The mostly inattentive type
The diagnosis of ADD is increasingly being made in adults in the Netherlands. ADD, the Attention Deficit Disorder, is a congenital disorder. People with ADD often suffer from symptoms such as fatigue, burnout, depression and mood swings. What is ADD?
What is ADD?
ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder, but is also referred to as ‘the predominantly inattentive type’. ADD is caused by an abnormality in the functioning of the neurotransmitters. This leads to an altered activity in certain areas of the brain.
Someone with ADD has problems concentrating and has difficulty paying attention to something. But not always. They can be completely absorbed in something. This is called the hyperfocus. They are so preoccupied with one thing that nothing else seems to matter.
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of ADD is not easy to make. The condition is not recognizable outwardly and only starts to cause problems at a later age. Also, too little research has been done into the condition and knowledge is limited. What also complicates the diagnosis is that an ADD person can come across during a diagnostic interview as someone who does not meet the symptoms of ADD at all.
Symptoms
Only experts, and even for them it is still difficult, can make a diagnosis and distinguish different disorders from each other. ADD has many symptoms that also occur in other disorders such as depression or burnout. It is important that the problems should be recognizable already in childhood and should be a common thread throughout life.
Heredity
ADD occurs in men and women and is hereditary. The first signs of ADD are often already visible around the age of 6, but problems do not arise until puberty or young adulthood..
ADD or ADHD
It is often said that ADD is ADHD, but without the hyperactivity. But that’s too short sighted. Although there are similarities between the disorders, there are also major differences. A combination diagnosis of ADHD and ADD can also be made.
According to the commonly used mental illness classification manual, ADD is a subtype of ADHD, but many today view the condition as a distinctively different type of attention deficit disorder from ADHD.
