Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is one of the most prevalent disorders known today. Affecting anywhere between 5%-10% of the American population. But I bet most of you didn’t know that there are 7 types!
All of the information here is from Dr. Daniel G. Amen, M.D, who has been studying ADD for many years. We recommend reading his book “Healing ADD” to read a more detailed look on each type. It also has suggestions on type of diets and different vitamins that could help. We’ll describe a couple down at the bottom of this post.
In the posts below, there will be parts of the brain that are affected by ADD, so here are a couple of pictures to help getting a sense on what’s going on in the brain.
1) Classic ADD – This is what people first think of when they hear ADD: signs include
Hyperactivity or restless
easily distracted
Difficulty keeping an organized area
has trouble sitting still and is fidgety
forgetful
is noisy and has a hard time staying quiet
impulsive
Has difficulty in continuing their attention span for everyday tasks/activities (school, home, or in play)
Classic ADD has been found to be a result of a low dopamine level in the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia (produces the neurotransmitter dopamine, helps shifts motor movements to be smooth, also integrated emotions).
2) Inattentive ADD – Many people who had this type of ADD is often characterized as lazy and slow (which is not the case). Signs of this type include
Easily distracted
Difficulty keeping an organized area
Has trouble with time (frequently late or hurried, tasks take longer than average)
Makes careless mistakes (poor attention to detail
forgetful
excessive daydreaming
appears uninterested or unmotivated
is tired and slow-moving
spacey
Dopamine imbalance is the cause here as well, except it’s located more in the temporal lobe, along with the prefrontal lobe.
3) Overfocused ADD – Those who have this type of ADD have the core ADD signs in addition to getting locked into negative thoughts and behaviors. Signs include
Excessive worrying
argumentative
tendency towards compulsive behaviors
tendency to hold grudges
difficulty in shifting attention from different subjects
needs to have things done in a certain manner or they become upset
has difficulty seeing options in situations
This type of ADD is caused by an overload of serotonin in the anterior cingulate gyrus along with the low dopamine in the prefrontal cortex.
*While Overfocused ADD does closely resemble Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), they are different because Overfocused ADD still have signs of being easily distracted and other core symptoms.*
4) Temporal Lobe ADD – This type of ADD is caused by a decreased level of activity in the temporal lobe (which is responsible for mood stability, memory and processing sensory input), along with the decreased dopamine in the prefrontal cortex. Signs include
periods of temper/rages with little provocation (in times of rage it starts out as irritable quickly exploding, then receding and is often tired afterwards)
misinterprets comments as negative, when they were not
periods of spaciness
imagines visual changes (like seeing shadows or objects changing shapes)
frequent periods of déjà vu, highly sensitive and/or paranoid
experiences headaches or stomach aches without knowing how
Family history of violence or head injuries
has dark thoughts, which could involve suicidal or homicidal thoughts
5) Limbic ADD – This type is when ADD and depression co-exist with each other. The limbic system is involved because it is our center for emotions. Signs include
Core ADD Symtpoms
Moodiness, Negativity and/or Irritability
Can be socially isolated
Lowered interest in things they used to enjoy
low self-esteem
Frequent feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and/or guilt
change in sleep (too little or too much)
There are similarities between Limbic ADD and Depression: hard time staying focused along with feelings of sadness. However, with depression, the symptoms of having a hard time concentrating is only present when the depression is. Whereas with Limbic ADD, all the symptoms have been present for a prolonged period of time.
6) Ring of Fire ADD – The reason this type of ADD has an interesting name is because it has been found that the brain has too much activity going on across the whole cerebal cortex: the cingulate gyrus, temporal lobes, prefrontal cortex, and parietal lobes (which is where sensory processing happens). Having this much activity in the brain, the scans look like a ring of fire in the activity areas. Signs include
ADD Core symptoms
sensitive to any stimulus (touch, sound, light, etc.)
Mood changes/swings (between high and low)
periods of increased talkativeness
unpredictable behavior
demanding in their way (even if told no multiple times)
irritability
“Larger than life” thinking
periods of mean or insensitive behavior
This type of ADD has a lot of similarities with Bipolar Disorder, but with Ring of Fire ADD their behavior is pretty consistent and does not have manic episodes like Bipolar Disorder. Although, many people with Bipolar Disorder does meet the criteria for ADD.
7) Anxious ADD – This type of ADD coexists with anxiety symptoms. In classic ADD like we talked about earlier, the basal ganglia has low activity because of low dopamine levels. However, in the Anxious ADD type, the basal ganglia has a high level of activity which can produce anxiety. Signs include
Core ADD Symptoms
frequently anxious and nervous
physical side effects such as headaches
Freezes in social situations and overall dislikes large social situations (like speaking in public)
highly conflict AVOIDANT
has a fear of being judged
With all of that information, what can you do to help if you, or someone you love have ADD? There are lots of ways:
- Exercise daily: ideal is between 30-45 minutes.
- Take a multi-vitamin everyday.
- Fish Oils (such as Omega 3’s): you can take it in a supplement form, but you can hit 2 birds with one stone and consume it in your diet (Salmon is full of omegas and protein!).
- It has been found that for most types of ADD, a high protein/ low simple carbohydrate diet helps.
- Limit time on television, video games, and any electronic device.
- Take caffeine and nicotine out of your diet: both interfere with sleep which is crucial to helping.
But always remember to seek medical advice. ADD is nothing to be ashamed of!
The William A. Presti Center for Families and Youth 