Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms impact your ability to learn new information, conduct, and emotions. Currently, research has been able to identify three different types of ADHD. These are:

• Inattentive Type
• Hyperactive-Impulsive Type
• Combination Type

These types are diagnosed depending on the symptoms you experience. Since symptoms can change throughout one’s life, the type of ADHD can also change. ¹ Throughout this article, we’re going to take a deeper look into the three types of ADHD while providing information on medical treatment.

Inattentive ADHD

If you struggle with inattentive ADHD, you experience symptoms that leave you feeling distracted or preoccupied. While you can sometimes experience impulsive behavior and/or hyperactivity, these aren’t the dominant traits of your condition. ²

Inattentive ADHD often reveals the following behavior:

• Body and brain movements are slower (may appear to be daydreaming)
• Difficulty following instructions
• Disorganization
• Inability to focus on a single task
• Issues learning new information
• Lack of attention to detail, easily distracted
• Often loses material necessary to complete a task
• Problems processing information (slower and less accurate than others)
• Prone to boredom quickly and easily
• Trouble listening

Women are more likely to be diagnosed with inattentive type ADHD than men. However, this type can appear in both genders of all ages.

In terms of treatment, the best course of action for inattentive type ADHD is behavioral therapy (sometimes referred to as behavioral intervention). This therapy can help you learn how to function in organizational environments such as school and work. ³

Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD

If you struggle with the hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD, you likely have symptoms of uncontrollable over-activity and compulsiveness. While you may face some symptoms of inattention, it’s not the dominant aspect of your ADHD.

Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD will result in the following behaviors:

• Act out of turn (don’t consider potential consequences to actions)
• Constantly talking and moving
• Difficulty sitting still
• Impatience
• Inability to hold back answers or inappropriate comments
• Restlessness (may appear as fidgeting or squirming)
• Touching objects, even when inappropriate to a specific task
• Troubles taking part in quiet activities

The hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD is most often observed in the classroom with children often causing disruptions.

Combination ADHD

If you struggle with combination-type ADHD, then your symptoms are a concoction of both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive types. The combination type is most common in children, especially those of preschool age. ⁴

How is ADHD Diagnosed?

ADHD symptoms are similar to symptoms of other mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Therefore, medical professionals sometimes struggle with a proper diagnosis.

To rule out other conditions, healthcare providers will look into when symptoms started. The majority of children with ADHD will show symptoms before the age of seven.

Traditionally, medical professionals use the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) to determine an ADHD diagnosis. To meet the criteria of DSM-5, you must possess at least six symptoms of either inattention or hyperactive-impulsivity. Furthermore, these symptoms must be present for at least six months.

Not to mention, to be diagnosed with ADHD, you must show symptoms before the age of 12. Since it’s rare to develop ADHD in adulthood, mental health professionals will seek out other conditions in undiagnosed adults.

What Does Treatment for ADHD Look Like?

ADHD presents several treatment options, including:

• Therapy – Before a doctor suggests medication, you’ll be recommended a form of therapy that is appropriate for the type of ADHD you struggle with. There is a range of therapies to choose from, each of which is designed to tackle specific problems with your condition. As mentioned, behavioral therapy is one of the most common for ADHD, especially in children. There are also therapy sessions for parents to better understand how to manage their child’s behavior. ⁵

• Medication – A doctor may also suggest medication, depending on the severity of your symptoms. The most successful form of medication for ADHD is stimulants, with 70 to 80% of children showing a decrease in symptoms. ⁶

References

¹ Magnus W, Nazir S, Anilkumar AC, Shaban K. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. 2023 Aug 8. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan–. PMID: 28722868.

² de la Peña IC, Pan MC, Thai CG, Alisso T. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Predominantly Inattentive Subtype/Presentation: Research Progress and Translational Studies. Brain Sci. 2020 May 14;10(5):292. doi: 10.3390/brainsci10050292. PMID: 32422912; PMCID: PMC7287898.

³ Lopez PL, Torrente FM, Ciapponi A, Lischinsky AG, Cetkovich-Bakmas M, Rojas JI, Romano M, Manes FF. Cognitive-behavioural interventions for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Mar 23;3(3):CD010840. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD010840.pub2. PMID: 29566425; PMCID: PMC6494390.

⁴ Wolraich ML, Hagan JF Jr, Allan C, Chan E, Davison D, Earls M, Evans SW, Flinn SK, Froehlich T, Frost J, Holbrook JR, Lehmann CU, Lessin HR, Okechukwu K, Pierce KL, Winner JD, Zurhellen W; SUBCOMMITTEE ON CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVE DISORDER. Clinical Practice Guideline for the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. Pediatrics. 2019 Oct;144(4):e20192528. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-2528. Erratum in: Pediatrics. 2020 Mar;145(3): PMID: 31570648; PMCID: PMC7067282.

⁵ Dekkers TJ, Hornstra R, van der Oord S, Luman M, Hoekstra PJ, Groenman AP, van den Hoofdakker BJ. Meta-analysis: Which Components of Parent Training Work for Children With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder? J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2022 Apr;61(4):478-494. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2021.06.015. Epub 2021 Jul 2. PMID: 34224837.

⁶ Geffen J, Forster K. Treatment of adult ADHD: a clinical perspective. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol. 2018 Jan;8(1):25-32. doi: 10.1177/2045125317734977. Epub 2017 Oct 25. PMID: 29344341; PMCID: PMC5761907.