Sometimes I have trouble concentrating in school, and I get angry a lot about it. A counselor at my school told me that I might have ADHD and I should get tested. What is ADHD? – Chad
Chad, a lot of people have ADHD, so don’t freak.
If you have it, there are lots of things you can do to help you be a rockstar student and manage your anger. So you asked about ADHD- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The name is really long, but it basically means that people with ADHD tend to have a ton of energy (they are “hyperactive) and that they have trouble focusing and paying attention (they have an attention deficit).
But the difference between people who have ADHD and others who might just get really hyped up sometimes is that people with ADHD have a lot of trouble doing things that they really need (and want) to do- like reading an assignment for school or paying attention in class. That can be really frustrating and make you feel angry, right?
On to the testing for ADHD. Like your teacher mentioned, Chad, you can take a test to see if you have ADHD. The test most likely will involve you sitting and answering questions about your behavior and your feelings about things (like your ability to concentrate). You might also talk with a counselor at your school and they can help you figure out if you have ADHD.
If you do end up having ADHD, the thing is that your school counselor and teachers can help you tackle your problems concentrating in school and help you deal with your anger.
If you don’t have ADHD they can probably share some tips for how you can succeed. This may just be the beginning for you Chad. I hope that you end up learning a lot about yourself and figuring out how to be a better student.
Wishing the best for you,
Auntie
