ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how your brain regulates attention, activity levels, and impulse control. It's not a character flaw or laziness - it's a genuine difference in how your brain processes information and manages executive functions.
ADHD is a lifelong condition that begins in childhood. Many adults have ADHD but were never diagnosed as children, especially if they have the inattentive type or developed good coping strategies. About 60% of children with ADHD continue to have symptoms as adults.
Everyone gets distracted sometimes, but ADHD involves persistent patterns that significantly impact daily life. People with ADHD struggle with attention regulation across multiple settings (work, home, relationships) and have had these difficulties since childhood. It affects their ability to function consistently.
Yes, ADHD is highly genetic - about 70-80% heritable. If you have ADHD, there's approximately a 50% chance your child will have it too. It often runs in families, though it may present differently in different family members.
Hyperfocus is when someone with ADHD becomes completely absorbed in something interesting to them, often losing track of time and everything else. ADHD isn't a deficit of attention but a difficulty regulating attention - the brain struggles to direct attention appropriately rather than lacking it entirely.
Diagnosis involves a comprehensive assessment including clinical interviews, questionnaires about current symptoms and childhood history, and often input from family members. The clinician looks for evidence of symptoms before age 12, impairment in multiple life areas, and rules out other conditions.
ADHD medication doesn't change who you are - it helps your brain function more like it would without ADHD. Many people report feeling "more like themselves" on medication because they can finally act on their intentions rather than being controlled by their symptoms.
Untreated ADHD can lead to underachievement at work or school, relationship difficulties, low self-esteem, increased risk of accidents, substance abuse, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression. Treatment can significantly improve quality of life.
While medication is often very effective, some people manage ADHD through strategies like structured routines, exercise, mindfulness, therapy (especially CBT), dietary changes, and environmental modifications. Many people find a combination of medication and non-medication strategies works best.
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class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-menu-anchor\" id=\"faq\"></div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t</div>\n\t\t","editSettings":{"defaultEditRoute":"content","panel":{"activeTab":"content","activeSection":"section_anchor"}}}]}Research suggests ADHD is actually underdiagnosed in certain groups, particularly girls, women, and ethnic minorities. While awareness has increased, many adults are only now getting diagnosed after years of struggling. Proper assessment by qualified professionals ensures accurate diagnosis.
Normal worry is temporary and proportionate to the situation. Anxiety disorders involve excessive worry that's hard to control, lasts for months, and interferes with daily life. The anxiety feels overwhelming and often includes physical symptoms like racing heart, sweating, or difficulty breathing.
Yes, it's very common - about 60% of people with depression also have anxiety symptoms, and vice versa. They often feed into each other: anxiety about the future can lead to feelings of hopelessness (depression), while depression can make you anxious about your ability to cope.
Panic attacks are sudden surges of intense fear with physical symptoms like chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness. They feel physically real because they trigger your body's fight-or-flight response, releasing stress hormones that cause genuine physical sensations. Though terrifying, they're not dangerous.
Depression is much more than sadness. It's a persistent state that affects your whole being - your energy, sleep, appetite, concentration, physical health, and ability to feel pleasure. Many people with depression describe feeling numb or empty rather than sad.
Depression and anxiety involve actual changes in brain chemistry and function. Telling someone to "snap out of it" is like telling someone with diabetes to just produce more insulin. While positive thinking can be one helpful tool, these conditions require proper treatment.
Both result from a complex mix of factors: genetics, brain chemistry, personality, life experiences, trauma, medical conditions, and current stress. There's rarely one single cause, which is why treatment often needs to address multiple factors.
Seek help if symptoms last more than two weeks, interfere with work or relationships, include thoughts of self-harm, or if you're using alcohol or drugs to cope. Also seek help if friends or family express concern - sometimes others notice changes before we do.
Many antidepressants (like SSRIs) treat both conditions by adjusting serotonin levels over time. Anti-anxiety medications (like benzodiazepines) work quickly but are typically for short-term use due to addiction risk. Your doctor will recommend based on your specific symptoms and needs.
Yes, significantly. Regular exercise can be as effective as medication for mild to moderate depression. Good sleep, balanced nutrition, mindfulness, social connection, and reduced alcohol all help. However, severe cases usually need professional treatment alongside lifestyle changes.
Not necessarily. Many people use medication to stabilize, then gradually reduce or stop with their doctor's guidance. Some people need longer-term treatment, especially if they've had multiple episodes. The goal is finding what keeps you well, whether that's medication, therapy, lifestyle changes, or a combination.
PMDD is a severe form of PMS that affects 3-8% of menstruating people. While PMS causes mild discomfort, PMDD causes debilitating mood changes, including severe irritability, depression, or anxiety that significantly disrupts life. Symptoms appear 1-2 weeks before your period and improve within days of starting.
PMDD is absolutely real - it's a biological response to normal hormone changes during your menstrual cycle. Brain imaging shows that people with PMDD process hormonal fluctuations differently. It's not about being weak or unable to handle normal periods.
Emotional symptoms include severe mood swings, irritability or anger, depression, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, and difficulty concentrating. Physical symptoms can include breast tenderness, bloating, fatigue, changes in sleep and appetite, and headaches. The key is these symptoms severely impact your ability to function.
PMDD appears to be caused by an abnormal sensitivity to normal hormone fluctuations, not hormone imbalance. Genetics play a role - it often runs in families. Stress, trauma history, and underlying mental health conditions may increase risk.
Diagnosis requires tracking symptoms for at least two menstrual cycles to confirm the pattern. Symptoms must be severe enough to interfere with work, school, or relationships, occur in the two weeks before your period, and improve after your period starts.
