What is ADHD?
ADHD Counseling in Santa Clarita, CA
”What is this ADHD thing that we are always hearing so much about? It seems to be everywhere now.” One client even demonstrated denial by blurting out, “I really just don’t want to jump on the ADHD bandwagon.”
Hi! I’m Robin, a child counselor, adolescent and teen therapist in Santa Clarita, CA., who loves working with families who feel like their kids or teens have high sensitivity, moodiness and anger issues. I would love to be a part of the team that serves your family. As a neurodivergent myself (someone with ADHD) I know there is more to your story. With six kids of my own and a strong belief in both faith and clinical knowledge, I create a safe and compassionate environment for children and their parents to explore, grow, and heal. As a mother, grandma, Christian counselor, and experienced therapist in school settings, I specialize in ADHD.
So what is this ADHD? It stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. It used to be called ADD. What do you picture when you hear ADD or ADHD? No doubt, a little boy around 7 years old, who can’t hold still. He’s probably loud and jumping all over the place. That can actually be a very inaccurate picture.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It is an invisible disability. It is biological. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real. For instance, can you see diabetes? That doesn’t make it any less real right? There is such a stigma surrounding ADHD. People who have ADHD can be extremely intelligent, wise, creative, inspirational, and friendly.
It’s very poorly named. It’s not a problem with attention but the opposite. The ADHD brain wants to pay attention to everything. One of the leading researchers and treatment provider, Dr. Russell A. Barkley states that having ADHD is like having a Ferrari brain with bicycle brakes. My clients describe their brains as being messy, busy, screwed up, loud, and chaotic.
ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder. It is an invisible disability. it is biological. Just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not real. .
You should also know that having ADHD doesn’t mean you’re stupid. Many ADHDers have other conditions like learning disabilities but it has nothing to do with intelligence.
ADHD is an executive functioning-self-regulation deficit disorder. That’s a mouthful. What it means is this; those who have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder struggle with problems with time management (we call this Time Blindness), self-restraint, working memory and self-organization, planning and problem solving toward goals, self-motivation and self-regulation of emotion. In later blog posts we will dive further into executive functioning.
For now, what you need to know, is that the DSM V is what clinicians use to diagnose mental disorders, usually for insurance purposes. The three areas it identifies are hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsiveness. Researchers are working on expanding these symptoms as they can be vague and unhelpful.
These executive function issues are what require ADHDers to learn skills in how to deal with what they are lacking. A licensed counselor can teach both you and your child self-awareness regarding these skills. There is hope! Call me today. 661 670-6157.
Oh yeah, one other interesting thing about ADHD…it is highly hereditary! See ya later gator!
