Types of ADD/ADHD in the form of the characters from Winnie the Pooh! - Types of ADD/ADHD in the characters from Winnie the Pooh!

Written by Sarah-Jayne Bass

"Thanks for Noticin' Me" says Eeyore...

He walks slowly. He looks sad. He doesn't accomplish much. He's just glad to be noticed. This is Eeyore, the stuffed donkey who is so often in need of his tail being pinned back on.

Those with this type, or style of ADHD are often:

Inattentive;
Have a chronic sadness or low-grade depression;
The seem to be negative, or apathetic;
They have low energy levels;
They just do not seem to care. They often feel worthless, or helpless, or hopeless.

This type of ADHD is called "Limbic System ADHD" by Daniel Amen. And for good reason. SPECT scans show that when the brain is at rest, there is increased activity deep in the limbic system, in parts of the brain called the thalamus and hypothalamus. There is also a decreased level of activity in the underside of the pre-frontal cortex.

When the brain is placed under a work load, as during a homework assignment, nothing changes. The over-active limbic system remains over-active, and the under-active pre-frontal cortex remains under-active.

This type of ADHD looks very much like a combination of ADHD and Depression. Some have suggested that up to 25% of children with ADHD are also depressed or suffer from a mild depression called Dysthymic disorder.

Other, More Difficult Kinds of ADHD

There are two other kinds, or types, of ADHD that you should be aware of. There are no Winne the Pooh characters for these two types, as the creator of these children's stories would never have created a character with these challenging, difficult traits.

These two distinct types of ADHD can be very severe. They require significant treatment, and great patience on the part of the parents.

The Temporal Lobes and ADHD

Some people with ADHD can be very hard to live with. They can have gigantic mood swings, get very angry for almost no reason, and be nearly impossible to live with on a daily basis. The key to look for with this type of ADHD is anger outbursts for little or no reason...

People with decreased activity in the left temporal lobes can especially have problems with temper outbursts, aggressive behaviours, and even violence toward animals or other people.

Temporal Lobe ADHD is characterized by:

Inattention, just like in other kinds of ADHD because during concentration there is a decrease in activity in the pre-frontal cortex;
Being easily irritated or frustrated;
Aggressive behaviours;
Dark moods, big mood swings;
Impulsivity;
Breaking rules, in trouble a lot, in fights a lot;
Defiant toward authority, disobedient toward parents and others;
Can't get along with others, can be anti-social or just in trouble a lot;
Often has terrible handwriting and problems learning;
You expect him to be arrested at any time...

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