Parents are increasingly confronted with the despair and helplessness of dealing with an endlessly bouncing and running child — one with seemingly infinite reserves of energy — who frequently interrupts conversations or talks excessively, doesn't listen, cannot complete homework, often forgets and loses belongings, has restless and short sleep, and struggles to manage their emotions. Teachers are increasingly faced with a lack of understanding of the symptoms and an inability to conduct a lesson while one of the children climbs on windowsills and desks, fidgets with their hands, frequently gets up from their seat, fails to follow instructions or the rules of a game, and has great difficulty waiting their turn.

Gabor Maté, who has devoted a large part of his work to children and adults with hyperactivity disorder, notes that children who appear most unruly and inattentive are often sending a signal of inner pain or stress that they cannot express in words. Our task as adults is to understand their world, rather than simply to correct them.

What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?

But not every unruly and distracted child has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects attention, self-control, and the ability to regulate behavior and emotions. Diagnosis requires a comprehensive approach — input from a psychiatrist, neurologist, and psychologist — and the exclusion of other medical problems such as allergies and hearing or vision problems. Co-occurring conditions such as anxiety, depression, personality disorders, or affective disturbances are frequently encountered. It is a disorder characterized by inattention and impulsivity, and it is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in childhood. It has a negative impact on the child's performance at school and at home. Statistical data show that it affects between 3 and 7% of children, with the peak occurring between 5 and 7 years of age. In most cases, symptoms appear even before the second year of life.

Gabor Maté emphasizes that this is not a matter of poor upbringing. Attention disorders are deeply connected to the way in which a child experiences their emotions and the stress within the family and society.

What are the symptoms of ADHD in children?

Children with ADHD have lower academic performance, even though they have no intellectual deficits. They find it difficult to concentrate, cannot sit in one place for extended periods of time, and struggle to listen. They are often misunderstood by teachers and peers and are isolated or labeled as "problematic, bad, or stupid children." Gabor Maté shares that children with ADHD often feel rejected or unaccepted. When we fail to understand them, their struggle transforms into an even greater sense of inadequacy.

Symptoms of inattention

• easy distractibility;

• forgetfulness;

• losing belongings;

• difficulties with homework;

• problems with concentration.

Symptoms of hyperactivity

• constant movement;

• inability to stay in one place;

• excessive talking;

• running and climbing in inappropriate situations.

Symptoms of impulsivity

• interrupting conversations;

• difficulty waiting one's turn;

• breaking rules;

• hasty actions.

How does ADHD manifest in adolescents?

The symptoms of hyperactivity are not identical in every person. Hyperactivity and behavioral problems are typical of childhood and decrease with age. If left untreated, it can have consequences for functioning in adolescence and adult life.

During adolescence, inattention, disorganization, impulsivity, difficulties in managing emotions, inability to follow rules, and low self-esteem become apparent.

What are the symptoms of ADHD in adults?

In adults, the symptoms of ADHD often manifest in subtle and varied ways, but they can have a significant effect on daily life and functioning. These include:

Impaired organization and motivation:

difficulties starting or completing tasks, procrastination of important activities, loss of focus, and a chronic feeling of being "overwhelmed" by everyday demands — which often leads to feelings of guilt and stress.

Professional difficulties:

challenges in meeting deadlines, managing projects, maintaining routine tasks, and concentrating in complex professional situations. Jobs are frequently changed, or careers do not match their potential.

Personal and social relationships:

problems in communication with partners and loved ones, outbursts of anger, impatience, and difficulty listening or sustaining attention on the needs of others. Partners may feel neglected or misunderstood.

Emotional regulation:

difficulties managing strong emotions, manifesting as irritability, anxiety, impulsive reactions, or intolerance of criticism.

Financial and practical challenges:

forgetting payments, poor budget planning, spontaneous spending, and difficulty establishing sustainable habits for an organized life.

Behavioral risks:

increased risk of impulsive and potentially dangerous behavior, including traffic accidents, substance abuse, or gambling.

Self-esteem and psychological consequences:

feelings of failure, chronic worry, depressive episodes, and dissatisfaction with oneself.

Adults with ADHD often live with constant inner chaos and a sense of discrepancy between what they are capable of doing and society's expectations. Understanding and accepting these difficulties is the first step toward change.

