Why Is ADHD So Impairing?

00:00 Introduction
00:50 Discussion of the 7 basic executive functions
01:30 How the 7 EFs cause transitions across 4 dimensions of behavioral control
03:45 Brain maturation and the cognitive control of behavior
08:10 The major domains of impairment due to ADHD

Here I discuss the reasons why ADHD is so impairing in many domains of life. It has to do with ADHD being a disorder of executive functioning. That functioning is crucial to our self-regulation across time toward our future. And that future directed behavior is essential for effective functioning in many major domains of life activities. This explains why ADHD is not an attention disorder but a disorder of EF and self-regulation. And that accounts for its serious and widespread impact on major life activities.

Reference:

Barkley, R. A. (2012). The Executive Functions: What They Are, How They Work, and Why They Evolved. New York: Guilford Publications.

Barkley, R. A (2020). Taking Charge of ADHD: The Complete Authoritative Guide for Parents (4th ed.). New York: Guilford Publications.

Barkley, R. A (2020). 12 Principles for Raising a Child with ADHD. New York: Guilford Publications.

Barkley, R. A (2021) Taking Charge of Adult ADHD (4th ed.) New York: Guilford Publications.

Barkley, R. A (2021). Treating ADHD in Children and Adolescents: What Every Clinician Needs to Know. New York: Guilford Publications.

[jamiejohnson]

The single biggest way i can describe this - I have lots of difficulty turning intention into action.

[gabriellawaldi]

The grandpa belongs to those lovely grandchildren. Fortunately for all of us, they lend us their grandpa from time to time to help us with our ADHD. Thank you for your work Dr. Barkley!

[dkdisme]

Dr Barkley, your elucidation of ADHD and its effects has become an amazing legacy.

[skellygirlx]

I have ADHD as well as autism, major depressivedosorder, and anxiety disorder. As I've learned more about ADHD and sought teeatment, I've realized that it is actually the most debilitating of my disorders. The lack of motivation and executive function make everyday life so challenging, and it presents itself as laziness, so I have a lot of accumulated self loathing to work through. Your channel has been such a great resource, Dr. Barkley!

[LovinLife-idbe]

Dr. Barkley being proud of his grandpa t-shirt is just so adorable 😍

[SpencerHHO]

I always appreciate academics stepping into the online space like this. We honestly need a lot more because the public space has been dominated by charlatans and ideologues who sometimes are acomplished academics but use their percieved authority to push dangerous pseudo-science.

[mnmlst]

This man should be protected at all costs!

I was late diagnosed with ADHD and autism and were never able to find for keep a job, and I'm currently unemployed. ADHD is extremely debilitating in my case, even with therapy and medication. Dr Barkley's lectures have been by far the best source of knowledge and tools for me.

[Ouiofcourse]

Please have a drink on me!

let's raise our glasses to the great Russell Barclay!

I think I speak for the whole community

Thank you so much!
for the wonderful work you have done and for your great generosity in taking the time to share with us!

A real hero for humanity with your contribution, we will always keep a place for you in our hearts, the ADHD community!

You make humanity proud!🍺✊️❤

[bystandersarah]

That stuff you’re saying we’re supposed to do to accomplish our goals…it’s making me incredibly sad 😞 I can’t do that stuff but I’m extremely smart and full of brilliant ideas. I’ve never been able to make them happen. I was just diagnosed, after a wasted, disappointing and depressed life, at the age of 43. I’m extremely angry tbh. At all the people who criticized me and all the people who should have noticed my obvious adhd symptoms at a young age.

[lisamercier]

The irritability is extreme, I feel like telling everyone F off all the time. I get so angry when someone without ADHD feels like they can explain it. Come live my life.

