Hyperactive ADHD In Children and Adults

Chances are when most people think about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder they are visualizing hyperactive ADHD. They may visualize little Tyler running around like crazy, repeating over and over again my name is Tyler. When asked to stay quite or stay seated our imaginary Tyler may all of the sudden decide he has to go to the bathroom, all the time never giving his poor worn out parents any time for much needed rest. 

While the characterization above is does not fully encapsulate the scope of hyperactive ADHD it does give a fairly accurate snippet  into the challenges facing parents of children who have hyperactive ADHD. That said, while hyperactivity is indeed the poster child for this condition only about half of all children with attention deficit disorder are hyperactive. 

It is important to point out a couple of points. First if you were to walk through the nursery of any hospital what you would find is that boys by nature begin life being more active than girls. So young boys may be overly active but not necessarily have ADHD. Most of these children outgrow this level of activity before the age of 5. 

Nevertheless, if hyperactive behavior persist past the age of five and shows no signs of abating then a professional opinion should be sought to determine whether his/her level over hyperactivity is normal or a part of a bigger issue. 

Now to adults. In adults hyperactive ADHD is a whole different story. Where hyperactivity in children is easily recognizable and unmistakable in adults it is a different story. 

You will not find the hyperactive ADHD adult running around their desk, pulling coworkers hair, constantly pleading to be excused or asking 50 times a day how much longer until I get off. No the adult hyperactive has gained at least a partial handle on situation. After all, they have to in order to keep their job. Instead of the somewhat overwhelming behavior seen in children the adult may talk almost endlessly coming up with an abundance of both good and bad idea. While they can sit at their desks for a period of time they may fidget or create annoying habits to both pass the time and release their hyperactivity. Examples of this would be sending rubber bands flying across the room in rapid fire fashion.                               

The hyperactive ADHD adult may feel the need to talk endlessly and if they are lucky enough to find a job that utilizes this trait they may excel. An example would be call center help or telephone sales. The downside is if things don’t go their way their moods may be unpredictable ranging from sadness, to irritation, to excitement. 

For the hyperactive ADHD adult the combination of moodiness and their propensity to blame others for their problems along with a number of other symptoms such as inattention and impulsivity may lead to frequent job changes despite their strengths. 

It is safe to say that unbridled ADHD can wreak havoc in the lives of children, adults, and parents if left untreated. The fact is that it is nearly impossible to change hyperactive ADHD behavior simply by asking, due to its roots in heredity and biology. 

What Next? For those with hyperactive ADHD finding  treatment should be their main priority. The most common form of treatment for ADHD are stimulant medications such as Ritalin or Cylert. While effective all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of side effects or perhaps lack of success with stimulants has prompted many to investigate other options. A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.