Do You Have ADHD… or Something Else?

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]ADHD or something else entirely. There are many neurodivergent conditions that can look similar, so it's easy to land on one explanation even though there might be something else out there that explains your experience way better. So, in this video we're going to go over the different subtypes of ADHD, definitions, symptoms, and alternative explanations that you probably haven't even thought about yet.

[00:00:21]My name is Aya. I have a MA in education studies and I work as a coach for dyslexic and neurodivergent individuals.

[00:00:29]The content here is based on the DSM 5, the official manual used for neurodivergent diagnosis. [music] Just to be clear, this shouldn't be a replacement for a official diagnosis, but what it can do is point you in the right direction and bring to your awareness things that might have been overlooked in your past. Now, if you feel different in terms of attention, there are two main pathways that lead to a diagnosis. One would be hyperactivity.

[00:00:54]That would lead to ADHD type 1. And then there would be inattentiveness, which leads to ADHD type 2. And then there would be the combined type where you have hyperactivity and inattentiveness.

[00:01:08]The inattentive subtype of ADHD is a difference in the brain's ability to regulate attention. Sometimes these people are able to hyperfocus, so intently focus on something, and in other situations, it is really really hard to sustain attention.

[00:01:23]>> [music] >> The key point is regulating attention is difficult.

[00:01:27]Now, some researchers have argued that this condition is actually completely different from the other subtype of ADHD and actually belongs in a category of its own, but we actually need more research before we know for sure. Here are important symptoms. Difficulty sustaining focus. Does not seem to listen.

[00:01:46]You might miss details or instructions even when spoken to directly.

[00:01:52]Things are getting lost, meaning you forget or misplace things frequently.

[00:01:57]ADHD is defined for you consistent patterns of behavior.

[00:02:01]And for the hyperactive subtype of ADHD, that would be a lack of impulse [music] control and increased levels of activity or hyperactivity. The reason why these behaviors actually occur isn't fully understood and some might argue that that is problematic because that means that we're treating symptoms instead of the underlying core issue.

[00:02:25]That being said, here are the signs [music] to look out for. Difficulty controlling impulses. It's hard to wait your turn.

[00:02:33]Restless or always moving.

[00:02:35]And feels driven by a motor, like your body is constantly in motion. Now, if you're thinking, could it be something else entirely? One condition to be aware of is ODD, which stands for oppositional defiant disorder. Now, those individuals can also struggle with completing tasks or schoolwork, but the reason for why that is happening is very different. So, people with ODD struggle to do that because they resist to conform to the demands that are being made of them.

[00:03:08]So, that is connected to a lot of hostility and negativity, which is not characteristic for people with ADHD.

[00:03:15]Besides from ODD, you should also think about anxiety because sometimes when people ruminate, when they have a lot of negative thoughts, they can become inattentive.

[00:03:25]So, then this anxiety can look like the inattentive subtype of [snorts] ADHD.

[00:03:31]When it comes to different neurodivergent conditions, think of dyslexia and dyscalculia because sometimes when the learning process is very frustrating and overwhelming, you might simply give up and person that has given up on learning to read might look very inattentive.

[00:03:51]Even though that is really not his or her core problem. [music] Increased movements in ADHD can sometimes look similar to the repetitive movements seen in autism, as well as stereotypical movement disorder. But those movements are typically more repetitive and patterned compared to the general restlessness that people with ADHD would experience.

[00:04:16]At this point, it's probably clear why it's important to also have a good understanding of the other neurodivergent conditions that are out there. So, that's why this video is part of a series, and I would invite you to also check out the other ones.

[00:04:30]See you in the next one. Bye.