Symptoms of ADHD in an Adult
If you find yourself constantly losing things, inability to finish your task and easily distracted, then you may have ADHD symptoms that are causing you stress.
The symptoms of adult ADHD vary from mild to severe. They can result in impairment in one or more settings like at home, at school and at work.
1. Difficulty Focusing
ADHD can make it difficult to sit still and focus. These symptoms can affect both children and adults alike, and can have a negative impact on the daily routine of a person at school, work and at home.
Finding it difficult to focus can be frustrating, especially since it's a constant issue and can cause feelings of self-doubt and hopelessness and feeling of failure. It can also lead to health issues, like absence from doctor's appointments, or not taking prescribed medication, and drinking or eating excessive amounts of fast food. It can also cause financial problems, such as late payments on bills or an increase in overdrafts due to impulsive purchases.
People suffering from ADHD often have trouble to remain focused but they might be able to concentrate focused on tasks that appeal to them, a process known as hyperfocus. This can be helpful in certain situations, but it's harder to cope with everyday tasks and responsibilities, such as paying bills, buying food items, or filing paperwork at work.
In addition, people with ADHD can be very impulsive and can easily get distracted by phone calls, text messages or social media, TV and music. This can make it hard to finish tasks at school or at the workplace and impact relationships with family members as well as colleagues, friends and family.
To determine if a person is suffering from ADHD, the health professional will ask about their childhood behaviors and school experiences. If they can, they will interview the person and their parents to gather additional information. They will employ standardized behaviour rating scales and ADHD checklists for symptoms to examine how the symptoms of an adult impact their lives. They will also conduct psychological and physical tests, which can help determine if medical conditions are causing similar symptoms.
2. Not paying attention to specifics
People with ADHD can become so absorbed by an activity that it is difficult to notice those around them. They might forget to follow up on a conversation or miss important details, which can lead to miscommunications in relationships. They also tend to make snap decisions without thinking through the consequences. This could include risky behavior and inability to study for tests, affairs, quitting jobs, spending too much money and even aggressive actions like throwing or hitting objects.
It's not enough for mental health professionals to diagnose adult ADHD simply by noting that the symptoms are present in multiple settings and they interfere with school, work or social activities. In order to be diagnosed with ADHD, an adult must meet the criteria set forth in 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 evident for at minimum six months, and they must hinder the person's ability to function in a variety of settings. A healthcare provider may request the person's spouse or a relative of them for a medical history.
A predominately inattentional ADHD is more common. It is characterized by difficulty paying attention, 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 identifying and adjusting their habits, environment and lifestyle to accommodate their issues. They can also seek assistance from a healthcare professional and develop their social skills. Adults suffering from ADHD can also access a variety of resources to help them build and maintain friendships, such as a peer support group.
3. Losing Things
Many people with ADHD struggle to find things, including phones, keys and wallets. They also have a tendency to lose papers and other items required for school or work. This can be a hassle.
signs and symptoms of add and ADHD in adults that losing things is common in adults with ADHD is that the disorder affects the way the brain processes information. As a result, the working memory that helps you to manage new information alongside older, stored information is impaired. When this happens it's easy to forget what you've just heard, the steps in the recipe, or even that grocery list.
In addition, some adults with ADHD are unable to focus on work tasks and managing their finances. This can lead to poor performance reviews, strained relationships with colleagues and financial difficulties due to missed payments or over-spending. It may be helpful to explore a variety of options to manage symptoms, such as psychotherapy and medication.
Some experts believe that diet modifications can help in reducing ADHD symptoms, particularly when high-protein foods are incorporated. Sugary foods and beverages can trigger mood swings and make it difficult to focus. Meditation or mindfulness techniques are effective in improving concentration. However, these methods haven't been scientifically proved to cure ADHD.
4. Forgetting Things
Most often people suffering from ADHD forget things they have to accomplish. They may forget appointments, fail to pick up groceries, or leave home without their keys. This could have a huge impact on their daily life and relationships. People in their lives might believe that the person isn't organized or careless. People who don't have a diagnosis of ADHD can also have trouble paying attention or following directions at school and at work, leading to missed deadlines and mistakes.
If you think you might have ADHD, it's worth talking to your GP about getting an appointment with an expert in health care who performs evaluations for adults with ADHD. A professional will look at aspects like your mood, medical history and whether you have any other health issues that might cause symptoms similar to ADHD, like stress or substance abuse.
In order to meet the criteria for an ADHD diagnosis they must prove that their ADHD symptoms result in significant impairment in at least two settings of their lives--such as school, work and home--and that their challenges are not better than other conditions, like depression or anxiety. A healthcare professional will review the behavior of a person in the past, talk about their problems with them and observe them at work. They may also ask their loved ones for feedback.
For adults who are diagnosed with ADHD can provide relief and a sense of hope. It can help people realize that they aren't an insignificant or bad person. It can also teach people strategies to manage ADHD like learning to prioritize their tasks and remain organized. This will help them reach their goals and make positive changes to their life, as well as develop the foundation for a stronger support system.
5. Inattentiveness
Although hyperactivity isn't a sign of inattentive ADHD adults suffering from this type may struggle with poor focus and difficulty staying focused. They may find it difficult to finish college assignments or attend business meetings. They may be careless at home, or forget to pay bills. signs and symptoms of add and ADHD in adults might be thrown off course because they fail to meet deadlines or losing a job. Inattention ADHD symptoms can also lead to issues with family relationships.
Many people with inattentive ADHD have suffered for a long time before they were diagnosed. They may be branded irresponsible or lazy by friends and coworkers. They may be overwhelmed by their procrastination, lack of organization and recklessness. The inability to complete their tasks on schedule and their frequent mistakes could lead to problems with their finances, work or even legal problems.
In order to be granted an inattention ADHD diagnosis A healthcare professional must verify that symptoms began before age 12. They must also determine that the disorder is causing problems in two main situations, like school and at work. The impairment could be as simple as missing important meetings at work and not paying the bills in a timely manner, struggling academically at college, failing to complete chores or household chores and then racking up debt due to impulse purchases.
During an ADHD evaluation, the health care professional will go over the medical history of the patient and may also conduct other tests, like hearing tests or eye exams to rule out physical issues. The health care professional may interview the patient regarding symptoms, lifestyle, family and work. He or she will also look for evidence that suggests symptoms have been present from childhood, such as old reports and conversations with family members.