ADD symptoms + What is ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) anyway?
What is ADD
ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder and is a subtype of ADHD. ADD is now officially called ADHD – I called. This comes from English where the I stands for inattentive. In Dutch, we call it the predominantly inattentive type. To make the difference clearer, we still tend to refer to it colloquially as ADD because it more clearly indicates the absence of conspicuous hyperactivity. In this article, we will therefore stick to ADD symptoms.
The major difference with ADHD is that the symptoms of ADD do not involve clearly noticeable hyperactivity such as impulsivity, movement and talking a lot. In ADD, the busyness is mainly in the head and is therefore less noticeable to the environment. Known characteristics of ADD are being easily distracted, lack of concentration, forgetfulness, dreaminess, wandering during conversations, appearing withdrawn, overstimulation, a jumble of thoughts and being chaotic.
You can find more ADD symptoms in the list below. Further on, you can read very interesting information about a natural supplement that appears to support a lot of people with ADD and ADHD very well in terms of concentration, mood and inner turmoil. It usually makes people feel a lot calmer in their heads and less easily overstimulated. Definitely worth reading.
ADD symptoms at a glance
Below is a comprehensive list of the most common symptoms of ADD. You don't have to recognise yourself in all these characteristics to be diagnosed with ADD. If you have ADD yourself, the list below will be a breath of fresh air of recognition for you! ;)
Iemand met ADD…
- finds it very difficult to concentrate
- wanders off while listening
- is very forgetful and chaotic
- raakt voortdurend spullen kwijt
- is quickly bored of something
- has poor short-term memory
- is easily distracted
- appears absent
- Has a lot of trouble arriving on time
- is very busy in the head
- Jumps from heel to heel (may occur in tasks as well as in conversations)
- Has great difficulty with motivation (procrastination)
- bruist van ideeën en plannen maar begint er niet aan of maakt ze niet af
- regularly suffers from mood swings
- is often a perfectionist
- needs many moments of rest to recharge mentally (easily overexcited)
- can become completely absorbed in something when interested and have high concentration (hyperfocus)
- is dreamy and has great imagination
- usually has difficulty expressing feelings
- is usually also very sensitive (HSP, high sensitivity)
- Can often express himself creatively (dance, music, art etc.)
- often has a good sense of humour
- likes to stay in the background
- is mostly visually oriented
- Has difficulty finishing details or skips on details when interested
- Is prone to developing addiction
- has difficulty maintaining relationships and friendships
- often has a small social circle but is emotionally involved with others
- has difficulty responding quickly and appropriately to unexpected events due to delayed information processing
The above points are the most well-known symptoms of ADD. Niet iedere ADD’er zal zich in alle punten herkennen. Je hoeft ook zeker niet aan alle kenmerken te voldoen om de diagnose te kunnen krijgen. Maar als je echt ADD hebt, dan zul je je in het overgrote deel wel herkennen.
Positive characteristics of ADD
Besides the less fun sides of ADD, ADD also has some positive, strong characteristics that might even give you an advantage in certain areas. Further down the page, you will also find the cool video of a boy being followed in his daily life with ADD. The video shows both the negative and positive sides of ADD. So be sure to watch it.
Iemand met ADD…
- has very high concentration when interested (also called hyperfocus)
- comes up with solutions that others thought were impossible
- bruist van briljante plannen en ideeën
- often has a good sense of humour
- can think well out of the box and come up with brilliant solutions
- usually has great empathy
- sometimes comes very sharp or brilliant out of nowhere
- often has higher than average intelligence
- is usually creatively well-developed
- likes challenges and thrills
- is adventurous
- has good insight
- heeft een goede intuïtie
- lijkt over ‘een 6de zintuig’ te beschikken
- voelt situaties en mensen op een ‘bijzondere’ manier aan
Again, not all characteristics have to apply to you. You don't have to recognise yourself in 100% of the list to be diagnosed with ADD.
