watch: we take a look at #adhd symptom videos

while tiktok videos focused on how to identify signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) can be helpful, it’s important that anyone experiencing symptoms check in with a health care professional in order to be properly diagnosed.

doron almagor, md, frcpc, child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist and director of the possibilities clinic , says that while in general videos providing lists or examples of possible symptoms of adhd may help shed some light on what a viewer is experiencing, and often leads to people coming in for an assessment — it’s not a great idea to rely on them to self-diagnose or self-treat.

greater representation for less-known symptoms

while the symptoms of adhd include inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity, mainstream understanding of adhd frequently focuses on on the high-energy, impulsive traits that not everyone with the condition will experience. this can lead to a misidentification of the other symptoms of adhd, meaning many people who need help — especially women — don’t get it.

“the hyperactive kind of adhd, that’s easy to spot. it’s the kid who bounces off the wall, won’t sit still, can’t focus on their homework,” michelle allan, a master of journalism candidate researching women’s experiences with adhd, told healthing in 2021. “but people don’t understand that adhd does have the inattentive sub-type, where it can just be someone who daydreams, someone who has a hard time focusing.”

a global decrease in attention spans

one study , published in nature communications , indicates that the ever-increasing demands on our attention may decrease the amount of attention we give to each item. the study monitored how long the top 50 hashtags on twitter stayed popular, finding that in 2013, a hashtag typically stayed in the top 50 list for an average of 17.5 hours. by 2016, this had decreased 11.9 hours.

while many may be feeling the strain of constantly needing to jump from subject to subject, almagor warns against assuming that it indicates adhd. experts say that taking breaks from our social media pages — to take some time in green space or do some physical activity, for example — can help improve our moods and replenish our ability to focus, which isn’t the case for those with adhd.