Mental Health Month

ADHD: It’s a Brain Thing, Part 1

May 7, 2024 By Admin

Touch your forehead. That is where ADHD is. It’s called the Frontal Lobe of the Brain. This area of the brain helps to regulate your emotions, control your impulses, & think of the consequences of your actions.

Thanks to scientific research, we know that the brain grows from the inside out & from the back to the front. Again, that is from the inside (the deepest levels of the brain) first & from the back (at the base of the skull by the spinal cord) to the front (forehead). With that knowledge, we can easily understand that the Frontal Lobe (forehead) is one of the last areas to develop. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that ADHD is a brain development issue. I’ve even heard it said that those with ADHD are about 2 yrs delayed. While a 2 year delay doesn’t mean much in adulthood, imagine the differences between a 3 yr old & a 5 yr old. What happens when a 7 yr old acts like a 5 yr old? Or, what if a 16 yr old acts like a much younger 14 yr old? Would you notice that difference? I would.

So, where does ADHD come from? We don’t actually know. We do know it tends to run in families. We also know it can show up later in life for those who were premature babies. There are even studies that show that ADHD has been linked to lead pipes in homes. In addition, we know that ADHD can overlap with other mental health issues like anxiety, depression, & Autism. Likewise, ADHDers often have sleep problems, may use substances as teens, & frequently have social problems with their peers. Also, we know that ADHD isn’t something you “grow out of” when you become an adult, but some issues may still remain.

So, what do we do about it?

Seek help from a professional.

Become an ADHD expert, learning as much as you can so you can help yourself and/or others.

Be open to a variety of treatment options.

So, ADHD is here to stay. It's not that the adult ADHDer is "flighty" or the kid with ADHD is "bad" or "needs discipline". It's a brain issue. While we all may think differently from one another, be sure to remember that we are all still human and should treat each other with care and compassion.

Laura Langley, MS, LPC-S was born & raised in Southeast Texas. She earned both her Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees from the Psychology Dept at Lamar University. After graduating with her Master’s in 2005, she joined Samaritan Counseling Center in 2006 in order to complete her internship to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. She gained experience serving children, teens, adults, & couples. When her internship was completed in 2008, Laura began working with kids & teens in the foster care system as she accepted a job with Buckner Children & Family Services. In 2011, Laura moved out of the area & gained supervisory & management experience working for a local mental health authority (formerly known as a MHMR). Laura returned to Southeast Texas in 2015, where she began working for Family Services of Southeast Texas for the next 6 yrs. There she continued to provide counseling to individuals as well as lead classes in Parenting and also Anger Management. In October 2021, Laura returned to her roots by rejoining Samaritan Counseling Center. In addition to her 15+ yrs of experience, Laura brings with her welcoming personality, an eagerness to laugh, a desire to see people change while also meeting people “where they are”.

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