ADD symptoms and the science
Click here for further information on ADD and science Volgens wetenschappers is ADD een neurobiologische aandoening dat in de meeste gevallen erfelijk bepaald lijkt te zijn. Vaak heeft één van de ouders dan ook AD(H)D. In ongeveer 25% van de gevallen lijkt ADD niet erfelijk te zijn. Inmiddels hebben diverse onderzoeken aangetoond dat er bij ADD sprake is van een verstoring in de werking van de neurotransmitters dopamine en noradrenaline. Vooral in het gebied van de prefontale cortex. Die verstoring zorgt ervoor dat deze neurotransmitters niet goed doorgegeven kunnen worden. Hierdoor is er een te lage hoeveelheid dopamine en noradrenaline beschikbaar wat resulteert in de bekende ADD symptomen. Het mag dus duidelijk zijn dat ADD niet komt door een verkeerde opvoeding. Read more about medication for ADD and its side effects Many people with ADD are hampered in everyday life by its symptoms. Medication is then quickly the first thing thought of to reduce the symptoms. The best-known medication is Methylphenidate. This is released among others under the brand names Ritalin, Concerta and Equasym. This medication is used in all types of ADHD applied. There are also other forms of medication such as Dexamphetamine, Wellbutrin, Strattera and Bupropion. Some medications work slightly differently from others and that is why some ADHD / ADD medications may not work while others do. Unfortunately, ADHD / ADD medication often cause many side effects. In the first weeks, this is usually at its most severe because the body still has to get used to it. After a few weeks, this usually diminishes but sometimes not. If you suffer from an anxiety disorder, the well-known ADHD / ADD medication is often not recommended. These symptoms are then usually very intensified. Known side effects of ADHD and ADD medication are: Tics, irritability, headaches, abdominal pain and reduced growth may also occur. Many parents do not always want to give their (young) child this medication because of these side effects. In that case, a natural supplement might be a good alternative. You can read more about LTO3 below. This is a 100% natural supplement that appears to help many people with ADD and ADHD very well. For many, for instance, it improves concentration, motivation, memory, mood and provides more relaxation and peace of mind. If you prefer not to take medication for your ADD symptoms, or if you think you have ADD and just want to see what a natural supplement can do for you, you might want to take a look at LTO3. This 100% natural supplement appears to give very good results for a lot of people with ADD and ADHD. In addition, it has no long-term side effects and the supplement can be used safely by anyone aged 3 and up. Also alongside your current medication. More and more people with ADD and ADHD are switching to this natural remedy and many of them were even able to stop their ADHD / ADD medication altogether thanks to LTO3. LTO3 has the following effects in many people: The operation of LTO3 treed na ongeveer 30-40 minuten in en werkt gedurende de dag 8 – 12 uur door. Het duurt een paar dagen voordat de werking optimaal is maar soms werkt het al vanaf de eerste dag gelijk heel goed. In enkele gevallen kan het zelfs een aantal weken duren voordat het resultaat optimaal is. Are you curious about LTO3 and want to know more about it? Then check out the links below: > Everything you want to know about LTO3 + Questions and Answers > Read all the LTO3 user experiences I was sent Watch the funny video below about a boy followed in his daily life with ADD. You see what he encounters due to his symptoms of ADD, but besides the less pleasant sides, the positive characteristics of ADD are also on full display. Definitely a must watch. If, based on the above ADD symptoms, you think you have ADD yourself, you can get tested at a mental health institution. Using questionnaires, they will look at how many characteristics apply to you and your behaviour as a child. For this, a psychologist will usually also ask to talk to your parents and often request old school reports from primary school. Once you have been diagnosed with ADD, in many cases you will start experimenting with medication and have conversations with a psychologist. For a dose of positivity around ADD and ADHD, check out check out this article with 10 great benefits of ADD and ADHD. Looking for information on ADHD or high sensitivity? Then follow the links below: > Learn more about ADHD and the characteristics of ADHD > Learn more about HSP and characteristics of HSP Heb je zelf nog aanvullingen op het rijtje van symptomen van ADD of het rijtje met de positieve kanten aan ADD? Misschien een andere opmerking op dit artikel? Laat dan hieronder in de comments vooral van je horen…ADD symptoms and medication
LTO3 appears to help many people with ADD / ADHD well
ADD symptoms in everyday life
Do I have ADD and how do you get diagnosed with ADD?
Hi Jochem
First, thank you for your comprehensive information on ADD,
I am 45 and a few years back it was concluded that I have ADD.
