Can some of you overfocused people tell me your symptoms PLEASE! I am trying to discern which type I am, and although the amen subtype test tells me I am Inattentive, I really disagree as I think I fit the overfocused more. Thanks!

Don't strain your brain worrying about it. :D
Amen's subtypes of ADHD are just that, Amen's subtypes. I know I fit the diagnostic criteria for combined type ADHD - can tick off most of the symptoms on most available lists, but I wasn't told which "type" I was at my diagnostic assessment.

I still haven't found any information to demonstrate that Amen is anything more than a quack...

Most of medical science uses the three ADD sub-types.


ADD - inattentive

ADD - impulsive/hyperactive

ADD - combined.


There are only three recognized ADD sub-types in the DSMV.

Based pretty much on main stream.

ADD = inability to consciously control your attention span. In other wards you can not make your self pay attention to things you find less than interesting no matter how important


My way of understanding the difference in the three ADD sub-types interlaced with a few of my own perspectives but based upon knowledge I have aquired through research and interaction with other ADDers.

ADD boredom aversion = what we do in a boring under stimulating situating often is determined by our ADD sub-type as well as our personally.

We ADDers keep looking for some thing to concentrate on . . . . but the major problems are caused by a faulty stimuli filtering valve.

ADD hyper active impulsives have a filtering valve that is almost non-existent because it is stuck in the wide open position. We are normally distracted by external stimuli although moist do also complain of having constant noise and chatter inside our head as well.

Most people who have impulsive/hyperactive ADD traits can't filter any thing out. Life constantly bombards us we can not filter out the neighbors argument so we can balance our check book, we can not will our selves to tune out the conversation at the next table so we can hear our companion speak. . . .every stimuli no matter now insignificant competes for our attention. . . . and we can not simply will our selves to pay attention to one thing while ignore all the others.

This is why we often appear impulsive. . . .and can often become easily frustrated. In reality we are no more irritable than any one else. We simply appear that way because our brains are constantly trying to process every little piece of stimuli and keep up with the constant chatter in our heads Without treatment we can't do a damn thing to make it stop. Some of us who lean to the hyperactive side of things find relief in physical movement.


Inattentive ADDers - has a filtering valve that snaps shut completely. The people who have this sub-type usually complain about tuning out or being distracted by day dreams and random thoughts, they are distracted by their internal environment. They have a stimuli filter valve that filters out every thing.

It is my personal theory that their brain tries to filter out un-necessary stimuli but it ends up filter out all the stimuli even the very thing they are trying to pay attention to.

Inattentive ADDers do not want to tune out during the directions to your house, many times they do not even know they have tuned out until they have tuned back in and realized time had moved forward without them. Inattentive ADDer often complain of having to exert a lot of mental energy to simply remain mentally aware of what is going on around them. Inattentives are often accused of not caring because they don't seem to be able to get out of their head long enough to hear an entire five minute conversation and they will often miss request, important piece of information during these blinks where there filtering valve snapped shut. Without treatment their isn't a damn thing they can do to make it stop, the filtering valve is not under their conscious control any more than the hyperactive ADDers.

A majority of the ADD population have what is called combined ADD which mean the alternate between the inattentive ADD and the impulsive or have symptoms of both.




I have looked at Dr Amen's six subtypes and I think he basis them on the way your brain looks on an imaging scan. . . . however it has been years sense I have even considered Dr. Aman's appraoch. His sub-types are not used by practioners out side of his practice therefor hold little meaning for me personally . Besides he did worse than main stream science in his discriptions narritives and interpertations. If one brai works differnt than another brain it is a given they will not look alike on an imaging scan. Besides three sub-types are confusing enough for this ADD brain adding threee more doesn't help at all.

I was actually referring to the science itself. He's been selling his hypothesis for years, but nobody has any studies to confirm them? That is just bad science.

I was actually referring to the science itself. He's been selling his hypothesis for years, but nobody has any studies to confirm them? That is just bad science.


I did a quick run about on Goggle and didn't find any thing substantial. Mostly just people trying to sell books. . . .

It's Amen's responsibility to provide compelling evidence that his ideas are fact. As far as I can tell this has not happened.

I think that part of the problem is that he has deviated so far from accepted practice in his diagnostic methods and naming of things that nobody can correlate his findings. I highly doubt that anyone in the medical establishment takes his ideas seriously.

Me :D