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- Hey, Psych2Goers.
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Do you have trouble paying attention?
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For example, zoning out
while watching this video?
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Do you think you have
ADHD because of this?
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Oftentimes, people mistake
symptoms of anxiety as ADHD
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because of some of the
similar traits they share.
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According to the Centers
for Disease Control
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and Prevention data,
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about 3 in 10 children
with ADHD have anxiety.
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So to help you get a better understanding
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of the difference
between ADHD and anxiety,
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here are six signs to look out for.
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Number one, you have poor focus
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because of worrying thoughts.
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Are you always distracted by your worries,
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so much so that you're unable to focus
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on the things you're doing?
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When fear and apprehension
dominate your thoughts,
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it may cause you to become restless,
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have trouble with sitting
still, paying attention,
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or staying focused in class.
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According to John Waldrop, MD
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from Weill Cornell Medical College,
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when you experience anxiety,
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your prefrontal cortex,
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the part of the brain which is essential
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for thinking, learning, and
remembering, is shut down.
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Your brain is concentrated
on staying safe.
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In contrast with ADHD,
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you aren't consumed by worrying thoughts.
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Instead, it has more
to do with an imbalance
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in your hormones: dopamine
and norepinephrine,
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which causes you to be distracted.
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Number two, you don't tend to have
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as many problems with impulsivity.
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Do you often find yourself
speaking out loud in class
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without raising your hand?
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Perhaps you were even labeled
as the troublemaker in school
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because of the way you
can never sit still.
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According to Dr. John, a
person with ADHD may feel
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as if there are dozens of controllers
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trying to control their
brain at the same time
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without checking in with each other first.
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So if you find that you
don't appear to have
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as many problems with impulsivity
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but just struggle to speak up or stand up
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because of your nerves,
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hen you may have anxiety rather than ADHD.
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Number three, you have trouble
completing your schoolwork
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because of perfectionism.
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Do you have trouble
completing your schoolwork?
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Perhaps you find yourself procrastinating
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even if you only have just
one assignment to you.
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This struggle could be because
you have so many points
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you wanna make in so many
ways to phrase the words
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that it leaves you wanting
to throw up your hands
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and ignore them.
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You're avoiding starting your assignments
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because you can't have
it be less than perfect.
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If you can relate to this,
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then it's more likely you're struggling
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with anxiety and not ADHD.
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Dr. John stated that
while people with ADHD
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may experience difficulty
completing their schoolwork
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or performing tasks,
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it's often due to trouble
with concentration
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rather than perfectionism.
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Number four, you are
generally more sensitive
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to social cues.
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Are you very sensitive
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to how you come across to other people?
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Do you find yourself often uncomfortable
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with your social environment?
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Perhaps you find it challenging to eat
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in front of other people,
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or tend to avoid speaking in public
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because of an overwhelming fear
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that people will judge you negatively.
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According to Dr. John,
if your answers are yes
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to the above questions,
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it's more likely that you
have anxiety rather than ADHD.
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This is because people
with ADHD usually struggle
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with understanding or missing social cues
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rather than being hypersensitive to them.
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Number five, you experience
a racing heart, clamminess,
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tense muscles, headaches,
nausea, or dizziness.
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Do you often experience
headaches, nausea, or dizziness?
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These are just some of
the symptoms of anxiety.
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Dr. John stated that anxiety comes
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from a tiny almond-shaped part
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at the back of your brain
called the amygdala.
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As a watchman for your brain,
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it is constantly watching out for danger.
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And whenever it detects danger,
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it triggers a fight or flight response.
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However, for people who are anxious,
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the amygdala is large and hypersensitive.
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Because of this,
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it ends up sending out
a lot of false alarms.
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You can think of it as a watchman
who cries wolf too often.
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As a result, your brain may sense threats
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even in non-threatening situations.
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And number six, you are unlikely
to show problem behaviors
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when you're feeling calm, safe,
and doing things you enjoy.
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How do you act when you're having fun?
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Whether it's listening
to your favorite music
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or playing video games, you
may find yourself feeling calm
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and safe while doing the things
that you genuinely enjoy.
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You are neither restless
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nor feeling like you need
to catch your breath.
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According to Dr. John, anxious
individuals are unlikely
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to display any problem behaviors
when feeling calm and safe
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and doing something they enjoy.
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On the contrary, people with ADHD
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will experience problem behaviors
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even when they engage in a particular fun
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or exciting activity.
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For example, a person with ADHD
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may become so engrossed
with painting a picture
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that they tune out or completely
ignore everything else.
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This behavior is known as hyperfocus.
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Did you relate to any of
the signs we've mentioned?
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Let us know in the comments below.
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If you found this video helpful,
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be sure to like, subscribe,
and share this video
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with those who might benefit from it.
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As always, the references and
studies used in this video
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are added in the description below.
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Thanks so much for watching
and see you in our next video.
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