Blijkbaar al heel m’n leven en dus vallen nu veel puzzelstukjes op hun plek. Enkele jaren geleden ben ik tegen een burnout aangelopen door stuk gelopen huwelijk en vanwege herstel te maken gekregen met PsyQ die uiteindelijk de diagnose ADD stelde.
Now burnout is an overload on the brain, it often does not come to rest due to lack of sleep.
Now I am curious to know if you can establish a relationship between ADD and Burnout and whether, on average, more people who have ADD also encounter burnout.
Hi Michel,
No thanks.
Die relatie is er zeker. Mensen met ADD voelen zich vaak anders. Daardoor kan het moeilijk zijn je plekje in deze wereld te vinden. Dit zorgt voor allemaal emoties waardoor je opbrand. 70% van de mensen die vroeg of laat de diagnose AD(H)D krijgt heeft inmiddels ook een andere ‘stoornis’ ontwikkeld waaronder bijvoorbeeld burnout. https://www.addkenmerken.net/psychische-klachten-add-adhd/
Maar ook depressie komt veel voor, angststoornis, persoonlijkheidsproblematiek. Uiteindelijk zijn het allemaal termen voor een uiting van leed wat in jezelf vast zit. Wanneer je echt van binnen gaat helen dan lossen deze klachten met de tijd op. Dat kan een lange weg zijn maar de potentie voor iedere AD(H)D’er is er om in zijn kracht te staan.
Hi Jochem,
When I read your story, I had a lot of recognition. I am also hsp and a Sensation seeker. A traumatic experience pp when I was 17 gave me CFS. Five years ago, I got psychological help for this. Now I no longer have CFS (don't confuse this with ME). I also sometimes thought I had ADD but according to the psychologist you must have had symptoms in childhood. Anyway, I recognise a lot in your story. I see my hsp as a strength and use this positively when I coach people.
Hi Anouk,
How nice that you have fully recovered from CFS and that you have your characteristics of HSP positive can be in it as a coach.
People will be able to draw a lot of strength from that.
Indeed, for an ADD diagnosis, you must have had symptoms of ADD since childhood.
All the best.
My son was diagnosed with ADD , now I'm doing some searching on the internet and reading the symptoms seems to me that I have it too ADD . There are huge similarities , should I go to the doctor with that now or just what ? Or do I test that jar of LTO 3 ?
Greetings Cynthia
Hi Cynthia,
If ADD symptoms are really getting you stuck in your life, you might want to get tested at a mental health institution. For example PsyQ Denk niet dat je met een diagnose vrij gaat komen van ADD. Ze kunnen je wel begeleidende hulp bieden om beter met je ADD om te gaan en eventueel medicatie zoals Ritalin, dexamfetamine of Concerta voorschrijven. Er zijn nog veel meer verschillende medicijnen die overwogen kunnen worden bij ADD of ADHD en soms kan het een behoorlijke zoektocht zijn naar medicatie die voor jou goed werkt. Ritalin werkt namelijk zeker niet bij iedere AD(H)D’er.
You can always try LTO3 to see if it helps you enough. You might then say that you feel so much better and experience fewer symptoms that you don't think a diagnosis is necessary. That choice is up to you.
Best of luck.
Greetings Jochem
I have ADD myself and know some friends with ADD in my area. Now I notice that we have one characteristic in common, which is not listed in the list of symptoms.
I have a strong tendency to overthink a situation I have found myself in and draw conclusions that often do not match reality. I then stick to that and am hard to shake off. I often think I know what someone else is thinking and this then reinforces my wrongly established conclusion. As a result, it quickly tends towards conspiracy theory thinking.
Who recognises this? Or does the above relate to any of the other characteristics?
Hi Eric,
Wat je schetst zie ik bij best veel mensen, maar ook zeker bij niet AD(H)D’ers. Kijk complotten zijn er gewoon, er wordt altijd gedaan alsof complottheorieën voor gekkies zijn maar dat is natuurlijk niet zo. Zolang er mensen op aarde wonen worden er complotten gesmeden. Het is natuurlijk wel handig als je er niet teveel in doorslaat en niet iedere situatie gaat overdenken. AD(H)D’ers kunnen erg veel denken, zeker als ze niet genoeg afleiding hebben. Als er teveel ‘denktijd’ is dan kan dat zeker resulteren in situaties gaan overdenken en overanalyseren. Misschien helpt het, wanneer je je hier bewust van bent, om even een stapje terug te doen en afleiding te zoeken. Probeer situaties wat luchtiger te nemen.
