🌿 Understanding the Different Types of ADHD: A Humanistic Approach

When someone hears "ADHD" (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), they might immediately picture a restless child bouncing off the walls or someone who can't sit still in a meeting. But ADHD is far more nuanced than that — and it shows up differently for each individual.

As a counsellor working from a humanistic and person-centred approach, I believe in meeting each person as they are — not as a diagnosis or label, but as a whole, complex human being. Understanding ADHD through this lens can help us support people with warmth, empathy, and respect for their unique experiences.

🌟 What is ADHD?

At its core, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental difference that affects attention, impulse control, and regulation of energy. But it's not a one-size-fits-all experience.

ADHD can show up in three main types (or “presentations”), and each can feel very different. Knowing these can help us understand the people we support — or even ourselves — with more compassion.

🔹 1. Inattentive Type (formerly ADD)

This presentation is often missed — especially in women and girls — because it doesn't always look like the stereotypical "hyperactivity" we associate with ADHD.

People with inattentive-type ADHD may:

• Struggle to focus on tasks, especially ones that feel repetitive or unstimulating.

• Seem forgetful or easily distracted.

• Lose things often or miss details.

• Daydream or zone out — even in the middle of conversations.

• Avoid tasks that require sustained mental effort.

  
  

🧠 Humanistic reflection: These individuals are often highly sensitive and thoughtful — their minds may be beautifully active, just not always tuned into what's expected externally. They may have grown up feeling “lazy” or “not smart,” when in truth, their inner world is simply wired differently.

🔸 2. Hyperactive-Impulsive Type

This is the more “visible” presentation and often recognised in childhood.

People with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD may:

• Struggle to sit still or feel the need to move constantly.

• Interrupt or talk excessively.

• Act impulsively — blurting things out or taking risks without thinking.

• Seem like they’re “always on the go.”

  
  

🧠 Humanistic reflection: Beneath the movement and energy is often a deep desire to connect, create, and feel alive. These individuals are often full of life, with enormous potential when their energy is understood and channelled supportively.

🔹 3. Combined Type

As the name suggests, this is when someone experiences both inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive traits.

They may:

• Find it hard to focus or complete tasks.

• Feel restless and impulsive.

• Be full of ideas but struggle to organise or follow through.

  
  

🧠 Humanistic reflection: People with combined ADHD often describe feeling like their mind is racing in many directions at once. They may carry shame or exhaustion from trying to “mask” their differences. With understanding and the right support, many learn to embrace their natural rhythm and creativity.

💛 Seeing the Person, Not Just the Diagnosis

In the humanistic model, we honour the person behind the label. ADHD isn't just a medical term — it's a lived experience that affects how someone navigates the world, relationships, and their own sense of self.

Each individual has a story, and ADHD is only one part of it. Counselling from a humanistic perspective offers a space to explore:

• How ADHD affects identity, self-esteem, and relationships.

• How past experiences (like being misunderstood or punished for ADHD traits) still impact the present.

• How to develop self-compassion, not just strategies.

• How to reconnect with values, passions, and strengths — often buried under years of trying to “fit in.”

  
  

🌱 Final Thoughts

Understanding the types of ADHD helps us move beyond stereotypes. But even more importantly, it reminds us to listen deeply, accept unconditionally, and support each person’s journey toward growth and self-acceptance.

If you or someone you love is navigating ADHD, know this: you are not broken. You are wired differently, and there is strength in that difference.

Let’s make room for that — together.