5. I can easily relate to faking attention. I often find myself dazing off in different situations and then realizing someone is talking to me and easing my way back into the conversation. Clearly, it isn’t as easy as it seems because I missed the first part of their message and then I find myself pretending what is going on. I think I partially find myself in this situation because of my narcolepsy. I experience ‘micro-sleep’ stages throughout the day and I can’t recall what went on during those stages. I can’t prevent them from happening, they are just apart of my every day
Abnormal Psychology Abnormal psychology in the area within psychology that is focused on maladaptive behavior-its causes, consequences, and treatment. Abnormal psychology deals with how it feels to be different, the meanings the get attached to being different, and how society deals with people whom it considers to be different. The spectrum of differences is wide, ranging from reality defying delusions and severe debilitations to worries and behavioral quirks that we would be better off not having but do not significantly interfere with our daily lives. An example of the milder end of the spectrum is a man who was an eminently successful district attorney, was elected governor of New York on three occasions, and was almost elected president of the United States in 1948. This man, Thomas E. Dewy, reached the pinnacle of success, displaying such qualities as rectitude, efficiency, precision, and nearly limitless capacity for hard work.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder that displays as distracted, hyperactive, and unable to focus on tasks and activities. Also known as Hyperkinetic Impulse Disorder, Hyperkinesis, Hyperactive Syndrome, Minimal Brain Damage, Minimal Brain Dysfunction, and Undifferentiated Deficit Disorder, ADHD is the most commonly diagnosed neurological disorder in children. Although many children with ADHD are quite intelligent, their lack of focus can frequently lead to poor grades and a low self esteem. The exact cause of ADHD is still unknown, but it is considered highly inheritable. Results from numerous international studies on twins have found that ADHD may have a genetic link. The occurrence of ADHD in one twin is more often mirrored an identical twin who has the same genetic makeup, then in a fraternal twin whose genetics are similar but not identical. It is also believed that if a parent, uncle, or grandparent had ADHD, it is more likely their family may develop it as well. No gene has been discovered that directly relates to the disorder. MRI studies comparing the brains of children with and without the condition have shown that children with ADHD have weaker brain activity in the frontal area of the brain when responding to tasks that require inhibition. Because of this, it is thought that ADHD affects certain sections of the frontal cortex, parietal lobe, and possibly parts of the cerebellum.
Leo, J. (2000). Attention defi cit disorder: Good science or good marketing? Skeptic, 8 (1), 29–37.
There are multiple criteria that come into play when determining a psychological disorder. One reason is because, it is hard to know for sure if an action is abnormal or not. Something could be abnormal in our country, but a custom in another.
This paper will attempt to describe Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The different causative factors, as well as the diagnosis of this disorder will also be described. Finally, the different treatments that are available for ADHD will be discussed.
Sinha,, G. (2001, June). New evidence about Ritalin: What every parent should know. Popular Science, 48-52.
It is very normal for children to be more active, more energetic, less attentive, and more impulsive than adults. When parents complain that their child has difficulty paying attention, controlling his or her activity, or resisting impulses, others may dismiss these problems quickly as normal behavior and that there is no need for alarm. Behavior problems in areas such as school work, getting along with others, and inability to follow through and complete chores, have become so severe as to impair a child’s adjustment are not likely to be outgrown can hardly be considered normal. Children whose problems with attention, over-activity, and lack of inhibition reach a certain level have a developmental disability known as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. ADHD is a life disability for many children affecting their families, friends, and health and is extremely difficult to diagnose and to treat without having a great number of side
Attention Getter: Imagine going on a trip to a foreign country and you do not know anyone and you know little to none of their language. When you arrive at the airport and you see a man standing there holding a sign with your name on it. You decide he seems friendly enough to go with him because you do not know anyone at this point and will be lucky to find your way out of the airport. You reach the parking lot and all of a sudden there is an intense pain in your head and you blackout.
