ADHD, or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder in the brain. If you have an ADHD disorder, you may experience several common symptoms that interfere with daily activity.
In this article, we’re taking a look at the common symptoms of ADHD in adults and how ADHD treatment can help.
13 Symptoms of ADHD in Adults
Do you ever feel disorganized or have a hard time following through with projects you start? Do you get bored or distracted easily? Do you have a lot of nervous, pent-up energy?
These are a few signs of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults.
Over 2.5 percent of adults struggle with ADHD, so you are not alone. We have learned that ADHD can begin at any point in a person’s life. It is no longer considered a disorder for children and adolescents.
Because symptoms vary, it’s essential to understand as much as you can about ADHD to avoid a misdiagnosis. Below are 13 signs. If you recognize any or multiple symptoms, reach out to a mental health professional who can properly evaluate you and give an accurate diagnosis, followed by a proven treatment plan.
Forgetfulness
Ever walked into a room and can’t remember why you are there? No, you aren’t losing your mind. However, you may have ADHD. You may also have a lot of stress, which can also lead to memory issues. But with ADHD, you notice this happening even when you aren’t feeling overwhelmed with stress.
Nervous Energy
A symptom of ADHD in adults is what many call nervous energy or restlessness. It can feel as if you have built up energy or anxiety inside your body but have no way of releasing it. You may notice your foot tapping, your body rocking back and forth while everyone else is standing still, chewing your fingernails, and find it very hard to sit still.
Impulsive Behaviors
Impulsiveness is not the same type of ADHD symptom in adults as nervous energy. Impulsiveness involves behaviors that become inappropriate. ADHD impulsivity can include buying items you can’t afford, saying yes to risky behaviors without thinking it through, and rushing through your responsibilities.
Poor Time Management
Being impulsive can hinder time management skills. To be successful in your career and your personal life, managing your time effectively is crucial. If you are an adult with ADHD, you may find yourself always running late and procrastinating on projects.
Hard to Focus
Adults with ADHD may find it hard to stay focused on anything, even the activities they enjoy. This goes hand in hand with your lack of time management abilities. You’re easily distracted, skip over important details, and find it difficult to pay attention to complete instructions. All of this leads to unfinished projects.
Super Focus
For some adults with ADHD, you may also be hyper-focused at times on top of concentration difficulties. Meaning, you get so focused on one thing that you aren’t aware of what is going on around you. You may be working so hard on a project that you don’t realize everyone else has gone home, that you have forgotten to call your family to let them know you would be late, or that you have forgotten to eat.
Lack of Organization Skills
If you find it challenging to stay organized, even though you have made many efforts, you may be struggling with ADHD symptoms. Lack of organization goes right along with lack of time management and the other symptoms listed above. No matter how hard you try, things don’t seem to stay in the right place, your desk becomes messy again, and you start to feel the effects of stress.
Critical of Yourself
Symptoms of ADHD, like the ones listed so far, can make you feel inadequate at times. While this is not true, it still becomes difficult not to criticize yourself. You wonder why you can’t be organized or on time. You start getting angry with yourself for not controlling your impulses or for not being about to focus or remember.
Being critical of yourself and saying negative comments to yourself will only lead to emotional problems.
Emotional Swings
ADHD in adults can make you feel as if you have unexpected mood swings. These mood swings can interfere with your daily functioning. When you feel bored, you get emotionally frustrated and sometimes angry. Other times you may feel emotionally happy and excited, making it hard for you to sit still and stay focused. These swings can also interfere with relationships.
Problems in Relationships
If you are in a relationship with someone who does not have ADHD, they don’t understand why you may seem inattentive, unfocused, or hyperactive. They don’t understand the fluctuations in moods and behaviors. Whether your relationship is with a boss, lover, or friend, you may appear unmotivated to make it work.
Lack of Motivation
Adults with ADHD are not always unmotivated. Many times you feel overwhelmed by the disorganization and inability to stay on track. It’s hard to know how to proceed when you feel hindered by ADHD symptoms. Because you may not know where to start first, you may feel like doing nothing at all is the best solution.
Lowered Physical and Mental Health
Depression, anxiety, aches, pains, and poor eating habits may appear in adults with ADHD. The symptoms listed so far can lead to stress, and stress leads to poor health, both mentally and physically. They can even lead to drug and alcohol abuse.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
For some adults with ADHD, experimenting with drugs and alcohol is typical. For some, they become addicted. This happens because some drugs seem to help reduce ADHD symptoms in the beginning. Some drugs improve concentration; some make you feel calm, some give you energy.
All drug abuse leads to bigger problems, however.
Treatment for ADHD is essential for success in all areas of your life.
Treatment Options for ADHD
If you identify with the symptoms of ADHD in adults listed above, it may be time to explore the benefits of ADHD treatment.
Contact Mental Health Center today to schedule an evaluation. Medication is often used in treating ADHD in both children and adults. That’s because it works, and it works well. However, qualified medical professionals must choose the type and dosage of medicine to ensure you are getting the right medication to control the symptoms causing the most trouble.