ADHD isn’t just a problem for kids. Learn the symptoms of adult attention-deficit disorder.
ADD/ADHD affects about five percent of children and more than half of them will carry those symptoms into adulthood. In addition, many adults have ADD/ADHD without ever being diagnosed.
Untreated ADD/ADHD can cause numerous mental and physical health problems, difficulties with work and finances, and put strain on relationships. It’s important to recognize the signs of Adult ADD/ADHD so that you can get proper treatment. Click "next" to learn the symptoms of adult ADD/ADHD.
Possibly the most telltale sign of ADD/ADHD, “lack of focus” goes beyond difficulty paying attention. It means being easily distracted, finding it difficult to listen to others in a conversation, overlooking details, not finishing work or projects, and being easily distracted.
The flip side to that is hyper-focus, which is explained on the next slide.
While people with ADD/ADHD are often easily distractible, the flip side of the coin is called hyper-focus. While engaged in an activity they like, a person with ADD/ADHD can be so engrossed in something that they are ignorant to anything else around them. This kind of focus makes it easier to lose track of time, ignore others around them, and cause relationship problems.
Life can seem chaotic for anyone, but someone with ADD/ADHD experiences life in a more hectic manner on a regular basis. This can make it difficult to keep everything in its right place. This includes having problems with time management, keeping track of tasks, procrastination, chronic lateness, and prioritizing important things.
These issues with organization go hand-in-hand with forgetfulness, which is explained on the next slide.
It’s human to forget things occasionally, but for someone with ADD/ADHD,forgetfulness is a part of life. This includes routinely forgetting wherethings have been placed, important dates, and other things. Some can be menial,while others can be serious. The bottom line, though, is that thisforgetfulness can be damaging to careers and relationships because it can beconfused with carelessness.
Impulsivity in someone with ADD/ADHD can show as interrupting others during conversation, being socially inappropriate, and rushing through things. This can also manifest as acting without much consideration to the consequences.
A person’s shopping habits are often a good clue of ADD/ADHD. Impulse buying, especially on items they can’t afford or big-ticket items, is a common symptom of adult ADD/ADHD.
Life with ADD/ADHD can seem chaotic, as though your emotions are on a constantly up-and-down journey. You can easily become bored and go looking for excitement on a whim. Small frustrations can seem intolerable. This can bring on depression and mood swings.
Untreated emotional problems can have a polarizing effect, which can add complications to personal and professional relationships.
Adults with ADD/ADHD are often hypercritical of themselves, which can lead to poor self-image. This is due in part of their inability to concentrate and other symptoms, which typically has caused problems in school, work, or relationships in the past. These difficulties can be viewed as personal failures or underachievement, which causes the person to view his or herself in a negative light.
Whilea person with ADD/ADHD might be open to do everything at once, he or she may alsofeel unmotivated. This is problem commonly seen in children with ADD/ADHD when they can’t often focus on schoolwork. This canalso happen with adults. Coupled with procrastination and poor organizationskills, it may be difficult for an adult with ADD/ADHD to finish a projectbecause they can’t focus for too long.
As adults with ADD/ADHD feel like their motors can’t shut off, their yearning to keep moving and keep doing things can lead to frustration when they can’t do immediately as they wish. This yields to restlessness, which can, in turn, lead to frustrations and anxiety. Anxiety is a common symptom of adult ADD/ADHD as the mind tends to replay worrisome events over and over.
Impulsivity, lack of motivation, emotional problems, and disorganization can lead a person with ADD/ADHD to neglect their health. This can be compulsive poor eating, neglecting exercise, or forgoing important medication. Also, anxiety and stress negatively affect health, so without good habits, the negative effects ofADD/ADHD can make other symptoms worse.
An adult with ADD/ADHD often has trouble in relationships, whether they are professional, romantic, or platonic. The traits of talking over people in conversation, inattentiveness, and easily being bored can be draining on relationships as a person can come across as insensitive, irresponsible, or uncaring.
Other common traits among adults with ADD/ADHD include:
Learn when it may be time to turn to a professional for help.
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Adults with ADD/ADHD can find solutions to overcome the difficulties of their condition. Getting organized, sticking with plans, and finishing what you started can begin with cognitive behavioral therapy or meeting with a professional organizer.
It’s important to learn how to manage stress, eat right, and get enough sleep regularly so that you’re body is best equipped to handle the challenges it faces.
