#hyperactive type

INATTENTIVE TYPE - the inattentive type can often lack the high energy, loud, rapid movements that many people look for when thinking of an ADHD diagnosis. This type was formerly known as ADD (attention deficit disorder), but mental health professionals soon dropped that name when they realized that there were not enough differences between ADD and ADHD to make a definitive diagnosis of one or the other. The inattentive type usually deals with more of the issues with, you guessed it, attention. People in this category can still stim, tic, and things of that nature. They will simply be much more mellow and calm than one on the hyperactive side. They are often quieter and more reserved, and the inattention issues here lie in a still inattention. It’s more phasing out and sitting still than it is getting up, moving around, and other more active forms of inattention. These people may have a hard time listening while you are speaking to them, avoid situations that would require a great deal of mental effort, have a hard time remembering even simple things, and get distracted by outside sources quite easily. People on this side of the spectrum are often messy and have a hard time staying organized, and they often lose important objects and items that they need to complete certain tasks. Inattentive types also tend to focus on the big picture and fail to see smaller details. Too often are these people labeled as selfish or insensitive for their inability to remain focused on a conversation, which is not true in the least.

HYPERACTIVE TYPE- the hyperactive type of ADHD is more of the standard “idea” of this disorder. It’s characterized by a great deal of movement, whether it be fidgeting, pacing, tapping, or any other rapid, repetitive movement. People of the hyperactive type might stand up and walk around in situations where such behavior is frowned upon, climb on things they are not supposed to, or interrupt someone who is talking to get their point in. Hyperactivity can cause an excessive amount of talking, as well as an inability to be patient. This is all, of course, coupled with the same general inattention found in the previous type. This type in particular has been met with great stigma. Oftentimes the symptoms are ignored during childhood or are met with punishment under the false assumption that the child is just exhibiting bad behavior. This is why most children and people with ADHD often go without a diagnosis.

In the end, this is all a spectrum. Your diagnosis is not based off of whether you fit into one category or not. Many people are a mixture of both equally, while some are heavily inattentive with a dash of hyperactive, and some are the opposite. Some people are entirely inattentive, and some people are entirely hyperactive. The main reason that this distinction is important is for those that are not a good mix of the two. The symptoms are incredibly different, and though they can exist simultaneously, there are many people that are only one of the two. By putting a blanket statement of the stereotypical ADHD child being hyperactive and loud is harmful to both hyperactive and inattentive children. Hyperactive children have been labeled as reckless and rebellious, and allowing their disorder to become the stereotype it is now is one of the most negative pressures you could put on them. Alternatively, for inattentive children, this stereotype can block them from gaining a diagnosis and getting the help they need and deserve. With the whole world telling people that ADHD is only for kids that tend to be quite hyperactive, those children without the hyperactive traits (and their parents) will not consider ADHD to be the source of their problems.