An
interview with an ADHD Client
Gurur Erdiren
Attention
Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition where inattentiveness,
hyperactivity and impulsivity have been observed. Although different symptoms
from patient to patient exist, the disease has been seen both children and
adults. As a result of ADHD, people have trouble in managing time, deficiency
in organization, inability to focus and impairment to set goals (Barkley, 1997)
The
process for this interview has been explained to the client in detail. In order
to clarify mind of the client, it has been asked permission from the client and
to protect privacy of both clinical psychologist and the client, some data
excluded from this paper.
The
client was 18 years old, male, single high school student who prepares for the
university exam. He had been diagnosed with ADHD 3 months ago. According to the
history of the client, he has a problem to focus on lectures and has inability
to motivate during setting up his goals. He cannot sit at the table, and he
demonstrates hyperactivity. According to my observations, he also speaks very
fast and he jumps from one subject to another subject. In order to analyze do
the behaviors occur continuously or as a response to temporary situation, I
have asked to the client how regularly he has been demonstrating this
inattention and hyperactivity symptoms. I have also requested from him to give
me examples of his ADHD related concerns. He has told me that, when he was
started to study for university exam, he never sits at the table, he is easily
being distracted, he frequently miss the details. For example, during the courses
he took, he easily got bored, even this situation takes three minutes after the
lecture began. Additionally, he cannot complete the tasks given such as
finishing homework, or he struggles to follow instructions. These symptoms
definitely match with the characteristics of ADHD related to inattention.
Moreover, he has nonstop talks, and when talking he was touching and playing
with the objects. Therefore, I have thought that ADHD was the true diagnosis
because of he shows exact symptoms of ADHD. In order to assess the interval of
the disease, I have asked that how long he had been thinking that he had ADHD?
He told me that, he has been this symptoms almost from the beginning of high school,
however, since he would like to enter a good university, he felt that the
current situation creates a problem in his future life, therefore he had
visited psychologist and psychiatrist. His ADHD related symptoms didn’t get
worse, however since he had the symptoms all the time, it has negative
influence to his life, before started to use medical treatment with
psychiatrist.
In
order to struggle his problems, he has been involved to “Ritalin”
treatment. Ritalin as a stimulant drug
effects brain and prevents focusing problems.
He says that, Ritalin helped him to concentrate on his goals. However,
he also needs clinical psychologist for the therapies, where he would like to
discuss and plan his current life situation which will shape his future.
ADHD
runs in families. Except from its genetic background, brain injuries have also
potential contribution to the ADHD (Harrison & Sofronoff, 2002). However,
client has no brain injury during his childhood. Since the other family members
did not diagnose with ADHD, it does not mean that they do not have ADHD.
However, patient strongly deals with ADHD where it has been understood from
client’s behaviors and story. For example, jumping from one subject to another,
or fast nonstop talk one of the mark of ADHD. Additionally, he has inability to
focus on his studies where as a result, he fails to set his goals. He also has
been subjected to ADHD scale in psychologist office.
During
the interview, I had observed ADHD patient. Each part of observation keeps its
importance to me, due to I observed the psychopathology of ADHD. Therefore,
treatment of ADHD is important to prevent the outcomes of the disease. If we
manage to prevent the symptoms of the disease both by the help of clinical
psychologist and psychiatrists, we can control ADHD patient. It means that,
patient will focus on more, and will be successful during his goals.
References