[BoringJessica]

35 year old female diagnosed with ADHD in 2022. Thank you so much

[neatoburrito]

I have a really wierdly malfunctioning autopilot mode where I have to intentionally and painstakingly learn things that most people pick up so *thoroughly* accidentally that they can go their whole lives without *once* noticing it (or concieving that someone else might not intuitively know that thing), but also do the few habits I have established (mostly bad ones) with a kind of zoned-out, clockwork consistency that's so frustratingly resistant to even very intense and long-term attempts at change. Like, if I start getting ready for bed at three wildly different times, intentionally go about my routine without (to my knowledge at the time, at least) dawdling or getting off-task during each one, I still get out of the bathroom at about 2:14am for all three nights. Obviously I'm wasting time somewhere, but it just feels like I'm going through each pre-determined task at the appropriate (not slow!) speed without off-task gaps in-between, and the amount of time spent getting ready for bed feels identical from one night to the other. Timers help a little, but it's like the time I lose is fractal; I still need to manage my time *within* that several minute time block to keep from being only half-finished when it goes off, and it too seems to constrict to less than what I need no matter how big or small I make the block. That kind of consistency.
Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating. I just want my efforts at good habits to make a dent. I'm only asking for a dent.

[Dancestar]

Knowing you deserve so much better but just not getting the opportunities you crave or being able to execute what you desire

[TSpoon]

After being diagnosed last Fall, I finally made the jump to treatment with medication a few days ago and while I experience some side effects like nausea and jittery-ness at times, I can't begin to describe the difference I've experienced in normal every day operating already (but I'll try anyway 😂).

My brain is just quieter and, well, easier to control. I don't get overwhelmed by conversations in crowds. I have been able to sit down and organize parts of my life without much trouble that used to take me a lot of time and energy before. I feel more emotionally stable. It's an incredible feeling. I wept when the medication kicked in.

I'm not a robot, certainly. My attention drifts sometimes and my emotions can get the best of me. But I feel FAR MORE equipped to reign it all back in when necessary.

Based on Dr. Barkley's research and teaching, my executive functioning system is finally learning how to drive the car, so to speak finally at 34. Thank you for the work you've done to inform and help so many of us.

[kokiboki]

Dr. Russel you are a blessing for the ADHD community, i have never seen anyone talk about adhd like you did, you deconstructed it from a to z.. god bless you .. lots of love and respect for Kuwait.

[soylilly]

I was recently diagnosed (age 25, female), and this channel is so comforting to me. I have never been able to hold down a job, succeed in education (partly because of a co-occuring learning disorder called dyscalculia that I also recently learned had a name -- I thought I was just stupid), or maintain social connections. I've always felt broken, because other people seem to manage so well and there's no visible cause for me not to perform well. Learning about ADHD saved my life.
Thank you for the work you do in educating people about ADHD -- it's so needed. There's still so much stigma around it, and no one seems to really see how impairing it is. 
Thank you for your service, sir :)

[carriecree]

The hardest part for me was people telling me all my life problems were from alcohol and guess what? I got sober and NOTHING is different in my life.

I can't meet deadlines, i don't start or finish tasks when i should, i forget appointments, i am always late, and i still feel awkward and every emotion that I did when drinking heavily.

So, my problem is the ADHD and the habit of drinking was just a symptom, not the other way around. Y'all be aware, that just getting sober won't magically cure your problems if you have ADHD. Being sober makes it slightly easier to get through a day, but only because i don't have to carve out time i didn't have to drink/vomit/fight. (Sober 18 months, not a drop)

[steceymorgan]

Psychedelics are just an exceptional mental health breakthrough. It's quite fascinating how effective they are against depression and anxiety. Saved my life.

[luckylady_z]

I was diagnosed later in life (at 32); I’m now 35 and have a 4 year old, and it’s rather disheartening how much I’m like her in regards to self-regulation. It’s been a difficult road of teaching myself new behaviors, but I’m super happy I can come to this channel for helpful info…it’s validating to know I’m not at fault for my challenges and learning more about this disorder is key for me in bettering my life

[georgianabodoiu]

These grandchildren are so lucky to have such an amazing and smart grandpa