Glossary

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.

I don’t like that it’s characterized as a “disorder”. I want a new name.

AuDHD

AuDHD is a term coined by the neurodiversity community to describe the co-existence of ADHD and autism.

From Psychology Today: “While AuDHD is not listed in the DSM-5, the acronym has been utilized to describe the co-occurrence of ADHD and autism. Rather than the American Psychiatric Association, AuDHD was identified by the neurodiversity community.”

Behavioral Therapy

Therapeutic approaches, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or behavior modification techniques, used to help individuals with ADHD manage symptoms and improve functioning.

Comorbidity

The presence of two or more disorders or conditions in the same individual, such as ADHD, often co-occurring with conditions like anxiety, depression, autism, or learning disabilities. All of those are comorbidity.

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, commonly referred to as the “DSM,” serves as a guidebook for mental health and brain-related conditions and disorders. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is in charge of writing, editing, reviewing, and publishing this manual.

It is used to diagnose mental health conditions, including ADHD and Autism, which the DSM refers to as neurodevelopmental disorders.

Executive Dysfunction

Difficulties in executive functioning abilities, often seen in individuals with ADHD, including problems with planning, organization, and self-regulation.

Executive Functioning

Cognitive processes such as planning, organization, time management, and self-regulation often impaired in individuals with ADHD.

Hyperactivity

Hyperactivity is a core symptom of ADHD characterized by excessive physical movement, restlessness, and difficulty staying still or seated. Hyperactivity is also the monkey mind, the squirrels in our heads. The constant chatter.

Impulsivity

Impulsivity is the tendency to act without thinking or considering the consequences. Learning to manage impulsivity is an important aspect of navigating life with ADHD and can involve strategies such as mindfulness, creating structured routines, and building awareness of triggers that may lead to impulsive behavior.

Memory - Working Memory,
Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory is mostly concerned with the temporary storage of information. It holds a limited amount of information for a brief period, unless it is actively rehearsed or encoded into long-term memory. For instance, remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it is a classic example of short-term memory at work. Working memory allows individuals to perform complex cognitive tasks such as reasoning, learning, and comprehension.

Neurodiversity

(neurodivergent, neurodivergence)

The idea that neurological differences, including ADHD, are natural variations of the human brain and should be recognized and respected rather than pathologized. Also, see this blog post that I wrote about discovering the word and feeling it described me.

Object permanence/
object impermanence

Basically, “out of sight, out of mind”. Object permanence is the understanding that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be observed. It was originally a term coined by Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, referring to a child's understanding that objects continue to exist even when they are not visible.

A lack of object permanence is sometimes said to be a symptom of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, people with ADHD do understand object permanence; they may just have trouble remembering that the object is there.

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria

RSD, or Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, is a strong sense of feeling rejected, hurt, or challenged triggered by what someone says or implies, making you feel like the world, a person, or a situation is against you. It's automatic, hard to ignore, and can hinder your ability to act right after.

Rumination

Dictionary.com defines “ruminate” as “to obsessively revisit the same thought or theme over and over again.” and “to meditate on; ponder”.

Sources related to behavioural sciences, health, psychiatry and the like position rumination as repetitive and intrusive thoughts about negative experiences, emotions, or events. In that context, rumination is characterized by cyclical overthinking, where individuals repeatedly mull over their problems, focusing on the perceived causes and consequences without effectively problem-solving or finding closure.

I use the term “ruminate” for overthinking in general and to describe repetitive daydreaming. It involves dwelling on past or current problems, often without reaching any resolution or taking constructive action. You feel stuck in a cycle of negative thoughts. You overthink.

Sensory Processing Disorder

Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) is when the brain has difficulty receiving and responding to sensory information, leading to atypical reactions to sensory inputs. Individuals with SPD may be overly sensitive (hypersensitive) or under-sensitive (hyposensitive) to stimuli like sounds, textures, or lights, significantly impacting their daily functioning and interactions. SPD can manifest as discomfort in normal environments, a high tolerance for pain, or a constant craving for sensory stimulation.

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