Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity
Attention disorder can lead to panic attacks
Many people with symptoms of attention deficit, a condition also known as attention disorder, are unable to stay in one place for long, to plan their work and their lives, or to finish the tasks they start. They find it hard to keep track of everything that happens around them. To their families, classmates and teachers, they are like a wound-up spring that never stops chattering and jumping around.
Attention disorder appears in the first years of school. The pupils behave like lazy or careless children who are rarely drawn to anything in class and seem to be there to annoy their teachers and classmates. When they are older, they may experience panic attacks and develop panic disorder.
Symptoms of attention disorder in children:
- constantly shifting on the chair, wringing their hands or clenching their fists
- finding it hard to stay still for a long time
- being easily distracted by things around them
- blurting out answers before the question has even been asked
- talking all the time
- often interrupting or intruding on others
- often forgetting important things related to school or everyday life
- doing physically dangerous things without thinking about the consequences
Overall, boys are more likely to develop this disorder than girls. It cannot be seen on a brain scan or in other routine tests. Specialists recognise it by observing the child's behaviour and may prescribe treatment, including medication. At an older age, being unable to control one's own attention can lead to panic attacks.