ADHD can vary depending on the person; however, each person is affected differently by their condition .

 “It is a big thing that affected my life because, people with ADHD in general, they have a hard time fitting in and so that can lead to things like anxiety depression or you could end up isolating yourself because you feel so different from others,” Freshman Sarah Reznak  said.

ADHD or “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders of childhood. People who have it may often have trouble concentrating, are overly active or have trouble controlling their impulses.

“It kind of destroys my ability to understand things better, and I just cannot shove any thoughts down, so it’s just a thousand thoughts in my head. Learning to control those is the hard part, but it’s actually really useful once you do,” Reznak stated.

People with ADHD sometimes get carried away when talking and they feel like they overwhelm other people which has the potential to make some people insecure . They try their best to not overshare, however sometimes their urge is stronger than their capabilities.

“Controlling all depends on the task that you’re doing, if it’s a simple task then I’ll just do it and get it over with. But if it’s something that takes more time, I might start doing it and then leave to do something else. So, I’ll either come back to it or just forget about it,” 8^th grader Zahir White said.

Some people recommend using medication for ADHD, though it is mostly used with children at their parents or doctors’ request. It can be beneficial in some ways like calming down certain behaviors, but some people do not agree with the uses of said medication.

“ADHD medication is terrible, it’s basically people hating your real personality and wanting you to change it. It also affects your hunger, your mood, your motivation, it basically changes everything,” Reznak stated.

This opinion can differ depending on the person because others believe it is beneficial to use medication. Some people use the medication for their own benefit because they feel as though it makes everyday life easier.

“I never had a problem making friends because I have medicine from my parents, and so that helps me calm down and it helps me stay on task, I would say it’s beneficial,” White stated.

There are diverse ways ADHD presents itself, depending on the symptoms and how strong they are. There is Predominantly Inattentive Presentation, where an individual is easily distracted or forgets details often. There is Predominantly Hyperactive Presentation, where a person can be impulsive, it can be hard to sit still or wait for a long time, etc. Finally, there is Combined Presentation, which means they equally present Inattentive and Hyperactive symptoms.

“I was diagnosed when I was younger, so I didn’t know exactly what it meant, my mom just told me I had ADHD. And so, it kind of sucks that ever since I was younger, I’ve always had to be on constant watch, and that I can’t just go out and do something unsupervised, especially when I’m off my meds,” White said.

There are many neurodevelopmental conditions, but they all have their own qualities. Some people have trouble grasping the concept, and that is why it is important to inform them so they can understand their peers better.

“Basically, ADHD  is not a deficit of attention, it’s more like, the attention is so everywhere that you can pay attention to everything and just, everything consumes your mind, so you can’t focus on one thing,” Reznak stated.