22 Jan Adult ADHD Has Many Faces

For many adults, while their attention deficit disorder went undiagnosed throughout their childhood, they likely suspected that their cognitive functioning was somehow different than their peers.  Instead of diagnosing and addressing the ADHD (previously called ADD), often parents and teachers may have called these young students dreamers, slackers, troublemakers or unintelligent.

As these young people move from college to adulthood, they may find that their symptoms increase.  Because of greater demands on their time and abilities — pursuing a career, raising a family, running a household — the demand to stay organized and focused also increases.  It can seem like an insurmountable task, but the symptoms of ADHD can be conquered.  The first step is to correctly diagnosis the disorder, which at times can be difficult because adult ADHD can present different symptoms for each individual.

The obvious

Adults with ADHD often have difficulty staying focused on daily tasks, becoming easily distracted by sights, sounds and thoughts.  These individuals can also become bored quickly or struggle with “shiny object syndrome”.  They can find themselves:

• late to events and meetings.
• losing things on a daily or hourly basis.
• overlooking details and making careless errors.
• struggling with partners who complain that they don’t listen.
• letting their minds wander in the middle of a conversation.
• getting distracted by sounds.
• struggling to complete tasks and finish projects.
• disorganized and always in a state of chaos.
• struggling with prioritization of projects and tasks.

Hyper-focus

Many people can actually become hyper-focused or super-focused on a task or challenge that they find interesting, such as playing video games or becoming engrossed in a good book.  This is one way that individuals cope with high levels of distraction; they simply eliminate everything but the task at hand.  While this can be a valuable tool when channeled into productive activities, it can also lead to work and relationship problems when people completely lose track of time and avoid the things they are supposed to be doing.

Depression

Many adults with ADHD have a hard time managing their feelings, especially when it comes to emotions like anger or frustration. Depression is estimated to be 2.7 times more prevalent among adults with attention deficit than among the general adult population.  Symptoms which indicate depression can include difficulty staying motivated, a sense of underachievement or frequently being easily flustered and anxious.

Anger and irritability

Because of their high levels of frustration, many people with adult ADHD can become angry quickly, often not in proportion to the incident.  Later they feel badly, saying that they have no control over their emotions. Conversely, their anger can fade as quickly as it comes on.

Reckless and impulsive actions

ADHD symptoms can make some people more likely to speed, have traffic accidents, and lose their driver’s licenses.  For young men, this is especially problematic with sports and other group activities that can quickly take a wrong turn with poor judgment.  They experience an adrenaline rush that seems to make them feel better but can also lead to trouble.

Insomnia/trouble relaxing

Children who struggle with attention deficit are often in constant motion.  Later, in adulthood, those symptoms transition into restlessness or an inability to relax. Sometimes partners will describe these individuals as always tense or wound too tight.

Self-medicated

Given the complicated nature of ADHD, as well as the variety of symptoms, it’s no wonder that many individuals will find ways to self-medicate to overcome these difficulties.  Some people will consume large amounts of caffeine to stay stimulated, but this can cause a rebound effect such as irritability, anxiety, restlessness, and insomnia.  Additionally, many will turn to drugs and alcohol to mask feelings of inadequacy, frustration and depression.

If you struggle with two or more of the areas listed above, you owe it to yourself to get a full diagnostic work up from a specialist.  Contact the team at the Institute for Advanced Medical Research to learn more about this disorder and to learn about the advances in medical research that are ongoing at clinics around the world. Reach them at 770-817-9200 or www.IAMResearch.org.