The Real Causes of Adult ADHD and How to Improve Attention

We watch ads on television or the internet that tell us about adult ADHD and wonder, “Do I have ADHD?” See our quiz below to find out!

The fact is, many adults meet the criteria for ADHD. The list of ADHD symptoms is so general that it can apply to most modern adults. If you get restless, have trouble sitting still through a meeting, talk a lot, blurt out answers to questions, are impatient, or interrupt others, then you may meet the official criteria.[1]

Those who are marketing ADHD drugs also include:

• Careless mistakes/lack of attention to details (overlooks or misses details; work is inaccurate)
• Lack of sustained attention (difficulty remaining focused in learning, studying)
• Poor listening (mind seems elsewhere)
• Not following through on tasks (starts tasks but is easily sidetracked)
• Poor organization (disorganized work; poor time management; miss deadlines)
• Avoids tasks requiring sustained mental effort (preparing reports, completing forms)
• Losing things (tools, wallets, keys, paperwork, eyeglasses, mobile phone)
• Easily distracted by extraneous stimuli or unrelated thoughts
• Forgetful in daily activities (returning calls, paying bills, keeping appointments)[2]

It’s important that we understand the way the world works. We often think that a disease exists, and the scientists work on a solution, coming up with a drug to treat it. In fact, it most often happens the other way around. A substance is discovered and a marketing company looks for a way to get people to buy it.

For example, statins were discovered first, then high cholesterol was created as a “disease” to market it as a drug. Also, drugs to lower blood pressure created the need for a “disease” called hypertension. Nowhere is this truer than the marketing of amphetamines. They work. Since their discovery in the early 1900s, they have been used to stimulate, lose weight, and calm hyperactive children.

Once a chemical with activity on the brain was found, doctors created a diagnosis to prescribe it. They called it hyperkinetic syndrome, and then hyperactivity, and then ADHD. At first ADHD referred only to children, however in 1980 adults were also included.[3]The “disease” of attention deficit disorder was created to sell these drugs:[4]

• Amphetamines
• Methamphetamine
• Methylphenidate

The main problem with taking drugs for these ADHD symptoms is that they don’t address the underlying problems that cause people to be hyperactive. For example, taking an amphetamine for a lack of brain development prevents further development. Normally, we can work on an issue, and the brain is like a muscle that will grow in the areas we are working on. However, when we take a drug that stimulates, instead of growth, the drugs stop progress, or may even make it worse.

These ADHD drugs are not benign. Besides causing worse ADHD, they affect many parts of the body. Side effects of adult ADD drugs include:[5]

• Increased heart rate and blood pressure
• Irregular heartbeat
• Decreased appetite and weight loss
• Insomnia
• Digestive upset
• Mood swings
• Aggression
• Paranoia and anxiety
• Visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations
• Inability to keep up with work, school, or home responsibilities
• Addiction
• Changes in groups of friends and difficulties with relationships
• Loss of interest in previous activities
• Dental problems
• Skin sores

In some cases, the damage to the brain may be permanent, such as in the hypothalamus. Those who stop these drugs for ADHD may never recover their ability to feel satiated, or satisfied, and often become obese.

The Real Causes of ADHD

The symptoms we call ADHD have many possible causes, some of these include:[6]

• Sleep disorders
• Allergies
• Hearing problems
• Vision problems
• Substance abuse
• Food sensitivities
• Reactions to chemicals
• Nutrient deficiencies
• Bipolar disorder
• Depression
• Sugar
• Artificial sweeteners
• OCD
• Dyslexia
• Delayed brain development
• Laziness, or failure to exercise the brain
• Lack of a goal

The two main categories of causes of ADHD are developmental and incidental. Some people don’t develop normally, causing them to have all the symptoms of ADHD. While others have perfectly normal development, they have a different condition that keeps them from focusing.

Finding the Cause of Adult ADHD

As you can see from the list above, finding the cause of adult ADHD isn’t always easy. However, there are a few things that are obvious, such as hearing and vision problems, or poor sleep. Most of the others respond to either removing potential reactions or adding in nutrients. We are going to consider three causes that will take care of almost all cases of “Adult ADHD” that are hidden.