Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, refers to a chronic condition in which a person has troubles with paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsiveness. For most people, ADHD initiates during adolescence and continues into adulthood. By the age of 25, almost 15% of people diagnosed with ADHD.
It may contribute to troubles in relationships, low self-esteem and difficulties at work and in school. The exact cause for the condition is not narrowed down but it’s usually hereditary. Treatments like medication and therapy help but this condition cannot be cure completely. This condition needs to be medically diagnosed.
The symptoms of ADHD differ between age groups. It not very hard to spot ADHD in kids but with adults, the symptoms can be very subtle – they may be suffering from ADHD but not know that they’re suffering from it.
Here are the ways to spot ADHD in adults:
1. Inability to stay organized:
Adults with ADHD find it hard to being organized and prioritizing tasks. They’re often very messy, extremely cluttered and find it hard in getting organized. They tend to procrastinate on important projects or tasks, trouble in finishing projects they’ve taken up and often misplace things.
2. Inattention:
Adults with ADHD often tend to forget important dates, deadlines, appointments. They are often careless and miss out on the important details. They often face problems keeping track of the ongoing conversation and can get easily distracted by background noises or activities.
3. Impulsivity:
People suffering from ADHD tend to act very impulsively and this causes them to lose self-control. They may act without thinking or considering the outcomes of one’s actions, talk out of chance, rush through projects or tasks. Being patient is very difficult for them. They also tend to make life lasting decisions in a matter of minutes and change jobs often.
4. Hyperactivity:
Hyperactivity in adults with ADHD makes them have racing thoughts, crave thrill and excitement, may cause them to take on excess risk. It also causes them to constantly fidget and find it problematic in sitting still.
5. Emotional difficulty:
Adults with ADHD find it hard to control their emotions. They often get easily stressed out or flustered and get irritated very quickly. They experience excessive anger which cause them to become explosive. They suffer from low self esteem and experience low motivation levels. They’re also very sensitive and do not take criticism well.
Overall, hyperactivity seems to diminish with age however, inattention tends to be a lifelong tendency. Problems or conditions namely, depression or dyslexia, if experienced by children with ADHD can also continue into adulthood.