Untreated ADHD can cause challenges, from impulsive decision-making to difficulty focusing, both of which can seriously impact jobs, academics, and relationships. You may also feel frustration with yourself, or even feel like a failure, but - Plot twist!
Adults with undiagnosed ADHD often struggle with time management. They may always seem to be late, unsure of what needs to be done when, and unclear about how much time they have left to finish important tasks. These time problems often result in issues such as: Chronic lateness.
First, a primary symptom of undiagnosed ADHD in adults is a trouble with concentrating and keeping focus. Having a lack of focus has consistently been a hallmark of ADHD. If you ask many parents, they might describe failing to concentrate and focus as one of their main issues with their children with ADHD.
Adults with undiagnosed ADHD get fired from their jobs more frequently, or they impulsively quit, or they underachieve, slowly losing self-esteem, confidence, drive, and joy in life. They often resign themselves to a life with less success and luster than it could have were they diagnosed and treated.
Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings and outbursts of anger. Adult ADHD symptoms may include: Impulsiveness.
Untreated ADHD in adults can cause inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. This may impact people's mental health, relationships, and working life.
Individuals with untreated symptoms may also be impulsive and say or do things without thinking about the consequences. This can lead to arguments and even breakups. People with untreated ADHD may also struggle with executive function skills such as organization and time management.
If left untreated in childhood or adulthood, the symptoms of ADHD (hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness) can lead to behavioral, emotional, social, academic, and vocational problems.
Masking is when a person with ADHD acts in a “socially acceptable” way to fit in and form better connections with those around them. This usually involves camouflaging their symptoms by controlling their impulses, rehearsing responses, and copying the behaviors of those who don't have ADHD.
Atypical Presentation of ADHD Symptoms
Sleep disturbances (has trouble with sleep initiation, sleep deprived, can't wake up easily, etc.) Weak executive function (poor recall of information, internalizing language, controlling emotions, problem-solving, etc.)
“Nobody has perfect memory… but for [people with ADHD], it's extreme. They feel like they're lost all the time,” Almagor said. He believes this is why people don't take ADHD seriously. “I think that's why some people don't respect the severity of what [a person with ADHD] can experience,” he said.
Hormones, which affect the symptoms of both ADHD and anxiety, can complicate things. The natural fluctuations related to both a girl's age and menstrual cycle can seem to worsen some symptoms, while at other times symptoms seem to decrease. These changing symptoms can play a role in a delayed diagnosis.
An ADHD diagnosis increases the risk of trauma exposure for several key reasons. Children with ADHD alone are at a heightened risk for factors that are strongly linked to trauma, including: Interpersonal and self-regulatory problems. Substance abuse.
High IQ may “mask” the diagnosis of ADHD by compensating for deficits in executive functions in treatment-naïve adults with ADHD.
Put simply; masking is intentionally shifting your behavior to hide your differences. For example, a woman with ADHD might smile and nod during a conversation even though she tuned out long ago, or she may secretly work late into the night to overcompensate for not staying on task for a deadline.
Adults diagnosed with ADHD often blame themselves for their problems or view themselves in a negative light. This can lead to self-esteem issues, anxiety, or depression.
Some adults who have ADHD don't know they have it. These adults may feel it is impossible to get organized, stick to a job, or remember to keep appointments.
If your child has ADHD, there's an imbalance in their dopamine system. They may not have enough dopamine or enough receptors for it. On the other hand, their body may not be using its dopamine correctly. This is why doctors often prescribe stimulant medications for ADHD symptoms.
ADHD can be similar to other mental health conditions, so it's easy to misdiagnose. Mental illnesses like depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder can have some crossover symptoms with ADHD, like inability to focus and impulsivity. So can learning disabilities.
Interestingly, girls with untreated ADHD may be more likely to blame and judge themselves for these problems, leading to a higher risk for low self-esteem than boys who have ADHD. They may also be more likely to have problems with substance abuse, eating disorders, and anxiety.
Though not often listed as symptoms, other indications of ADHD in girls and women include co-occurring depression and anxiety, difficult romantic relationships that can lead to intimate partner violence, trouble maintaining friendships, and at least one space in her life in disarray (messy house, messy bedroom, or ...
Seeing a Psychologist
You might benefit from referral to a psychologist for an assessment, and to help you develop strategies to address issues that you are concerned about. Psychologists are highly trained and qualified to diagnose and treat people with ADHD using a range of methods based on best available research.