Disney characters and ADHD sufferers have a few things in common. If you're like me, then you are a visual learner and you like examples. So I am going to do my best to describe ADHD and its symptoms using Disney characters. (Because yes, I am a HUGE Disney fanatic.)
ADHD - Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
There are three types of ADHD; inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and combined. Inattentiveness is exactly what you think it is, it is difficulty paying attention. Hyperactivity is also pretty self explanatory and is simply not having the ability to sit still. Now, I have combined ADHD which is explained as having both the inattentiveness and the hyperactivity. I felt as though Tigger from Winnie the Pooh was a classic example of ADHD all around.
Inattentiveness
Inattentiveness is the difficulty with being able to pay attention for a certain amount of time. This time period can very among people and where they lay on the ADHD spectrum. (Since everyone is not the same). When I think of inattentiveness I often think about Alvin from Alvin and the Chipmunks because he is often day dreaming and having "big dreams" for him and his brothers. He also seems very eager to move on to the next topic when he becomes bored quickly with the current topic.
Hyperactivity
Someone may be tapping their feet, clicking their pen, or playing with their hair. No, this does not mean they have ADHD but if they happen to have it then it is probably their hyperactivity, the need to be moving at all times.It can be difficult to use this when trying to diagnose because it can be overlooked as an active child. Stitch from Lilo and Stitch is a perfect example of this. He is consistently crawling around and climbing everything, ad very quickly too.
Impulsiveness
I always think about budgeting money when it comes to impulsiveness. That is because impulsiveness is the quick minded decision without thinking about any late term effects. It can be challenging as an adult when it comes to money and learning how to budget. If you don't learn then you will always be having moments of impulse buying at the store. Ariel from The Little Mermaid shows impulsiveness when she made the decision to trade her voice for legs to live on land. She was not thinking ahead about long term effects.
Intense Moods
Intense seems to be the only way to describe this. But, people with ADHD are more sensitive to their emotions than those considered "typical." Meaning, we can feel emotions much more than others. When we are angry it's like a mother bear protecting her young, when we are happy we are on cloud nine and dancing around, when we are sad we may not even want to leave bed. It always seems to the extreme of an emotion and never a happy medium. The Beast from Beauty and The Beast displays this throughout the movie with his fits of rage but then later feels other emotions of happiness and love.
Organization Skills
Someone who has a diagnosis of ADHD may often struggle with organization and staying organized and clean. They may have messy rooms, cars, houses, or garages. The closest character I could identify this with is Goofy because he simply is all over the place all the time. He always seems to be carrying too many items or getting himself into a pickle because he wasn't organized.
Forgetfulness
Being forgetful can happen to anyone, but it seems to happen to those with ADHD more often. Unless it is written down theres always a chance that it will be forgotten, similar to Dory form Finding Nemo who is also forgetful. Although it is said in the film that she suffers from short term memory loss and not ADHD but the forgetfulness aspect can be compared.
Interrupting
My mom always catches me doing this and sometimes I have to catch myself. It happens a lot more than you think. I find myself apologizing for interrupting someone. But, when I get a thought I feel the need to share that idea right in the moment regardless of what is going on. Anna from Frozen not only interrupts normal conversation but also during songs. She interrupts to mention sandwiches in one of them.
Anxiety
Anxiety plays a big part in ADHD when it comes to certain social situations. However, it doesn't have to be strictly social situations, it could be anything that gives someone anxiety. Flounder from The Little Mermaid is hesitant about these adventures and decisions Ariel is making throughout the movie. Showing that he may suffer from anxiety himself.
Time Management
Along with organization comes time management. I decided to separate these because they are different topics that just go hand in hand. Time management is yet another challenge with ADHD and keeping track of due dates, work schedules, and setting aside time for homework. I think we all have the same character in mind with this one. The White Rabbit from Alice In Wonderland is always running about and repeating how late he is. Which makes this character a dead giveaway for this aspect of ADHD.
These are simply just examples of ADHD shown throughout Disney films. In some way I feel as though these characters represent each of these aspects really well. Next time you're watching a Disney movie try to keep an eye and ear out to see what you can notice!
Until next time,
Another ADHD Student
