ADHD in Adults

Overview

We usually think of ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, as a children's condition. But it's estimated that around 8 million American adults may also have ADHD, and many have gone untreated because they were never diagnosed when they were children.

In adults, ADHD sometimes gets written off as a personality quirk or bad habits. But it can really affect the things you care about most, like your career or marriage. It may even lead to substance abuse.

According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of America,  approximately 60 percent of children who have ADHD will go on to be affected by the disorder as adults. It's important to remember that ADHD doesn't develop in adulthood. Instead it's believed adults with the condition were simply not diagnosed in childhood.

Effects of ADHD in Adults

In College. Adults with ADHD may have a history of poor performance, display an inability to complete assignments. They may have a high rate of absenteeism, or they may drop out of school entirely.

At Work. Adults with ADHD may change or lose jobs frequently, have repeated bad reviews for not completing tasks, or they may have bad reviews for abrasive inter-actions with colleagues.

In Relationships. Adults with ADHD may have more marital problems, and statistics show that adults with ADHD have higher rates of divorce.

Social Effect. Adults with ADHD are likely to have more traffic violations, suffer from alcohol or drug addiction, and have trouble with their finances, like having difficulty saving money, and paying their bills on time than those without ADHD.

Positive Traits. With all the negatives traits that ADHD can bring, there are some positives if the condition is well-managed. Many adults with ADHD have found ways to control it and make it work to their advantage. Many excel at multi-tasking, problem solving, or handling crisis situations, and as a result are successful entrepreneurs.

Signs and Symptoms

ADHD is a disorder characterized by distractibility, impulsive behavior, and the inability to remain focused on tasks, and it's believed to be genetic. Adults can suffer from ADHD for years without knowing it. There's no simple test for ADHD. But your doctor, or in some cases a specialist like a psychiatrist, can determine if you have the disorder and help you treat it.

Common symptoms of ADHD in adults include:

• difficulty focusing on or completing tasks
• disorganization
• chronic boredom
• memory problems
• volatile moods
• restlessness
• impulsivity

Diagnosing ADHD in Adults

In order to be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult, you must have shown persistent symptoms of the disorder since childhood, and you must show signs of impairment in two areas of your lives, like in your relationships, finances, or career. With this in mind, your doctor will take a detailed history to determine if you have ADHD.

• Academic and social history: Your doctor will ask you to detail your academic and social history. You will be asked to fill out a questionnaire to find out if you had symptoms early on in life. You may be asked to provide report cards from your early academic years, and your parents or siblings will be asked to contribute their recollections as well. You'll also be asked if anyone in your family has ADHD or exhibited similar symptoms, since it's believed that genes play a role.
• Job performance: Job performance reviews will be requested, and your job history will be evaluated. Your spouse, partner, siblings or friends may also be asked to contribute to the evaluation.
• Physical tests: Your doctor may suggest you also undergo a physical exam to rule out medical illnesses.
• Psychiatric evaluation: You may be given psychological tests, like an IQ test or those that help spot learning disabilities. Finally, your doctor will look for other psychiatric disorders that could be causing your symptoms. Your doctor will also check to see if you have any signs of substance abuse.

A diagnosis of ADHD is based on specific guidelines issued by the American Psychiatric Association. Your doctor will consider the number and severity of symptoms, their duration, and the degree to which they affect your life. These guidelines indicate you must show signs of impairment in two areas of your life in order to be diagnosed with ADHD.

Treating Adults with ADHD

Treating ADHD in adults is similar in many ways to treating it in children. Medications can help most adults with ADHD, some will benefit from counseling, or behavioral therapy, but the best treatment is typically a combination of both medication and counseling.

Medications

The same drugs used for treating children with ADHD are effective in treating adults with the disorder. Work with your doctor to determine the benefits and risks of medication, and to determine which may be most appropriate for you.

Stimulants. Stimulants are usually the first drug of choice for adults with ADHD, and it is believed they help regulate neurotransmitters in the brain and boost attention while lowering impulsivity tendencies. Individuals may respond differently to various stimulants and dosages, so you'll have to work closely with your doctor to find the best drug and most effective dose for you. These drugs have been studied for a long time and they usually work well for many people. But for those who may have addiction problems, your doctor may turn to non-stimulant drugs to treat your ADHD because they can be abused.

Side effects include:

• anxiety
• high blood pressure
• glaucoma
• hyperthyroidism
• heart disease

Because of these possible side effects, your doctor will ask about your heart health and may run some screening tests before starting you on a stimulant therapy.

NRIs or Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors. Another type of drug used in treating ADHD in adults is NRIs or norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. These are usually prescribed for people who may have concerns about addiction or other side effects related to stimulants.

Side effects including:

• headaches
• sleepiness
• irritability

Anti-depressants. Anti-depressants are also used to help adults with ADHD. Since many adults who have the disorder also experience depression or anxiety, these drugs can help ease those problems. Antidepressants may be used in combination with another drug therapy for ADHD.

Counseling

Many adults with ADHD find counseling to be an effective form of treatment for the condition. Counseling can involve individual therapy, marriage or family therapy, or behavioral therapy.

• Individual therapy. Individual, or "talk therapy," helps adults whose ADHD causes feelings of underachieving, inadequacy, anxiety, or self-esteem issues. It can also help you better understand the disorder and its role in your life.
• Marriage or family counseling. Marriage or family counseling may be helpful since many adults with ADHD experience problems in relationships. This counseling can also help a spouse or family members better understand the disorder and heal old wounds.
• Behavioral therapy. Behavioral therapy involves working with a professional who can help you develop strategies for coping with specific symptoms, build new skills for organization, manage time more effectively, and find new methods for interacting with others. You can also work with a life coaches who can help you learn ways to manage your time.

Remember that no one treatment is going to work for everyone. And, the best treatment for adults with ADHD is usually a combination of counseling and medication.