Hi Eric,
I myself have recently been diagnosed with add and I recognise myself completely in this, with me it also strikes me as unrealistic, which often makes arguments run bigger than they really mean. I have noticed this several times in myself and there seems to be 1 truth. When I read your comment you described the words exactly as I experience it!!!
Gr
Bye Jochem,
Based on what scientific research do you describe these symptoms? This seems like a very long list to me and I'm curious to know what research(s) this comes from.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Tessy,
De symptomen van ADD staan beschreven in de DSM-5. De bekendste symptomen zijn een drukke geest, dromerigheid, overgevoeligheid voor uitwendige prikkels, slecht overzicht in tijd wat ook veel te laat komen oplevert, korte concentratie (tenzij er hoge interesse is) en een slecht korte termijn geheugen. Deze symptomen hebben allerlei kenmerken tot gevolg die je in de lijst ziet staan. Het zijn allemaal gevolgen van de hoofdsymptomen. Wanneer je een test doet bij een instelling die je gaat testen op AD(H)D, dan zul je al deze symptomen ook voorbij zien komen in de vragen. Ik spreek daarnaast uit eigen ervaring en ken veel AD(H)D’ers in mijn omgeving. Als AD(H)D’er zul je in de lijst een enorme herkenning vinden. De meeste reageren dan ook alsof ze zichzelf beschreven zien worden. Dit betekent niet dat je je 100% in alle kenmerken hoeft te herkennen en het is natuurlijk ook niet zo dat iemand zonder AD(H)D geen enkele van deze kenmerken bij zichzelf herkent.
Yes, me too. Think it's a good story though and welcome it. But source citation is in order here.
Greetings, Gert
Hello,
Please send me the newsletter
Hi Diana,
Thank you for your interest.
You can sign up for the newsletter at various places on the website ;)
For example, at the bottom of every article. When you posted a comment, you could check a box to sign up directly for the newsletter.
You can also this link directly use. Nice and easy.
Greetings Jochem.
Hey Jochem,
Mijn dochter en ik hebben hsp. Voor mezelf komen de kenmerken voor ADD ook sterk tot uiting. Vooral die innerlijke onrust, stemmingsschommelingen.. Soms wou ik dat ik een knopje had om de onrust in mijn hoofd even stop te kunnen zetten… We wonen in Belgie. Is LTO3 ook hier verkrijgbaar? Vrij verkrijgbaar? Of welk natuurlijk middel kan ik hier krijgen?
Regards, Anja
Hi Anja,
Zo’n knopje zou echt een uitkomst zijn hè haha.
Unfortunately, we have to do it ourselves but, for instance, meditation could help you a lot. Also take enough moments of rest. Is difficult for me too.
When I start something, I often can't stop and before I know it, I'm in hyperfocus and keep going. Hours and hours and I forget everything. Just those moments of rest are sometimes important to get back to earth. Also occasionally just simply take a deep breath. Also try to keep a positive mindset. Negative thoughts always get me completely off track and then I can worry about something for days. I try to turn that around in time.
Lto3 is good to try as a support. Many people benefit from this.
You can just get it in Belgium. You can get the original LTO3 here order at SmartVital.
Best of luck.
Let us know again what the LTO3 does for you :)
Greetings,
Jochem
The video gives a good picture of how someone with ADD feels. Thanks for this explanation with film, fun and informative. Is LTO3 covered by insurance? Please send me more info and if so, which insurance company. My son uses concerta but it is quite expensive and is not reimbursed. Can you tell me which insurance company does reimburse this?
Hi Carla, PNOZorg reimburses LTO3 in the supplementary package. Further information can be found on this page under question 12.
Greetings, Jochem.
Hello,
Happy to receive the newsletter.
Do you have any titles of books on add that I could read to better understand my 11-year-old son with add, among other things.
Thanks in advance.
Hi Bas,
You can get your subscribe to the newsletter via this link.
Take a look at the boek ‘Leven met ADD’ van Sterre Hunvie. Her son and partner both have ADD. That's probably a book you're looking for. If you follow the link, you will also see a video of Sterre talking about her book and home situation.