHD, an acronym for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Today, the term ADHD is so loosely used that anytime anyone feels they are unfocused, overly scheduled or mentally cluttered they may say “I’m so ADHD”, but are they? When is it just a simple lack of focus due to stress or bad habits and when might it be ADHD?

 

Dr. Sanam Hafeez, a NYC based licensed clinical neuropsychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services specializes in ADHD and other learning disorders. She offers some characteristics that when chronic tendencies could mean ADHD and is worth getting screened for it.

 

  1. You have NO filter and are highly impulsive.

Being candid, bold, opinionated is one thing and many people with strong personalities possess these traits. If you find you are getting into frequent arguments with family, friends and co-workers who accuse you of not thinking before speaking or acting, then there could be more going on. “You have to look at how certain behaviors impact the general well-being of your life, explains, Dr. Hafeez. If you are unable to keep a job, and 50% of people with ADHD struggle to do so, then it would be wise to get an assessment for ADHD,” she says. "People who find they consistently miss deadlines and simply forget or rush through them without a careful eye on quality of the output are red flags. Of course, there are other psychological considerations and implications but having an ADHD assessment is a good suggests Dr. Hafeez.”

 

  1. You’re constantly putting out fires.

People with adult ADHD frequently lose important papers, documents on their computers or their personal belongings like cell phone, credit cards, keys etc. They find they consistently miss appointments, arrive to work late, feel disorganized and scattered. This inattention to the details of life leads to being in crisis mode cleaning up your own messes. According to Dr. Hafeez this is a recipe for high stress, poor confidence, second guessing oneself, and low self-esteem. "When you are constantly cleaning up mistakes or apologizing for lateness you start to question your abilities and judgment. This is the uneasiness that may even lead to depression if adult ADHD isn’t properly diagnosed and treated with the help of a trained licensed therapist who specializes in ADHD,” cautions Dr. Hafeez.

 

  1. You are either easily distracted or off in your own world.

ADHD often has people focusing in two different ways. First, they may have such trouble focusing that they can’t sit through meetings at work, dinners with family or friends, can’t remain engaged in conversations and just feel antsy and always onto the next thing. The second way ADHD impacts focus is where they are so immersed and deeply focused in something that everything else around them is non-existent. “Someone who is in this hyperfocused state can easily lose track of time, their kids, and other commitments because when you have ADHD, nothing is more important than what you are on hyperfocused on,” explains Dr. Hafeez. She goes on to say that people with ADHD feel they “lost time” because they were focused on one thing for so long and didn't realize where the time went.

 

  1. You feel like there’s never enough time for anything.

This is because people with ADHD typically overschedule themselves and under-estimate the time it takes for certain tasks. Time management is a big challenge for people with adult ADHD. They often add to their anxiety by creating unrealistic to-do lists then struggle to get things accomplished because they’re distracted. Anxiety is often an overlapping condition, as are obsessive compulsive traits. “There’s a self-defeating cycle going on where they take on too much then feel inadequate when things aren’t completed. They frequently say that there aren’t enough hours in the day,” says Dr. Hafeez.

 

It is important to really do your research and be honest with your overall quality of life. Then seek out a professional who can offer a detailed assessment which is the first step to diagnosing and effectively treating ADHD. “It is never just one thing. When I offer a thorough assessment, using not just a very comprehensive interview but a complex battery of standardized tests that measures brain functioning, I discover loads of information the patient never saw coming, and so the treatment I design is accurate, long lasting, and can bring about lasting change,” Dr. Hafeez says.

 

About the Doctor:

Dr. Sanam Hafeez PsyD is a NYC based licensed clinical neuropsychologist, teaching faculty member at the prestigious Columbia University Teacher’s College and the founder and Clinical Director of Comprehensive Consultation Psychological Services, P.C. a neuropsychological, developmental and educational center in Manhattan and Queens. 

 

Dr. Hafeez masterfully applies her years of experience connecting psychological implications to address some of today’s common issues such as body image, social media addiction, relationships, workplace stress, parenting and psychopathology (bipolar, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, etc…). In addition, Dr. Hafeez works with individuals who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), learning disabilities, attention and memory problems, and abuse. Dr. Hafeez often shares her credible expertise to various news outlets in New York City and frequently appears on CNN and Dr.Oz.

Connect with her via twitter @comprehendMind or www.comprehendthemind.com

New App Created to Increase Self-Esteem and Productivity for Millions of ADHD Kids and Families

WHO: 4 Million of US Children Who Have ADHD

WHAT: New Task-Focused, Life-Management Solution for ADHD Families Created Called iGotThis

WHEN: March 6th to April 6th Kickstarter Campaign

WHY: It’s no wonder that kids with ADHD are more likely to have low self-esteem – sometimes pathologically low. Repeated failures wear away self-esteem, as does being told that something is “wrong” with you. The truth is that ADHD is simply a byproduct of being extraordinary, but their kids are judged by the expectations of an ordinary world.

iGotThis turns the tables on self-esteem and productivity issues with these extraordinary kids. It is a task-focused, life-management solution uniquely designed for ADHD families that builds self-esteem by ensuring repeated success. It’s loaded with features to keep kids with ADHD on track, focused, and motivated - all while providing real-time visibility and complete control for parents. It provides:

 

  • Repeated successes with its unique failsafe reminder system
  • Motivation through a customizable rewards feature
  • Positive reinforcement with game dynamics
  • Inspirational Messaging about ADHD
  • Real-Time, remote oversight to parents

 

The solution also features web and mobile dashboards, location based reminders, comprehensive task customization, optional project tracking and checklists and planning wizards for parents. Easy to use walkthroughs and video tutorials help everyone get the most of the solution from the first day.

But iGotThis is more than an app- it’s also a community and a mission. iGotThis provides forums and resources that let users share, teach and learn, support and be supported. As part of its mission, iGotThis is providing public outreach to change the way the world views ADHD and those extraordinary people who have it.

It’s so important to build self-confidence and remind those children that ADHD is not a deficiency, it’s a gift. iGotThis helps them learn valuable skills and creates habits that will help them succeed, and build their self-esteem so they can one day have the confidence to enter the world as adults.

Back the project on the Kickstarter page between March 6th and April 6th to help fund finishing the app and you will become one of the “Founding Families” of iGotThis. These families will enjoy lower prices, additional rewards, privileges and recognition.

Users will sign up at the iGotThis.com web site and the app will be available to download in the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) App Store and the Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Play store upon release.