ADHD Symptoms in Adults
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder that is usually only associated with children and teenagers and causes people to have a hard time focusing. Despite its childhood image, the disorder affects many adults and children who are diagnosed with it generally continue to experience its symptoms throughout their entire lives.
Other People Are Reading
-
History
-
ADHD was originally defined in 1968 by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders as the hyperkinetic reaction of childhood. The named was modified to "attention deficit disorder with or without hyperactivity" in 1980 as doctors were increasingly diagnosing adults with the disorder. The disorder typically first appears during childhood before the age of 7
and then continues on through a person's entire life, although the symptoms can actually become worse as a person gets older.
Identification
-
The symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults usually include difficulty focusing, lack of motivation to finish projects or complete tasks at work, problems managing time properly and forgetting small details. Many adults also experience an inability to pay attention during long conversations or conversations that occur among many people at once.
-
Effects
-
The symptoms of ADHD lead to restlessness and trouble relaxing, rapid speech patterns that others can find hard to understand, frequently changing the subject during conversations without warning and unpredictable changes in mood. The symptoms can also cause problems at work due to forgetting appointments, missing deadlines or consistently being late.
Misconceptions
-
Adults can develop attention disorder symptoms even if they were never diagnosed with ADHD by a doctor during childhood. ADHD does not just affect attention span or memory but also frequently affects a person's eating habits. Adults with ADHD are known to forget to eat for long periods of times, which can lead to binge eating later, or constant overeating throughout the course of the day.
Prevention/Solution
-
Contact a medical physician or psychiatrist if you experience any of the symptoms of ADHD and they can determine if you have actually have the disorder. Psychiatrists can help you overcome the symptoms of ADHD by working with you through behavioral therapy and social skills training. Your physician can also prescribe medication which help with the symptoms but will not cure the disorder. There are also support groups available to assist in organizing your daily routine and provide group therapy.
-
