Symptoms of ADHD in an Adult
If you are constantly losing things, unable to finish your work, and easily distracted, then you could be suffering from ADHD symptoms that are causing you anxiety.
The symptoms of adult ADHD can range from mild to severe. They can cause problems in more than one setting, including at home, school and at work.
1. Trouble focusing
Many people suffering from ADHD struggle to concentrate and are unable to sit still. These symptoms can affect children and adults alike, and can have a an adverse impact on a person's daily life at school, work, and home.
Finding it difficult to focus can be frustrating, especially as it's an ongoing problem and can cause feelings of self-doubt and despair and failure. It can also cause problems with health like missing appointments with doctors, not taking medications as prescribed, and excessively engaging in unhealthy habits like fast food or drinking. It can cause financial difficulties too, with bills being paid late or overdrafts getting out of control due to impulsive spending.
Hyperfocus is a term that's used to describe the ability of people with ADHD to focus intensely on tasks they find interesting. This is a great benefit in certain situations, but it can be difficult to manage when you're doing daily tasks like paying bills, purchasing groceries, or filing documents.
People with ADHD are also impulsive and easily distracted by text messages and calls TV, social media, and music. This can make it difficult to complete work at school or at work. It also can impact their relationships with their family, friends and colleagues.
To determine whether someone is suffering from ADHD their health care provider will inquire about their childhood behaviors and school experiences. They will then conduct an interview with the person and their parents, if they are able to obtain additional information. They will utilize ADHD symptoms checklists and standardized scales for assessing behavior to determine how the symptoms affect the lives of adults. They also conduct psychological tests as well as physical examinations, which can help to rule out medical conditions that may cause similar symptoms.
2. Ignoring Specifics
People with ADHD may become too absorbed in their activities that it is difficult to notice those around them. They may also forget to follow up on a conversation or overlook important details, which can lead to miscommunications in relationships. They are prone to make decisions fast without taking into account the consequences. This could include risky behavior and inability to study for tests, abandoning jobs, spending too much on financials and aggressive actions such as hitting or throwing things.
It's not enough for an expert in mental health to diagnose adult ADHD simply by stating that the symptoms are evident in multiple settings and that they interfere with school, work or social activities. To be diagnosed with ADHD in adults they must meet the criteria outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5). This includes having five or more symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. The symptoms must be apparent for at minimum six months, and they must interfere with the person's functioning in a variety of settings. A healthcare provider may request the person's spouse or a relative of them to take a medical history.
The symptoms of predominantly inattentional ADHD are more prevalent and can be summarized as difficulty paying attention and having trouble keeping track of tasks, forgetting details and loosing things. Those with this type of ADHD usually show these symptoms throughout their lives, but they are not as prominent as the symptoms of predominantly hyperactive/impulsive ADHD.
Adults suffering from ADHD may be able overcome their difficulties by recognizing and adapting their habits, environment and lifestyle to accommodate their challenges. They can also seek assistance from a medical professional and take steps to improve their social abilities. There are numerous options for adults suffering from ADHD to develop and maintain relationships such as peer support groups.
3. Losing Things
Many people who have ADHD struggle to find things, including phones, keys and wallets. They also tend to misplace documents and other supplies required for school or work. This can be frustrating.
Losing things is a typical occurrence in adults with ADHD. This is because the disorder affects the way the brain processes information. Working memory, which helps you to manage old and new information, is impaired. In this situation it's easy to forget what you've heard, the steps of a recipe or that grocery list.
Additionally, some adults with ADHD struggle to stay focused on their work and ensuring their finances are in order. This can result in poor performance reviews, strained relationships with colleagues and financial problems due to late payments or excessive spending. It is beneficial to look into different options for managing symptoms, such as medication and psychotherapy.
iampsychiatry believe that dietary changes can help reduce ADHD symptoms, particularly when high-protein food items are included. It is also essential to avoid sweet drinks and foods, as these can trigger mood fluctuations and make it more difficult to concentrate. Meditation or mindfulness techniques are effective in improving concentration. These approaches have not been proven to work in treating ADHD.
4. Forgetting Things
Most often people with ADHD forget what they need to do. They might forget to go to appointments, not get groceries or leave the house without their keys. This can have a big impact on their daily lives and their relationships. The people in their lives might perceive this as a lack in care or think it's because the person isn't organized. People who don't have a diagnosis of ADHD can also have trouble sustaining attention or following instructions at school or at work, leading to errors and missed deadlines.
If you suspect you have ADHD, it's worth talking to your GP about getting a referral to an expert in health care who performs evaluations for adults with ADHD. A professional will look at factors such as your mood, medical background, and whether you have any other issues that could cause symptoms similar to ADHD, like stress or addiction to substances.
For someone to be eligible for an ADHD diagnosis, they must show that their ADHD symptoms result in significant impairment in at least two different areas of their lives--like work, school and family--and that their issues aren't more easily than other conditions, like depression or anxiety. A doctor will look over a person's past behavior, talk with them about their issues and observe them in the course of their actions. They may also solicit their loved ones' feedback.
For adults, a diagnosis of adult ADHD can bring relief and a sense of hope. It can help people realize they're not a failure or a failure, and it can teach them ways to manage their ADHD such as learning to prioritize tasks and remain organized. This can help them achieve their goals and make positive changes to their lives, as well being able to build the foundation for a stronger support system.
5. Inattentiveness
Hyperactivity is not a symptom for inattentive ADHD. However adults with this kind of ADHD may have difficulty staying focused and on task. They may find it difficult to complete college assignments or stay attentive in business meetings. They may be careless at home, or forget to pay the bills. Their lives may be disrupted by failing to meet deadlines or losing their job. Inattentive ADHD can also cause problems in family relationships.
Many people who suffer from inattention ADHD endure for a long time before getting diagnosed. Coworkers and friends may judge them as irresponsible or lazy. They might be overwhelmed by their procrastination, lack of organization and impulsiveness. Their failure to complete tasks on time and make frequent errors might result in financial issues or work-related issues or even legal troubles.
A healthcare provider must confirm that the symptoms first started before the age of 12 years old. They must also confirm that the disorder causes impairment in two main settings (like work and school). The impairment can include missing important meetings at the office and not paying the bills on time, struggling academically at college, failing to finish chores or household chores and racking up debt through purchase decisions made on impulse.
In an ADHD assessment, the health care provider will review the medical history of the person and will perform other tests, such as hearing or eye tests to rule out physical ailments. The health care professional could also talk to the patient about symptoms, lifestyle, work and family life. They may also ask for old reports and conversations with family members to determine if the symptoms have been present from childhood.