ADD Symptoms or ADHD Symptoms: What's the Difference?
ADD Symptoms or ADHD Symptoms: What's the Difference?
Let's start with question number one, "What is the difference
between ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms, anyway?" People kept
asking me that...
Well, it's really simple. I'm not going to get into highly
technical things on this but basically, the H in ADHD symptoms
stands for hyperactive. In essence, what this means is attention
deficit disorder, or "ADD," versus attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, or "ADHD."
Some people with ADD symptoms find that their body is going in
high gear, a million miles an hour. They can't sit still, they
are all over the place, and they are moving everywhere. That
means they are experiencing ADHD symptoms rather than ADD
symptoms.
Other people, it's just inside their heads and their body is
more relaxed. This means it is just ADD symptoms. That is the
general difference.
I am not a PhD and I can't officially diagnose anyone with ADD
symptoms vs. ADHD symptoms, but basically the difference is that
hyperactivity component in ADHD symptoms and that's it.
And so, it's just a matter of hyperactivity in physical
behavior. Some people have that hyperactivity mentally and that
would still be just ADD symptoms and if you have the
hyperactive, physical version, then you have the H in there.
But, people say, "attention deficit, basically that is the cause
of all of this, right? There is a deficit of attention whether
it's ADD symptoms OR ADHD symptoms we're talking about, and
that's what the problem is, right?"
Well, there is a "deficit"...unless you learn how to use it.
See, the coolest part about both ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms
is that everyone with these symptoms also has the ability to,
what I call, "Hyperfocus" on something for an exceptional period
of time.
To become so focused on something that time just melts
away...ADD symptoms, ADHD symptoms aside, you have this uncanny
ability.
And when time just melts away and you become so focused--whether
it's on your computer or a video game, or a book you're reading,
or a sport you're playing--you'll find that you can have an
absolute linear 100% degree of focus on that thing as long as
you're interested in it.
The number one thing is, when you are taking a look at "Do I
have ADD symptoms? Don't I have ADD symptoms? Or, do I have ADHD
symptoms? Do I not have ADHD symptoms?" Throw that out the
window.
Technique number one is to say, "What are my strengths? What am
I really, really good at?" You have to ask yourself that
question. Write that down on the note sheet. "What am I really,
really good at?"
When you've done that, write down on the same sheet, "What am I
really, really NOT good at?"
This is where ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms come up, which some
people might be embarrassed or ashamed of...but it is also where
those same ADD symptoms (or ADHD symptoms) can become your
single biggest asset.
This is the reason that you can be successful, it's the reason
that I'm successful, and it's very simple. It's BECAUSE of my
ADD symptoms and ADHD symptoms (you see, I'm actually both!)
You've already developed amazing traits; you've already
developed incredibly powerful habits that you might be using the
wrong way at this time.
But when you learn to look at those ADD/ADHD symptoms as
resources for your ability to be exceptional, that is where
having ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms starts to look like an
advantage, not a "disability."
Take the ability to Hyperfocus, for instance. If you have either
ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms, then I would bet anything you
have a greater ability than most people to Hyperfocus on a given
activity or interest.
But did you know this ability to Hyperfocus is a trait most
inventors, entrepreneurs, and even geniuses have in common?
Maybe they didn't think they had ADD symptoms or ADHD symptoms,
but they probably were called "spacey" or "driven" or
"obsessive" by their contemporaries.
They just learned how to channel their ADD symptoms/ADHD
symptoms into their amazing accomplishments...and so can you.
Think about it...what other ADD symptoms/ADHD symptoms do you
have, that you could be using today, in a different way, to be
outstanding and successful in your life?