Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge. Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans.
ADHD is a mental health condition that affects a person's behavior. It usually appears during childhood, but the symptoms can also persist into adulthood. A lot of people do not know that they have ADHD. A doctor can suggest different treatment plans or behavioral therapies that help control the symptoms.
Adults with ADHD Inattentive presentation can seem quiet and shy when you look at them. Their symptoms may appear timid and they might often be left out in social gatherings. On top of that, they cannot seem to stay focused.
Untreated ADHD in adults can lead to mental health disorders like anxiety and depression. This is because ADHD symptoms can lead to focus, concentration, and impulsivity problems. When these problems are not managed effectively, they can lead to feelings of frustration, irritability, and low self-esteem.
Studies have shown that symptoms of bipolar disorder often overlap with those of ADHD, making it hard to diagnose both of these disorders. Bipolar disorder is marked by mood swings between periods of intense emotional highs and lows.
Some introverts with ADHD may experience conflicting characteristics. For example, they may be cautious in some situations and highly impulsive in others. They may find it hard to focus in some situations and experience periods of hyper-focus at other times.
If you hide your adult ADHD symptoms from other people, that's called masking. Basically, you're trying to seem more “normal” or “regular.” ADHD causes some people to act hyperactive or impulsive. It makes other folks have trouble paying attention. And still other adults have a combination of those symptoms.
Adults with mild ADHD can find it challenging to focus for extended periods, are easily distracted, and sometimes act or speak without thinking. Adults with ADHD symptoms have a history of low academic achievements as children.
The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor. That's because the disorder has a number of possible symptoms, and they can easily be confused with those of other conditions, like depression or anxiety. Not sure whether you should get checked by a doc? If many of these apply, you may need to get checked out.
Accessing private clinics and clinicians is the usual way adults can be assessed for ADHD in Australia. If you're interested in accessing stimulant medication, the most effective treatment for ADHD, then seeing a psychiatrist who specialises in ADHD is usually the most efficient path.
Inattentiveness and difficulty concentrating may cause fatigue, especially among students and full-time employees working long days. Distractibility and poor focus can cause people with ADHD to quickly lose interest in activities or objects that once gave them pleasure as well.
The symptoms may peak in severity when the child is seven to eight years of age, after which they often begin to decline. By the adolescent years, the hyperactive symptoms may be less noticeable, although ADHD can continue to be present.
Signs of ADHD in Adults
Losing items and general forgetfulness. Easily distracted. Getting sidetracked and failing to finish tasks (even fun tasks such as video games or a TV series) Trouble with organizing tasks that include many steps.
For starters, not everyone with the hyperactive side of ADHD is loud and talkative. While talking non-stop is part of ADHD for some people, there are many other ways hyperactivity can express itself.
A recent review of findings on ADHD and FFM personality suggests that, in general, ADHD has associations with the FFM traits of Neuroticism (positive), Agreeableness (negative) and Conscientiousness (negative).
Symptoms of Mood Swings in ADHD
Switching from excited one moment to sad, angry, or anxious the next. Fluctuating between having trouble paying attention and hyperfocusing on an activity. Having bursts of energy and fatigue through the day. Feeling emotions intensely and having difficulty regulating them.
Researchers have not conclusively shown why ADHD causes fatigue in some people, but one possible explanation is the condition's effects on dopamine. ADHD can affect dopamine levels, making it more difficult for the body to respond to this important neurotransmitter.
Most evaluations will include a patient interview, possible interviews with or questionnaires for friends or family members and a written assessment form, such as the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale, Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV or the Connors for adults.
These include a thorough diagnostic interview, information from independent sources such as the spouse or other family members, DSM-5 symptom checklists, standardized behavior rating scales for ADHD and other types of psychometric testing as deemed necessary by the clinician.