Yes, certain birth controls can help by stabilizing hormone levels. Continuous birth control (skipping periods) often works well. However, some people find hormonal birth control worsens symptoms - it's very individual and may require trying different options.
Treatment options include SSRIs (which can work quickly for PMDD, unlike depression), lifestyle changes (exercise, diet, stress management), calcium and vitamin B6 supplements, therapy (especially CBT), and in severe cases, hormonal treatments that stop ovulation.
PMDD can worsen during hormonal transitions like after pregnancy or during perimenopause. However, it typically resolves after menopause when periods stop. Some people find symptoms worsen in their 30s and 40s.
Yes, but it's harder to diagnose. The key is whether symptoms follow a pattern related to your cycle, even if irregular. Tracking symptoms alongside any menstrual patterns helps identify if there's a connection.
PMDD doesn't affect fertility, but symptoms may worsen during fertility treatments due to hormone medications. Many people with PMDD have successful pregnancies. Symptoms typically improve during pregnancy but may return afterward, sometimes worse initially.
Trauma is any experience that overwhelms your ability to cope and leaves lasting distress. This includes obvious traumas like accidents, assault, or war, but also emotional abuse, neglect, medical trauma, bullying, or repeated "smaller" traumas. Your nervous system doesn't distinguish between "big" and "small" trauma.
It's normal to feel distressed after trauma. PTSD develops when symptoms persist beyond a month and include: re-experiencing (flashbacks, nightmares), avoidance of reminders, negative thoughts and mood changes, and heightened reactivity (being easily startled, irritable). These symptoms significantly impair daily functioning.
Yes, PTSD can develop immediately or years after trauma. Sometimes people cope initially but develop symptoms when triggered by a reminder, during a safe period when defenses drop, or when another stressor reduces coping capacity.
C-PTSD develops from prolonged, repeated trauma, especially in childhood or situations you couldn't escape (like abuse or captivity). Beyond PTSD symptoms, it includes difficulties with emotional regulation, negative self-concept, and relationship problems.
Neurodivergent individuals (like those with autism or ADHD) may be more vulnerable to trauma because: sensory sensitivities make experiences more overwhelming, social difficulties increase bullying risk, communication differences may prevent them from seeking help, and their trauma responses might be misunderstood or dismissed. They may also develop trauma from experiences others don't recognize as traumatic, like repeated social rejection or sensory overwhelm.
During trauma, your brain prioritizes survival over memory formation. The amygdala (fear center) takes over while the hippocampus (memory center) goes offline. This creates fragmented memories - you might remember sensations, emotions, or images without a clear narrative.
Triggers are reminders that activate trauma memories - sights, sounds, smells, or situations similar to the original trauma. Your brain creates strong associations to keep you safe from future danger, but these can misfire in safe situations, causing your body to react as if the trauma is happening again.
Trauma is stored in the body - chronic muscle tension, digestive issues, autoimmune conditions, chronic pain, and sleep problems are common. The nervous system can become stuck in fight, flight, or freeze mode, affecting physical health long-term.
Yes, though healing doesn't mean forgetting or being unaffected. With treatment, traumatic memories can become less distressing and stop controlling your life. Therapies like EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, and somatic approaches help process trauma and restore nervous system regulation.
Resilience to trauma depends on many factors: genetics, previous experiences, support systems, coping resources, age when trauma occurred, and trauma type. Having good support immediately after trauma significantly reduces PTSD risk. It's not about strength or weakness.
OCD is a condition where you experience unwanted, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) that cause intense anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) to reduce that anxiety. It's not about being neat or organized - it's about being trapped in exhausting cycles of fear and ritual.
No. Perfectionism is wanting things done right and feeling satisfaction from organization. OCD involves distressing thoughts you can't control and rituals you feel forced to perform to prevent feared outcomes. People with OCD often know their fears are irrational but can't stop.
Common obsessions include contamination fears, fear of harming others, unwanted sexual or religious thoughts, need for symmetry, and fear of making mistakes. These thoughts are ego-dystonic - they go against the person's values and cause immense distress.
No, compulsions can be mental too. While some people wash hands or check locks repeatedly, others have mental compulsions like counting, praying, reviewing conversations, or seeking reassurance. Mental compulsions are just as exhausting but less visible to others.
"Pure O" (purely obsessional) OCD appears to involve obsessions without compulsions, but actually includes hidden mental compulsions. People might ruminate, mentally check, seek reassurance, or avoid triggers - all compulsions that aren't obvious to observers.
Compulsions provide temporary relief from intense anxiety, creating a powerful reinforcement cycle. The brain learns that performing the ritual "prevents" the feared outcome, even though the fear was irrational. Breaking this cycle requires tolerating extreme anxiety, which is incredibly difficult without support.
Yes, OCD can latch onto any thought that triggers uncertainty or fear. Common themes exist, but OCD is creative - it often attacks what you value most. Parents might have thoughts about harming children, religious people might have blasphemous thoughts.
OCD results from a combination of genetic factors (it runs in families), brain differences (particularly in areas managing fear and habit formation), environmental factors (stress, trauma), and possibly autoimmune responses (PANDAS/PANS in children).
The gold standard treatments are Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, where you gradually face fears without performing compulsions, and medications (usually SSRIs at higher doses than for depression). Many people benefit from combining both approaches.
OCD is typically a chronic condition that waxes and wanes, but many people achieve significant improvement with treatment. Some reach a point where symptoms are minimal and manageable. The goal isn't necessarily to eliminate all symptoms but to reduce their impact on life.
You can always email us at info@insightdiagnostics.co.uk.
