Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is generally diagnosed in school-aged children. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, ADHD is present in 3 to 5 percent of children, but it also affects teens and adults. ADHD is diagnosed through behavior patterns that a person with the disorder displays and through the type of personality characteristics present.
Attention
Individuals with ADHD usually have characteristic attention patterns. These types of people have problems attending to tasks; they may engage in a variety of tasks at one time. A person with ADHD may have problems listening to others, reports the MayoClinic.com. These types of people may constantly be hunting for important items that they have misplaced. They may be extremely forgetful by nature and have trouble keeping track of important dates and deadlines. ADHD can cause a person to dislike tasks that require them to sustain mental efforts to the point that she will try to avoid the task all together. An ADHD person can be creative and imaginative because she can handle the thoughts streaming through her head at once, which can increase her ability to problem solve, notes HelpGuide.org.
Activity
A person with ADHD may appear to be driven by a motor. When he possesses the characteristics of hyperactivity, he may appear to be in constant movement. He may need to be always moving about. This type of person may come across as rude because he will be unable to sit still and may fidget and squirm through office meetings or classroom lectures. This type of person may be loud and boisterous. He might need to engage in high-energy sports or activities that induce constant movement. The person might be constantly restless and needing to do more, reports the MayoClinic.com. A person with ADHD might be enthusiastic and spontaneous, making him potentially fun and interesting to be around, according to HelpGuide.org.
Impulsivity
A person with ADHD might have problems with self-control, as noted by HelpGuide.org. This type of person might be moody, making her hard to please. When problems, stresses and conflicts arise, she might emotionally overreact either becoming explosively angry or being brought to tears. She might have little control over her behaviors. This type of person will be quick to shout out her answers and interrupt others when they are speaking. She might unknowingly invade other people’s personal space and she might ask questions that are personal in nature.
