Writing Characters With ADD/ADHD

ADD and ADHD is a topic that hits a little close to home for me, seeing as I've had ADHD since I was a kid. But I've noticed that a lot of characters we all know and love (and some we might not know, or love) have either been diagnosed with ADD/ADHD in the canon, or probably have it.

But to start, we kind of have to go into what these disorders are. You wanted a writing lesson, and I'm given you a science lesson. Lucky you. ADD and ADHD, just like anxiety, or depression, occur due to a chemical imbalance in the brain, as well as some brain development. It's very often hereditary, but not always. It's how people are wired. People with ADD and ADHD often struggle to pay attention--either they're daydreaming, or they're too busy bouncing around in their seats to focus. They're imaginative, empathetic, and what they miss socially they make up for emotionally. Let's look at some examples of some hyperactive, daydreaming guys and gals who can't seem to organize their brains.

1. Stiles Stilinski (Teen Wolf)

Probably my favorite fictional character with ADHD, because he's open about it. This makes it easier for people to understand what we go through, how we behave, and how we're treated. Stiles is energetic, and always ready to laugh. He can't pay attention in class because he's always talking, or fidgeting around. He's brilliant, if he could just get stuff done. He's benched in lacrosse all the time probably because he can't pay attention to the ball. But Stiles is also very empathetic, and he's a huge sweetie. He understands people, how they feel. He can see right through his best friend Scott like cellophane, and he can read Lydia Martin like a book (one that he can actually pay attention to). He's got a big heart, and is always looking out for his friends, and for his dad. He also references the fact that he takes Adderall, a common medication used to help the brain calm down a little. Most importantly, Stiles is always eating, and that's something we can all identify with--but people with ADHD are ravenous once their medication wears off. One time I ate a whole frozen pizza all by myself. It was awesome.

2. Tigger (Winnie the Pooh)

Are you kidding me? Tigger is ADHD in a nutshell. He's always bouncing around with uncontrollable energy. He talks fast, thinks fast, moves fast, and doesn't like it when people can't catch up. He often feels out of place, like he doesn't belong, and in the feature film The Tigger Movie, he actually leaves the Hundred Acre Wood in search of his family. In search of people who think like him, because he usually feels like an outcast in front of his friends. He's got energy, and is always bopping around from one idea to the next, so he's often hard to follow. But he also cares about his friends, especially Pooh, and does his best to help them when they need it--even though they might sometimes find him annoying.

3.Clark W. Griswald (National Lampoon's 'Vacation' movies)

Clark W. Griswald. He has a lot of energy, and isn't that good at reading social cues--he's better than cousin Eddie, but anyone is better than cousin Eddie. Clark bounces from one project to another, and wants everything to be big, and special, and perfect. He hyper-focuses on his goals, which is clearly shown in Christmas Vacation when he obsesses over the Christmas lights. But he's also a very caring, and empathetic person, which is shown by how much he really cares about his family.
4. Alice (Alice and Wonderland)

Alice has a big imagination, and often finds herself daydreaming and not paying attention to what's going on around her. She also complains about not being to read her sister's book because there "aren't any pictures", showing that she has a rather brief attention span, and needs more stimulation. Wonderland is almost entirely her own creation, showing how imaginative and innovative she is. Alice also doesn't think things through--she's impulsive, and gets herself into all sorts of trouble because she keeps getting distracted. She lacks the hyperactivity of someone with ADHD, so we can assume she's more of an ADD sort of kid.
5. Calvin (Calvin and Hobbes)

Calvin is pretty much the poster-boy for many kids that get diagnosed with ADHD: the hyperactive troublemaker who can't sit still and fabricates wild fantasies. After all, he imagined Hobbes, didn't he? Calvin is creative, and is constantly bouncing from one thing to the next. He's not the best at reading social cues, which is shown by how he treats his classmate Susie. The big emphasis that the artist puts on Calvin's mannerisms is his over-active imagination and hyperactivity.

6. Deadpool (Marvel Comics)

For anyone who doesn't know Deadpool, he's another fine example of a character with attention issues. He's energetic, carefree, and is constantly jumping from one idea to another. He often has trouble getting along with other characters, because he's so easily distracted--at one point after one of his regenerations, he spent several pages admiring his penis and saying "Boingy! Boingy! Boingy!" while he was supposed to be doing something important.
7. Dory (Finding Nemo)

Dory has a lot of energy. She can't remember anything, and she's constantly distracted, especially by the little jellyfish, Squishy. She's halfway through doing something else when she spies a tiny jellyfish and swims over to it eagerly. She has to keep re-introducing herself because she can't remember if she's done it already. She's a chatterbox, and is constantly veering off the path she's taking to talk to someone. Dory has a lot of energy, and is always talking, or swimming in circles, or talking to herself. She can't rest. She always has to be doing something. And still, she can't read social cues. But she's got a heart of gold, and would do almost anything to help Marlin find his son. She's sensitive, and emotional, and has a serious fear of abandonment, or feeling like an outcast.
8. Jack Skelington (The Nightmare Before Christmas)

Jack is intuitive, and inventive. He's always looking for new stimulation, because the same routine bores him to death (tell me I'm funny). He's always asking "what's this?" and "what does it mean?" because he wants to know everything there is to know. However, many of the people around Jack don't fully understand his train of thought, and it frustrates him. People with ADD/ADHD often think very differently than others, and it's a huge pain in the ass, because they know what they're talking about, but people can't catch up. Once he finds something new, he obsesses over it, and won't stop thinking, talking, or researching about it. He procrastinates--he puts off eating in sleeping in favor of discovering the secret to Christmas. Jack is empathetic, and really wants to make people happy, even if he doesn't exactly know how.
9. Iron Man/Tony Stark (Marvel Comics/Movies)

