What is ADHD?

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  ADHD(Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the developmental disorders. It’s probably the most common and familiar diagnosis of mental health problems in children. The last D in ADHD is not ‘Disability’ but ‘Disorder’, which is more of a temporary disorder. It is a disorder that is common in childhood, with a constant lack of attention, resulting in distractibility, hyperactivity and impulsivity. If left untreated, symptoms may remain even into adulthood. The cause of ADHD has not been accurately understood, and it has been observed that the areas of the brain that control activity and attention are inactive, and structural differences have been discovered. It is known to have more to do with genetic tendencies than parenting methods, and environmental factors may also be involved.

Characteristics of ADHD

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  ADHD can be broadly divided into two characteristics. Lack of attention and impulsivity are key symptoms of ADHD. Sometimes they have only one characteristic, sometimes they have both.

  Attention deficit refers to the inability to selectively focus on one external stimulus. Even if you focus on one place, if you hear a different sound, your attention will quickly move away. As a result, they often lose things and are not good at keeping rules or promises. It also shows a lack of organization, planning, etc.

  Impulsivity refers to the difficulty of staying still. In childhood, it is manifested as getting up and running around without permission and constantly moving its limbs. They often say what they think or act assertively.

  It is estimated that 80% of cases of ADHD show clear improvement with medication. Attention deficit and impulsivity are reduced, concentration and memory improve. In addition, interest and motivation for the task will be strengthened, which can lead to better performance.

Benefits of ADHD at work

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• Rich in ideas and originality

  It has the advantage of planning new things. You can bring a different perspective and offer fresh ideas that no one else is thinking about.

• Curious

  It’s not bound by convention or precedent, and even if it’s your first time, it’s easy to take on the challenge.

• Sensitive

  It is easy to be stimulated by various things. These stimuli can also motivate us to act. In addition, sensitivity to changes in the environment and new information is one of the strengths of ADHD.

• High action and determination

  One of the benefits of impulsivity is the ability to be decisive and draw conclusions quickly without withholding judgment. And the strength is that you can immediately put your conclusions into action. This can also help you get results faster.

• Concentrate in areas of interest

  Even if you are usually careless, you can concentrate on what you like and work quickly. Enjoying your personal hobbies can also help relieve stress.

Occupations that people with ADHD can play an active part in

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• Planners, researchers, advertising directors, and sales positions in their area of interest

  A job that allows you to use your ability to act and make decisions may be a good fit. If you have a high degree of freedom, where you can get your ideas evaluated and make use of your interests, it’s a good idea to take advantage of ADHD’s strengths.

• Designers, writers, illustrators, painting and plastic art writers, copywriters

  These are the kinds of jobs that can make use of imagination. There is a high degree of freedom, and unconventional and ingenious ideas or ideas that are not existing are respected.

• IT engineers, programmers, technologists in the field of high-tech

  They focus on their areas of interest, so they can work in IT fields that require a high level of expertise or jobs that require qualifications. For engineering-related jobs and those that require certifications, there is a high demand for specialists, so there are many opportunities to change jobs.

  If you can understand your ADHD strengths and utilize them at work, you will be able to work more easily and gain more opportunities.

References:

주의력결핍 과잉행동장애, Seoul National University Hospital Medical Information

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