Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults

Have you ever had problems with organization, making decisions without considering the consequences, procrastinating on a task that takes concentration and effort, or frequently interrupting others? For some, these behaviors undermine their success in school and careers, and create challenges in their relationships. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurological and behavioral disorder characterized by inattentiveness, impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and distractibility. It impacts the executive function of the brain which is responsible for planning, emotional regulation and effective decision making. ADHD is a prevalent childhood disorder affecting 5 to 11% of children and without proper treatment more than half of the cases will last through adulthood. With medication and behavioral therapy, many individuals learn to manage the symptoms of ADHD and harness their talents to pursue their goals and meet them successfully.

What are the warning signs and symptoms?

It’s important to understand the symptoms of ADHD to seek and receive treatment. Many individuals are able to overcome the challenges of ADHD and successfully manage symptoms to live full and productive lives. Individuals can exhibit some of the symptoms some of the time but if your symptoms are persistent and impair your ability to perform in relationships or at work or school, it’s time to seek treatment. Read on to learn more about the symptoms of ADHD.

Psychologists categorize the symptoms of ADHD into three types: primarily inattentive, primarily hyperactive and impulsive, and a combination of both. If you have difficulty sustaining attention in conversations at work or school, or find yourself drifting off and daydreaming, you have one of the common symptoms of inattentive ADHD. Those with the disorder don’t pay close attention to details or instructions and can be careless in their work. Oftentimes they have difficulty with time management and aren’t able to prioritize important tasks ahead of others. Interestingly, loss of focus and hyper focus are both traits of an individual with inattentive ADHD. Some focus too intently on certain things that interest them that they lose sight of other important people and events in their life. Those with inattentive ADHD also tend to misplace items frequently, and forget both important details and events. They can be easily distracted, which makes finishing projects difficult.

The impulsiveness symptoms are experienced by individuals with impulsive-hyperactive ADHD. Impulsiveness causes an individual to act swiftly without thinking through the ramifications of a decision. They don’t weigh the risks of a decision and may have little concern for the consequences. Some frequently interrupt others in conversation, or rush through tasks that require concentration or sustained effort. Impulsiveness can be seen in many areas of a person’s life such as shopping and dining. They make impulse decisions like purchasing something they can’t afford or eating something they know is not good for their health without thinking about the negative consequences. Substance misuse is usually an impulsive behavior though co-occurring mental disorders are usually present. Substance misuse can be used to relieve some of the symptoms of ADHD. Hyperactivity can be seen as restlessness, anxiety, inability to sit still, always on the go. Sometimes the hyperactivity motivates an individual to talk incessantly. It can also create the feeling of fatigue due to sleeplessness, which compounds the problem of ADHD.

Unlike physical illness or a broken bone, ADHD cannot be diagnosed with lab or imaging tests. By educating yourself and talking with a mental health professional, you can take steps to manage the disorder. Read on for information on ADHD treatment.

What causes ADHD?

The cause of ADHD has not been identified yet medical professionals believe it is a neurological disorder and is usually acquired genetically. If you have parents or siblings that exhibit the symptoms of ADHD you are at higher risk to have the disorder. In addition, compared with children without ADHD, children with the disorder have a 3–4% reduction of volume in important regions in the brain, such as the prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for the executive function which controls planning ahead, solving problems, emotional regulation, and understanding the behavior of others.

Treating ADHD

Professionals who specialize in ADHD will tell you there are a wide range of therapies available including an array of medications and behavioral based therapies. Many individuals are encouraged to find either a stimulant- or non stimulant-based medication to address the symptoms of ADHD and to work with a mental health professional in tandem. Since I’m not a medical professional, I chose not to describe the various medications available to counter your symptoms. Psychotherapy can help you to manage your ADHD symptoms and shouldn’t be dismissed just because you’re treating your symptoms with medication. Psychotherapy can help to calm your mind in order to work on your executive function which will reduce, if not eliminate, the problems caused by ADHD. Psychotherapy will reduce the amount of medication you take or the length of time it is prescribed or both. Psychotherapy will help you to build the skills you need to perform in your job, meet your parenting obligations with ease, study for exams, establish and maintain important relationships, and regulate your emotions in the most stressful situations. Psychotherapy will teach you the tools you need to enable you to renew your mind each day to meet the day’s challenges. It should not be overlooked.

Even when you decide to work with a professional, you should learn as much as possible about ADHD, it’s symptoms, and what you can do on your own to help yourself. I like to think of psychotherapy as a problem-solving tool however if you have the patience and diligence you’ll be able to do much of the work involved with therapy on your own. You be able to observe, analyze your problems, and devise coping strategies or solutions for the challenges you’re faced with. Psychotherapists will provide information about the disorder though you are able to educate yourself given the wealth of information on the Internet. Keep reading and stay up to date on all of the new information that becomes available about the therapies and the disorder. Breakthroughs happen frequently. Therapists will also ask how you’re doing on the basics such as are you getting enough sleep each night and is your diet free of non-nutritious foods and caffeine. You can study nutrition and health to change your lifestyle over time to improve your health. The therapist will also diagnose or address the specific concerns that you have about your ADHD. Take action on the advice you’re given and stay the course. You can improve your disorder and improve your life by knowing as much as you can learn about your disorder and available treatments. To summarize, I believe that you can get a jump start on your ADHD education by consulting with professionals, but you will make much more progress by taking the responsibility to educate yourself about your disorder. This significant step in self-responsibility will ripple into all other areas of your life and you’ll be satisfied with the positive changes you see.

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