Personality Disorders Personality disorders indicate the presence of chronic rigid and maladjusted personality traits, through which the person's interpersonal or professional functioning is negatively affected, or which lead to personal unhappiness and problems (Louw, 1990). Discuss this statement from a biopsychosocial frame of reference and refer to one personality disorder in any cluster to illustrate your answer. The Biopsychosocial model: = ==
“Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition in which a person not only has a great difficulty concentrating for more than a few minutes but also is inattentive, impulsive, and overactive” (The Developing Person Through the Life Span, page 310). Both children and adults are diagnosed with ADHD, but children hold a higher percentage of this diagnosis because the disorder usually appears in early to middle childhood. “The average age of ADHD diagnosis was 7 years of age, but children reported by their parents as having more severe ADHD were diagnosed earlier” (Web, CDC). The symptoms of childhood ADHD, from a personal standpoint, seem to almost mirror what I have observed as normal (developmental) childhood behavior (angst). “The main symptom, (among the three main symptoms) of ADHD is the inability to pay attention. Kids may have trouble listening to a speaker, following directions, finishing tasks, or keeping track of personal items. They may daydream often and make careless mistakes” (WebMD). These characteristics belong to all children which ask the question, emphatically, is childhood ADHD over diagnosed? Pertaining to children, the inability to pay attention is followed by hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Although many children are diagnosed with ADHD, legitimately, there are concerns that children are overmedicated. Maybe parents are as much responsible for over diagnosing children as doctors.
Before all else, the most important part to understand, about this disorder, is the symptoms that the suffer has. One of the most common symptoms of this disorder is inattentiveness. Inattentiveness is when a person is being heedless and is not focusing of paying attention to a matter being put in fron...
In a country based around free will, the United States contains a vast variety of personalities and behaviors. Plenty of people, probably more than we know, exert abnormal behavior. Abnormal behavior is patterns of emotion, thought, and action that are considered pathological. Historically, people blame witchcraft for this eccentric type of behavior and tended to perform exorcisms in hopes of abolishing such actions. Anxiety disorders and personality disorders, two forms of abnormal behavior, can alter a person’s personality as a result of life experiences.
To be nobody-but-myself--in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make
Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), once called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, is one of the most common mental disorders among children. (Elia, Ambrosini, Rapoport, 1999) It affects 3 to 5 percent of all children, with approximately 60% to 80% of these children experiencing persistence of symptoms into adolescence and adulthood, causing a lifetime of frustrated dreams and emotional pain. There are two types of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: an inattentive type and a combined type. The symptoms of ADHD can be classified into three categories: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This behaviour stops ADHD sufferers from focussing deliberately on organising and completing a specific task that they may not enjoy, learning new skills or information is proved to be impossible. An example of such behaviour is recognised by the report written by the National Institute of Mental Health where one of the subjects under study was unable to pass schooling examinations due to her inattentive behaviour. Such behaviour can damage the person's relationships with others in addition to disrupting their daily life, consuming energy, and diminishing self-esteem. (National Institute of Mental Health 1999) There are also secondary symptoms which are associated with ADHD, such as learning disorders, anxiety, depression and other mood disorders, tic disorders, and conduct disorders. (Spencer, Biederman, and Wilens 1999 in Monastra V, Monastra D, George, 2002)
From the day I entered kindergarten class at the age of five my accomplishments in school have been tainted by behavioral problems. Every week my mother would inevitably receive calls from teachers and principals complaining about my inattentiveness and hyperactivity in the classroom. I never had a problem with the work and I was always one of the smartest students in my class so my parents just assumed that I was a rambunctious child. My parents completely subscribed to the belief that “boys will be boys” and although I certainly was reprimanded for my behavior, the last thing to have crossed my parents’ mind was that this type of behavior was a symptom of a disorder. The disorder I am referring to is called Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Approximately fifteen million Americans suffer from this disorder yet around the country there are probably thousands of people, just like my parents, who fail to recognize or seek help regarding cases of ADHD. The problem lies in the ignorance of the population. ADHD has dramatic cognitive and behavioral effects on children and without awareness of the symptoms of ADHD, parents, teachers, and students alike are left without the necessary tools and strategies to raise and educate children inhibited by the disorder. To promote awareness, this paper will attempt to shed light on how to recognize Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in young children in order to create strategies to help optimize the time children spend on their studies so they can realize their potential as students.