What Is Inattentive ADHD?

Many people understand that ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. But not everyone understands there are three types of ADHD, one of which is inattentive ADHD. The other types are hyperactive and impulsive ADHD as well as combined type ADHD.

A diagnosis of inattentive ADHD.

If you’ve wondered whether or not you have inattentive ADHD or one of the other types, there are several ways to get a preliminary understanding of each type. However, to get a true and accurate diagnosis, you will need to contact a psychologist or begin with your doctor.

You may be able to deduct some information from the symptoms of inattentive ADHD recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V for short). The manual is updated regularly, but the latest version lists the following as some of the symptoms you may be able to identify in yourself or a loved one.

Symptoms of inattentive ADHD.

In contrast to hyperactive and impulsive ADHD, symptoms of inattentive ADHD have more to do with working memory and organizational skills. This type of ADHD is often diagnosed in girls and adults.

This is because it’s often easier to spot a young child who is fidgety, can’t sit still, and impulsively blurts things out in school (some common symptoms of hyperactive and impulsive ADHD). However, if your life or the life of someone you love is regularly disrupted by the following struggles, it may be time to seek the guidance of a licensed psychologist.

You lose things often.

This isn’t the occasional misplacement of car keys or struggle to find a homework assignment. If you are losing your wallet daily, or your child is struggling to keep up with where he or she puts his school binder constantly, it may be a warning sign. Repetitious loss of items, especially items that are typically expected to be kept up with regularly, is one marker of inattentive ADHD.

You or your loved one finds organization (of anything) particularly difficult.

There are many children and adults who struggle to set up systems for themselves or whose bedroom floors are rarely seen. Still, that does not necessarily signify inattentive ADHD. But if you struggle with routine chores such as paying the bills every month or you find that completing tasks without distraction is a struggle, it may be time to ask your doctor for help.

Those with this type of ADHD are not hyperactive, but they do struggle with rhythms and are easily distracted by external stimuli.

Your child appears to be listening and there are not any distracting external stimuli, but he or she does not retain anything you have communicated.

Quite often with inattentive ADHD, a child and/or an adult seems to be looking at the person who is talking to them. But when it’s time to complete the task or respond appropriately, it becomes clear that he or she has no idea what the original communication involved. (This can also be a symptom of other conditions, so it is important to speak with a trained psychologist for an accurate diagnosis.)

You or your loved one struggles with time management.

If you or your child sets up a schedule, recognizes what is to be done, has a list and someone to hold him or her accountable but still struggles to manage his or her time well, that’s a clue that there could be something deeper going on.

Your loved one may start well and appear that he or she is doing the assigned task, but someone with inattentive ADHD struggles to finish tasks and understand how to divide his or her time so that multiple, sequential tasks can be completed in an appropriate amount of time.

You or your loved one is overwhelmed, almost immediately, by a task that will require sustained mental effort.

Preparing tax forms, writing an essay, studying for an exam, or filing expense reports are excellent examples. To the one who has this type of ADHD, the idea of focusing on one thing for a lengthy period is challenging at best and feels impossible at worst.

Common misconceptions.

Unfortunately, many students who have inattentive ADHD get missed by educators and parents. It is still common to view these students as simply daydreaming or not applying themselves to schoolwork. Sadly, this can lead to feelings of unworthiness and shame if the ADHD goes untreated and undiagnosed for a long time.

Another misconception about this kind of ADHD is that it only impacts children. Inattentive ADHD is commonly seen in adults, and it’s the type that’s most often diagnosed in adulthood, probably because it was missed during the patient’s childhood. If a child is a relatively quick learner or can mask his or her symptoms for specific tasks, his or her ADHD isn’t necessarily something that will stand out to teachers and parents.

Some ways this type of ADHD can be seen in both children and adults is that they try to go too fast through an email or a test. For an adult at work, it may be that he tends to skim an email, miss important details, and respond quickly without thinking through the implications of his communication.

With a child, she may rush through a test, skipping important pieces, such as showing her work on a math problem or missing answers to questions for which she already knows the answers. She may even come home and say the test was easy and she thinks she aced it. But when the teacher goes to grade the exam, it’s clear that important information was either misinterpreted or simply missed altogether.

Treatment options.

There are a variety of ways to treat this kind of ADHD, and one of the ways is through medication. Three different classes of medication might typically be prescribed, depending on what your doctor thinks is best for you or your loved one.

Antidepressants, psychostimulants, and non-stimulant drugs are all used as part of an overall treatment plan. Depending on if the patient is a child or an adult, dosages will vary. Some antidepressants such as tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors work by increasing norepinephrine levels in the brain.

Non-stimulant drugs are primarily used with patients who cannot tolerate psychostimulants, which are the most common medication for inattentive ADHD. The two that are prescribed most often are amphetamine and methylphenidate. While medication is helpful, it is usually more effective when combined with psychotherapy and lifestyle changes.

Cognitive behavioral therapy, which can be offered to children and adults, focuses on identifying behavioral and thought patterns that are not working, devising strategies with a trained counselor, and applying the new thought patterns and behaviors.

In addition to meeting with a counselor regularly, a person who is diagnosed with inattentive ADHD may also wish to work with a coach, teacher, or educational psychologist who can give practical, proactive ideas for common issues.

For example, if you find that concentrating through long meetings is a struggle in the office, your coach or psychologist may help by simply asking you questions to help you identify your own best solutions.

Questions could range from “How long does it usually take for your attention to drift in a meeting?” to “What tangible items can you hold or activities can you do that help you focus for a longer period?” As you consider these questions, you can identify what works for you.

Not every tool or solution works the same for each person. So it’s important to examine your struggles and your solutions. A coach can guide you in this process so that, as issues arise, you are accustomed to the line of questioning you need to construct effective solutions.

What to do if you suspect inattentive ADHD.

The first step is to contact one of our offices. When you do, you’ll be asked to share your name and some basic identifying information. Then, you’ll be directed to a trained counselor who specializes in ADHD treatment and can help you move forward with an appropriate diagnosis and treatment plan.

We are here to help. Call one of our offices today.