Tony does not work well with others. He wants to do his own thing at his own pace, and gets frustrated when people try to interrupt his work, or don't understand what he's doing. He's brilliant, and sees things from every angle he can--sometimes, angles that other people might not have even known existed, which also shows how imaginative he is. He's not good at committing, which is shown by his various affairs with women. He's got a lot of energy, and he's talkative and social. He gets easily distracted, and often puts off food and sleep in favor of diving into his work, which he nearly obsesses over.
10. Pretty much everyone in Percy Jackson and the Olympians

I know next to nothing about the Percy Jackson series (sorry), but I do know that almost every resident at Camp Half-Blood has some form of ADD, ADHD, or dyslexia. This was confirmed by the author at some point.
11. Barney Stinson (How I Met Your Mother)

Barney. Oh, Barney. He's energetic, social, and easily distracted, and we love him. In the episode "Robin 101", he pays more attention to his phone than the lesson, and then suddenly asks "Can we have class outside?" He thinks fast, moves fast, and either plans things to a T, or doesn't think them through at all, and there's nothing in between. Barney jumps from one idea to another, and he has a wild imagination. He also, like Tony Stark, struggles with commitment, and sticking to one woman, or one idea.
12. The 11th Doctor (and most of the other doctors) (Doctor Who)

Yes, everyone's favorite cosmic nine year-old. A lot of the Doctors have mannerisms and behaviors that hint toward something like ADHD, but 11 has it written right on his forehead. He can't pay attention to anything at once, and often finds himself distracted by the silliest things. He's got a lot of energy, and sometimes just can't stop jumping up and down. 11 talks quickly, thinks quickly, moves quickly, and can't stand being bored. He needs stimulation 24/7, and if he doesn't have someone to talk to, he'll just go and talk to himself. The 11th Doctor also taps into the sort of empathy common among people with ADD and ADHD; he knows how to comfort people, and to get down on their level, and has a knack for seeing the big picture. Plus, he can never decide between a Stetson and a Fez.
13. Timmy Turner (The Fairly Odd Parents)

 

Again. ADHD kids and food. As soon as the meds wear off, we're ravenous beasts, and you'd best get out of our way. Timmy has an over-active imagination (obviously), and admits to having a short attention span. Like Calvin, Timmy exhibits that knack for making things up, and inability to sit still. The two of them are actually a lot alike--both of them also struggle in school because they can't focus, and have more energy than they know what to do with. 

14. Cosmo (The Fairly Odd Parents)

It's okay, Cosmo. We all know that feel. Cosmo's a big sweetie, first of all. He's madly in love with his wife, Wanda, and would do pretty much anything for Timmy. But he doesn't pay much attention, and is often very easily distracted and easily confused. And okay, he's not that bright, but he's got the energy and creativity of someone with ADHD.
15. Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible)

Ron either has uncontrollable energy, or he totally crashes. He struggles to pay attention, and comes up with some pretty weird ideas. And again--he's always eating. He doesn't think things through, unlike Kim, and often feels like an outcast or a freak because he thinks differently than others in his environment.
16. Jake (Adventure Time)

If you don't love Jake, you're lying. He's loyal, imaginative, and loves food more than people. I think we're all a little bit like Jake inside. But let's talk not only about Jake's excessive energy and creativity, but about how easily distracted he is. He's sort of Finn's voice of reason at times, but he also jumps into things headfirst. Jake has a big heart, and has a lot of love for Finn, Lady Rainicorn, and his kids.
17. Mabel Pines (Gravity Falls)

Mabel has a lot of energy. She's loud, she's talkative, and sometimes she doesn't know when to stop. And holy shit, is she easily distracted. In the first episode, when she and her brother arrive in Gravity Falls, Oregon, she proclaims "Yay grass!" and rolls around on the ground for a while. She's imaginative, and she's caring. She's got a big heart, and everyone who talks to her can see it.

And now, for more fun, let's look at some real people we all know and love who've openly said that they have attention issues, or at least hinted at it.

1. Emma Watson

"It's leviohsah, not--want to go ride bikes?"

2. Robin Williams

"Oh Captain, my--look! A bird!"

3. Jim Carrey

"Good morning, and in case I don't see ya--I really want pizza. Do you want pizza?"
4. Matt Smith

"Trust me, I'm the--look! A bow tie!"
5. Benedict Cumberbatch

"I am fire. I am--something smells really good in here. Is someone making popcorn?"
6. Robert Downey Jr.

"Because if we can't protect the Earth, you can de damned well sure we--hold on, everyone stop! I see a cat."

7. Stephen Spielberg

"E.T. phone--oh, shit, did I leave the oven on?"

8. Will Smith

"West Philadelphia born and raised--you know, I've always wanted to go to a circus, you know what I mean?"
9. Ernest Hemmingway

"Write drunk, edit--hey, you want to go get a drink?"
10. Justin Timberlake

"I'm bringin' sexy back--ooh! Butterfly!"

So there you have it, folks. The D.L. on characters (and people) with attention deficit issues. I've taught you the basics--how we act, how we think, how we feel. Don't be afraid to use the characters I've listed above as a guide--I put them there for a reason.