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The Impacts of ADD

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, often known as ADD or ADHD, is a common disorder in which a person has a short attention span and tends to be hyperactive and impulsive. While ADD is often associated with children who are unable to sit still in class, it also affects adults. ADD has a number of impacts for both children and adults, affecting everything from relationships to emotions to employment.

  1. Adults: Workplace Struggles

    • Adults with ADD often have difficulty concentrating on what is said in the workplace, and they find it challenging to complete projects or follow through on tasks. They must also work longer hours to achieve the same amount as their coworkers, leading to stress and exhaustion.

    Adults: Damaged Emotional State

    • ADD can impact an adult's emotional well-being. Someone with ADD can become angry or frustrated, feeling that he underachieves, is stressed out or is too sensitive to criticism. Those with ADD often have low self-esteem and are prone to outbursts of anger.

    Adults: Impulsive, Destructive Behavior

    • ADD may cause adults to be impulsive, blurting out things or acting recklessly without thinking about the consequences. This can impact the adult's life by putting her in difficult situations due to those impulsive actions.

    Children: Emotional Damage

    • ADD can have a deep emotional impact on a child. He may withdraw or feel depressed, turning the frustrated feelings inward. Children with ADD may exhibit aggressive or violent behavior. The impact of ADD is often manifested by low self-esteem in children, causing them to be unable to have positive experiences.

    Children: Social Maladjustment

    • Socially, ADD can cause a child to become disruptive by becoming a class clown or bully, or the child may refuse to get involved in activities because she is afraid of failing.

    Children: Physical Problems

    • ADD may impact a child physically. A child who buries his frustrations and feelings stemming from the disorder may become stressed, which can turn into pain or aches in the head, stomach, back, hands or legs.

    Children and Adults: Negative Family Impacts

    • ADD can negatively impact the family of the child and the adult. Parents can become frustrated and wonder if they are at fault, and siblings can end up confused or angry at the child's actions. For an adult, the spouse may become frustrated or depressed from being helpless to do anything about the behavior, and children may wonder what is wrong.

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