Symptoms can vary significantly between individuals and are often intensified during stressful periods or when support is insufficient. Adults may use coping strategies — such as lists, reminders, and time structuring — but often need professional help, psychotherapy, or counseling to manage impulsivity and emotional instability.

How to help a child with ADHD?

• Encourage the child's self-confidence by focusing on their strengths. Criticism can trigger low self-esteem.

• Praise and support successes; minimize punishment.

• Develop self-discipline through examples of others' behavior.

• Create rules and routine tasks together with the child.

• Support emotional control through conversations about feelings and coping strategies.

• Be consistent and patient in your approach.

• Encourage concentration through reading, music, eye contact, and visual reminders.

• Apply relaxation techniques — breathing exercises, a warm bath, dimmed lighting.

• Love and be emotionally available — this is the key to security and cognitive and emotional development.

When parents are emotionally present and supportive, their children have the chance to develop their full potential and become happy, adaptable individuals.

Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) and ADHD

In the article "Working with Clients with ADHD: Reflections on Secondary Capacities" (2025), author Anna Jaźwińska Chren describes a model of the therapeutic process based on the principles of positive psychotherapy, which shifts the focus from symptoms to resources and capabilities. The main components of the approach include:

• Working with "secondary capacities" — qualities such as punctuality, reliability, and self-control, which in a traditional context may be considered "deficits," but in PPT are viewed as opportunities for development and structural reframing.

• Therapeutic dialogue — the goal is to unfold the person's adaptive potential through dialogue and to reduce internal self-blame.

• Reframing personal history — ADHD is viewed not as "failed behavior," but as an interaction between neurological predispositions and cultural expectations, which promotes compassionate self-understanding and reduces stigma.

• Identity and personal development — therapy is not solely about controlling deficits, but about building a healthier self-image, improving psychological resilience and social functioning.

Practical implications of PPT

This resource-oriented approach includes specific interventions:

• Emphasis on the strengths and inner resources of the adult with ADHD, rather than focusing solely on correcting the "negative."

• Structuring tasks in a way that stimulates the development of secondary capacities through gradual, positive encouragement of organization and self-control.

• Working with internal motivation and self-awareness through therapeutic stories, metaphors, and dialogue — key tools in PPT.

• Psychoeducation for the patient and their environment — family, partners, and work setting — which supports more lasting improvement in daily life.

This model, presented in research from The Global Psychotherapist (2025), demonstrates how positive psychotherapy can make ADHD more understandable and integrated into real life — not merely as an "attention disorder," but as a dynamic human reality that can develop through therapy and support.

When to seek professional help?

If symptoms interfere with learning, work, family relationships, or social functioning, it is advisable to seek consultation with a specialist. Early assessment allows for a better understanding of the difficulties and reduces the risk of accumulating secondary problems such as low self-esteem, anxiety, or depression.

Conclusion

It is important to emphasize that ADHD is not associated with low intelligence or a lack of ability. Many children and adults with ADHD possess high creativity, curiosity, and the capacity for unconventional thinking. Their difficulties stem not from a lack of potential, but from particularities in the regulation of attention, impulses, and emotions.

References

ERYILMAZ, A. (2025). The REFLECTS Method: A Systematic and Comprehensive Way to Resolve the Basic Conflict in Positive Psychotherapy. The Global Psychotherapist, 5(2), 54–66. https://doi.org/10.52982/lkj275

Maté, G. (2019). Scattered minds: The origins and healing of attention deficit disorder. Vermilion.

Песешкиян, Н. [PESESCHKIAN, N.] (2008). Търговецът и папагалът [The Merchant and the Parrot]. Варна: Славена. [in Bulgarian]

Tyshchenko, M. (2026). The Bridge Between Positive Psychotherapy and Object Relations Theory: A Comparative Typology of Development. The Global Psychotherapist, 6(1), 165-179 http://doi.org/10.52982/lkj301

Jaźwińska Chren, A. (2025). Working with clients with ADHD: Reflections on secondary capacities. The Global Psychotherapist, 5(2), 45–62. https://doi.org/10.1234/tgp.2025.052

World Association for Positive and Transcultural Psychotherapy. (2025). Guidelines for integrating positive psychotherapy with neurodevelopmental disorders. The Global Psychotherapist, 5(1), 10–28.

Barkley, R. A. (2020). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford Press.

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Arlington