Children with ADHD can grow into adults with ADHD if it is never diagnosed or addressed. It’s easier to spot it in children, yet more difficult to see the symptoms and behaviors in adults around us, or ourselves. However, it can be done. Let’s go through how to recognize and diagnose adult ADHD.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
It’s a real thing, and it affects many people. You may think of someone as disorganized, inattentive, or problematic. They are always late with assignments, they take on too much, always seem anxious, or never seem to finish anything they start. This may sound like a lot of people you know, or maybe yourself. Does that make that person, or you, someone with ADHD? The truth is maybe not.
Lots of people procrastinate and are messy. These could simply be traits they have grown up with. When it affects their life, employment, relationships, and success, it might be time to see a board-certified psychiatrist for an evaluation.
Symptoms of Adult ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD in adults can be mild to severe. It is a persistent pattern of behavior, not something you go through briefly, for example after a loved one dies.
Lack of Focus
We all can have trouble with focus on any given day, but if it is persistent, it could be ADHD. Does this person lose track of a conversation? Do they look at their phone in the middle of a meeting and never come back to what’s happening? Overlooking instructions and details, lack of listening skills, plus daydreaming are all concerning signs.
Poor Time Management
Always running late, underestimating time needed to complete tasks, unable to find keys or notes, and trouble multi-tasking are classic signs of poor time management skills.
Impulsiveness
Being reckless, finding it hard to sit still, interrupting others, changing jobs frequently, or having persistent money problems can all be signs of ADHD in an adult.
Problems Following Through
Someone who never seems to finish projects large or small, can’t focus on the task at hand, and has difficulty prioritizing could be an adult with ADHD. Someone with many projects, and yet only 40% of each is complete, is limiting their success at work and home.
Other symptoms include:
- Disorganization
- Frequent mood swings, quick to anger, impatience
- Trouble coping with stress
- Poor planning
- Nervous energy and restlessness
Treatment for Adult ADHD
Leaving things partially done is a central characteristic that’s a problem for adults with ADHD. It is believed that almost 4.5% of adults in America have ADHD, and half of those have another health or mood disorder like depression or anxiety.
Only a professional like board-certified psychiatrist Soroya Bacchus, M.D. can diagnose ADHD. If you think you, or someone you love, is exhibiting traits of an adult with ADHD, find a professional with experience who can help. Counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy and prescription medications may be the right course of action for you.
Contact Psychiatry Unplugged at (844) 616-1616 if you suspect you may be dealing with adult ADHD and want help to overcome the behaviors affecting your day-to-day life. We have clinics in Los Angeles and Glendale.
