Many of us have heard about ADHD in children and believe that only they face attention and hyperactivity issues. According to NCBI, adults can have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD too and about 4% to 5% of adults are dealing with it knowingly. It can be said that these adults were either not diagnosed in their childhood or carried the symptoms in adulthood.
Although many adults with ADHD are living their lives just like those who haven’t. Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill and John Lennon are some of the greatest examples to note.
But another reality is that not every adult can manage ADHD easily and face hardships in their everyday life. Many kids also outgrow ADHD as adults but about 60% of adults still carry it further.
In order to find if ADHD in adulthood is also a part of you, we will figure out signs and symptoms a person may experience. Before that, let’s see what ADHD is.
What Is ADHD?
ADHD can be described as a chemical problem in the brain’s management that affects a person’s everyday life. They can be disorganized in their working conditions, feel overwhelmed with the responsibilities, often forget to complete the work and focus on one activity properly.
Now the question is if you are living with ADHD or not. For the same, you can look for symptoms of ADHD in adults. You must also know that untreated ADHD can show mental and physical problems in near future and must be treated in time.
ADHD In Adulthood: Symptoms To Be Checked
Lack Of Focus
Adults with ADHD may find themselves not able to focus on one activity properly. This trouble in paying attention doesn’t let one complete tasks and projects and can easily get distracted.
Hyperfocus
Hyperfocus is another symptom of ADHD in which the person is engrossed in work so much that they completely forget about their schedules, appointments and even the surroundings. They cannot track the time and people around them may feel ignored with certain misunderstandings.
Cannot Manage Time
As we could see above that adults with ADHD have problems in organizing their lives, time management is a challenge for them. They also try to procrastinate their tasks and sometimes ignore them completely. It can also be said that the present time is what matters most to them but not future plannings.
Impulsive Nature
Adults could show an uncomfortable impulsive nature like:
- Interrupting other during the conversation
- Not acting appropriately in a social situation
- Not finishing the tasks properly but rushing through it
- Acting on things without even thinking about consequences
This impulsive nature sometimes leads to financial problems in families as a person with ADHD doesn’t think about actions and their consequences.
Forgetfulness
Forgetfulness often becomes a part of life with someone who has ADHD. Although forgetfulness is a part of human nature, forgetting the routine activities, important meetings and required dates is another symptom of adulthood and ADHD. It can act as a problem in future and career based decisions.
Poor Emotional Regulation
Just like other activities, emotions also play an imbalance amongst adults. Sometimes they can easily become bored and lose interest whereas other times can feel very excited about life. This is why ADHD can cause further problems like:
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Anxiety
- Substance abuse
- Relationship problems
- Low motivation
- Physical Health Problems
ADHD is considered as a mental health problem but since the brain is connected to all the body cells, physical problems like obesity or overweight, change in blood pressure, chronic stress, body fatigue and more are found.
Problems With Interpersonal Relationships
As there is lack of motivation, self image, restlessness and anxiety, adults can face issues in their married life. With that, they are sometimes not able to maintain professional relationships, hindering their own career development.
What To Do?
Are you one of the adults who are facing consequences of ADHD in their lives? Well, if these symptoms are unavoidable then you must visit a doctor soon.
The doctor may advise you to go for a physical examination, blood test or health history.
If diagnosed, you and the therapist work together towards a treatment plan including education, medicine, therapy and social support. With this, you can learn methods to tackle challenges and make life easier for everyone.
Treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management techniques, mentoring and coaching could become a part of recovery. So, make sure that even if you are a part of ADHD adulthood then stand up and ask for help today!
About Author
Akanksha is an avid reader, writer and traveler. She has started her journey as a mental health advocate in 2019 and is continuing the journey proudly.
