Stephanie Ellwood
The Issue
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects someone's
ability to function. Individuals suffering from this disorder show patterns of developmentally
inappropriate levels of inattentiveness, hyperactivity, or impulsivity (Magnus et al., 2023). An
estimated 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD,
according to a national survey of parents using data from 2022 (CDC, 2024). ADHD can be
connected to a person's emotional wellness trying to find ways to cope with the diagnosis and
things they can do to accept and help day to day.
The Population
According to the CDC boys (15%) were more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than
girls (8%) were. African American, white and American Indian/Alaskian boys were diagnosed
more than Asian children with ADHD. In 2022 there was a parent survey that was done that
showed that nearly 78% of children that have ADHD had at least one other co-occurring
condition such as anxiety, depression or a behavior problem(CDC,2024). ADHD causes issues in
their daily life such as: difficulty paying attention and often getting distracted, disorganization
and procrastination, poor time management, planning, or organization, trouble remembering
daily tasks, frequently losing things or being forgetful in activities, frequently interrupting others
or being very talkative, trouble focusing on a large task or multitasking, trouble following
instructions or finishing projects, difficulty sitting still for long periods and often moving or
fidgeting, feelings of restlessness and a need for constant activity or stimulation and choosing
immediate rewards over future rewards or consequences (National Institute of Mental Health,
2021).
The Societal Impact
Individuals with ADHD often experience social difficulties, social rejection, and
interpersonal relationship problems as a result of their inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity
(Relationships & Social Skills, n.d.). Dealing with these rejections and having relationship
problems often leads them to having emotional pain and struggles. Children sometimes struggle
to interact with other people but 50-60% of kids that are diagnosed with ADHD have even more
difficult time with relationships and conversations. When you grow up you start to watch adults
and other kids around you and try to pick up social cues and skills but kids with ADHD struggle
to pick up those skills.
The Lens
Children and adults with ADHD often experience anxiety as a result of their disorder
(The Emotional Toll of ADHD: Exploring Mental Health Impacts | Relational Psych, n.d.).
Children and adults trying to manage the symptoms they have can cause anxiety or even
depression due to not being able to cope with it and not being able to find out what works best
for them specifically right away. Everyone deals with things differently and what works for you
might not work for someone else that has the same symptoms. ADHD and emotional wellness
kind of go hand in hand because people diagnosed with ADHD are trying to cope with their
diagnosis while still living their life and creating relationships.
The Thesis Statement
About 6 of 10 children are diagnosed with ADHD and their emotional wellness is affected,
changes their daily routine and can affect them mentally due to social rejection and problems in
relationships.
References
CDC. (2024, May 15). Data and Statistics on ADHD. Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder
(ADHD); CDC. [Link]
Magnus, W., Nazir, S., Anilkumar, A. C., & Shaban, K. (2023). Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD). PubMed; StatPearls Publishing.
[Link]
National Institute of Mental Health. (2021). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults:
What you need to know. [Link].
[Link]
Relationships & Social Skills. (n.d.). CHADD.
[Link]
20often%20experience
The Emotional Toll of ADHD: Exploring Mental Health Impacts | Relational Psych. (n.d.).
[Link].
[Link]
mpacts#mental-health-and-adhd