ADHD and acting impulsively

By Donna Krutka, MD

Dr. Krutka is a board-certified pediatrician who works in private practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her practice includes all ages of patients from newborns to young adults. Her areas of interest include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, adolescent gynecology and sports medicine. She attended the University of Missouri Medical School and did her residency at UCLA Harbor General Hospital in Torrance, California.    Article Source

Acting impulsively ironically is one of the most consistent problems a person with ADHD has to deal with.  In children, this trait can be exhibited by such acts as running carelessly out into the street, climbing on ledges, high walls or rails without thinking about consequences (such as falling, being hit by a car etc).  It can also be exhibited by mindlessly talking or blurting out silly statements that at the time may be rude or irrelevant. Teenagers who have ADHD are known to drive recklessly and often get into accidents because of taking chances that proved to be unsafe.

In adulthood, impulsivity may manifest itself in different ways.  One of them might be by being a shopaholic.  In that scenario the person might not be able to resist buying something.  Sometimes, two or three items are bought because being impulsive mean you like them all without being able to discriminate between cost and need.

Another way being impulsive can manifest in adults with ADHD is the inability to say no to alcoholic beverages or recreational drugs.  The” turn off” valve in the brain somehow gets mixed in with the impulsiveness and in the process the ability to resist more drinks or drugs falls by the wayside.

Not everyone with ADHD exhibits these traits but if you find that you struggle with some of these characteristics it’s important to have some insight into why this might be happening.  The impulsivity that is part of the ADHD syndrome may make a person so vulnerable to not being able to say “no.”

That isn’t fair is it?  No; but it is extremely important to know about your behavioral traits which may end up saving your job, your relationships, and maybe your life!