What are the symptoms of ADD versus ADHD?

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ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder. ADHD adds an H for Hyperactivity.

Cause: ADD without Hyperactivity The cause seems to reside primarily in the parietal lobe. The frontal lobe processes are intact.

ADD with Hyperactivity The size and structure of many brain areas differs; especially, a lack of activity in the frontal area (“Hypofrontality”). This is linked to a deficiency of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine which are involved with arousal and alertness. Low serotonin is linked to impulsivity and problematic behavior

Main Indicators:

ADD without Hyperactivity Fear; anxiety; low brain energy leading to a capacity problem; slow cognitive thinking; daydreaming; avoidance and procrastination; mental confusion; poor memory retrieval. But the frontal processes are intact so these people rely on logic.

ADD with Hyperactivity Problems with attention, impulsivity and hyperactivity

Impulsiveness:

ADD without Hyperactivity Rarely impulsive but can appear so when frustrated.

ADD with Hyperactivity Self-regulation is weak because the control mechanisms of the frontal lobe are not functioning well, e.g. self talk is not used; they are unaware of the consequences to their actions, fast cognitive speed contributes to impulsiveness.

Distractibility:

ADD without Hyperactivity This is the primary problem. They cannot sustain attention and concentration because: a) low energy which causes loss of focus and follow through b) environmental factors c) their own racing or wandering thoughts

ADD with Hyperactivity Cannot maintain focus so have poor sustained effort; race from task to task; are easily bored; forget and lose things because they missed information due to being distracted; need external motivation

Hyperactivity / Restlessness:

ADD without Hyperactivity Due to anxiety, not the ADHD motor issue. These people are driven and cannot relax. Daring activities are rare; activities are not for excitement but for relief from constant, wandering, racing thought patterns and anxiety

ADD with Hyperactivity Due to motor activity, not anxiety. These people crave excitement and stimulation.

Social Problems:

ADD without Hyperactivity Shy; withdrawn, immature; often seen and not heard; information processing difficulties lead to not knowing how to talk, dress, act, etc.; conversation is difficult because of slow thinking or missed information; they can manipulate because of fear of others’ anger or guilt about asking directly; interrupt because their wandering thoughts will cause them to forget what they want to say. May appear to not be listening but this is really due to the person’s information processing deficit.

ADD with Hyperactivity Egocentric; do not connect with others because they don’t care; are rejected socially because of inappropriate behavior; are intolerant and can become abusive; cannot negotiate so manipulate others; interrupt because of impulsivity and lack of control; do not listen because of attention difficulties and lack of concern for others.

Communication:

ADD without Hyperactivity When not talking excessively because of anxiety, these people say little but think a lot; therefore they do not display their thoughts or feelings. They are afraid to express anger or arouse it in others.

ADD with Hyperactivity Meaningful relationships. However, personal relationships may be difficult and uncertain. Because of egocentricity, poor focus, distractibility, intolerance, etc.

Time Sense:

ADD without Hyperactivity Time is poorly planned; being late is common but can be improved with teaching and practice

ADD with Hyperactivity Time is poorly planned (miscalculation of time needed to complete a task); being late is common but can be improved with teaching and practice

Impatience:

ADD without Hyperactivity Do not need instant gratification. These people become impatient only after trying unsuccessfully for a long time at which point they are tired, disheartened and upset.

ADD with Hyperactivity Constantly frustrated and crave instant gratification

Sensitivity:

ADD without Hyperactivity Shy and fearful of others’ displeasure

ADD with Hyperactivity Vulnerable to criticism to which they react, sometimes angrily.

Frustration Tolerance:

ADD without Hyperactivity Desperate to succeed so will keep trying too long resulting in them being overwhelmed and despairing. This tendency may show as anger.

ADD with Hyperactivity Frustration tolerance is low, leading to irritability, anger and aggression

Rigidity of thinking:

ADD without Hyperactivity Tend to be concrete thinkers. May lead to rigid thinking patterns.

ADD with Hyperactivity Black and white thinkers due to the frontal processes not functioning properly. They are rigid in relationships and are NOT team players.

Planning and Organization:

ADD without Hyperactivity May appear to have difficulty planning but these difficulties are really the result of distractibility, confusion and slow thinking processes

ADD with Hyperactivity There may be sequencing problems due to poor frontal lobe functioning

Perseveration:

ADD without Hyperactivity A big problem. These people will keep trying too long, burn out, and quit

ADD with Hyperactivity Not a problem for this population.

Learning Difficulties:

ADD without Hyperactivity Information processing is poor because information is missed. Difficulties in slow cognition are common but once they understand the material they can use it. Reading and spelling be difficult because of weak phonemic skills. Mental arithmetic can and geometry can also present problems

ADD with Hyperactivity May have learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia) because of differences in brain functionality.

Learning difficulties caused by the ADHD include missing information, and failing to learn from ones mistakes. They can often comprehend information but cannot make use of it.

Lying:

ADD without Hyperactivity Aim to please. If they do lie it is usually only to avoid others anger or disapproval.

ADD with Hyperactivity May lie for no valid reason. Lying is impulsive and fear is not involved.

First answer by Jguttman. Last edit by Jguttman. Contributor trust: 244 [recommend contributor]. Question popularity: 23 [recommend question]