Yep, there are subtypes of ADHD, which is why you may have noticed that your behaviors don't entirely match what most people think of as ADHD (and, why you maybe weren't diagnosed earlier in life).

1. Predominantly inattentive presentation

• Fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes

• Has difficulty sustaining attention

• Does not appear to listen

• Struggles to follow through with instructions

• Has difficulty with organization

• Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort

• Loses things

• Is easily distracted

• Is forgetful in daily activities

2. Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation

• Fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in chair

• Has difficulty remaining seated

• Runs about or climbs excessively in children; extreme restlessness in adults

• Difficulty engaging in activities quietly

• Acts as if driven by a motor; adults will often feel inside as if they are driven by a motor

• Talks excessively

• Blurts out answers before questions have been completed

• Difficulty waiting or taking turns

• Interrupts or intrudes upon others

3. Combined presentation

• The individual meets the criteria for both inattention and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentations.

* The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is the handbook used by health care professionals in the United States and much of the world as the authoritative guide to the diagnosis of mental disorders. The DSM contains descriptions, symptoms, and other criteria for diagnosing mental disorders. Version 5 was published in 2013, and the DSM-5-TR (Text Revision) was published in 2022. The sixth iteration of the manual, DSM-6, is predicted to be finalized around the year 2030.