Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder. It’s most often diagnosed in childhood or adolescence. However, many children with ADHD continue to experience symptoms as adults, yet go on to lead healthy lives with successful careers. Some even become famous. Alia Bhatt is one of the celebrities, who happen to live with ADHD.

We know the stereotype of a person with ADHD is a child or young adult, who acts impulsively and can't sit still. But that image doesn't tell the whole story. However, before breaking down ADHD, the symptoms and their reasons, let's find out what Alia said about ADHD.

Alia Bhatt on her ADHD diagnosis

The actor recently went public with her ADHD diagnosis. In a new interview with The Lallantop, Alia said she's fully present only in two moments - when she's on set or with her and Ranbir Kapoor's daughter Raha, who was born in November 2022. 

Alia said, "I used to get zoned out from a young age. I used to get zoned out in the classroom or during conversations. Recently, I did a psychological test and found out that I am high on the ADHD spectrum. I have ADHD - Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Whenever I told about this to my friends, they were like, 'We always knew'. This is not some sort of revelation. But, I didn't know. Then, I understood why I am at peace in front of the camera."

Alia added, “I'm most present in that moment. Whenever I am in front of the camera, I am present as the character I am playing. And I'm most present in that moment. And now after Raha, when I am with her, I am most present. These are the two moments in my life where I am more peaceful.”

Symptoms of ADHD and underlying reasons

The symptoms of this disorder include hyperactivity, impulsiveness and difficulty in paying attention; it is a chronic condition. "When you break down and understand the science behind what is happening - it changes everything because you finally have the pieces you can put together to give you the bigger picture," wrote therapist Lalitaa Suglani in an Instagram post earlier this year.

She shared the symptoms of ADHD and explained the underlying reasons behind the symptoms.

Forgetfulness

ADHD affects the way the brain's working memory and short-term memory work. This further affects the way we remember things, often making us forget recent and distant events.

Time management

Under active-dopamine dysregulation, we are not able to segregate time for actions that need to be done. Hence, we end up spending a lot of time procrastinating and then rushing through the rest of the day's work.

Procrastination

The underactivity in the prefrontal cortex affects executive functions, leading to problems in understanding the urgency of the work at hand. Hence, we keep on pushing the work away and procrastinating.

Hyperfocus 

It refers to the practise of putting intense focus and attention on the matter at hand. In ADHD, people face difficulty shifting their attention because of challenges in regulating neurotransmitters, especially Dopamine.

Wandering mind

Frequent distractions that cause the mind to wander into daydreaming mode are referred to as mind wandering. This happens because of the overactivity in the default mode network, leading to the brain shifting focus and wandering off to daydreaming.

Rejection sensitivity

Imbalances in neurotransmitters can amplify emotional reactions to perceived rejection, leading to overthinking, anxiety, and stress. Heightened emotional response can make it difficult to address emotions in a healthy manner.

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