Treating the Symptoms of ADHD In Adults

Children who are struggling to pay attention or run around yelling may come to mind when people think of the term attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD. Did you know that in the United States, more than four percent of adults have it? ADHD in adults is far less likely to be diagnosed or receive treatment.

Interestingly, ADHD only occurs in adults who have the condition when children. Studies show that on average about forty percent of children with ADHD outgrow it, and this leaves the remaining sixty percent who must deal with it as adults. ADHD is found equally among men and women.

As there is no cure for ADHD if you are diagnosed with it, you must work together to make a personalized treatment plan. Symptoms of ADHD in adults include finding it difficult to finish work on time, organize tasks, remember information, follow directions or concentrate.

Symptoms manifest on a spectrum from mild to severe and may also change with time. However, they often cause difficulties and require close management in each part of the life of the individual, whether at home, work, or school.

Many adults will have adapted to their condition and learned ways to manage ADHD, but if you are undiagnosed and expect you have it then it may be worth exploring a treatment plan. Many adults who have ADHD grow their strengths and live healthy and fulfilled lives.

Common symptoms of ADHD in adults

People who struggle with ADHD often experience trouble with the following:

• An unhealthy and low self-esteem.
• Having variable moods.
• Being disorganized and not being able to organize well.
• Disquiet and worry.
• Being bored.
• Always being late and forgetting things.
• Feeling depressed.
• Finding it hard to concentrate while reading.
• Controlling their anger.
• Often experiencing problems at work.
• Being impulsive.
• Having a low tolerance for frustration.
• Procrastinating.
• Having trouble with their relationship.
• Substance abuse or addiction.
• Having low motivation.

These feelings may affect some in an intense chronic way, but others may experience mild symptoms. The amount of time experiencing the symptoms can also vary from all the time to being triggered by different situations.

This can be seen in that symptoms of ADHD in adults are different according to the individual, and if they are interested or excited about what they are doing, some are better able to concentrate, however, others will experience having a short attention span regardless of the circumstance.

To better cope with ADHD, some people may look for stimulation, while others will avoid it, it can also present opposite reactions in terms of socializing – with some being very social and others being withdrawn.

School and work experiences have some common symptoms of ADHD in adults. In school, these would include having a history of underachieving and not doing well, having to repeat a year of schooling, dropping out of school, and getting into a lot of trouble.

Sufferers are more likely to frequently change jobs, perform poorly, be less happy with their jobs, and have fewer successes at work.

Our behavior is not simply limited to our past at school or current reality at work but in every area of our lives. Look at the following lists and see whether common factors are shared with your own experience or those you care about:

• A motorist receives more speeding tickets, is involved in more motor car accidents, and has his or her license suspended.
• Smoking cigarettes, and using alcohol and drugs to self-medicate.
• Having less money.
• Acknowledging that they suffer from depression and anxiety.
• Experiencing relationship problems and becoming separated and divorced more often than the average of fifty percent.

Diagnosing symptoms of adult ADHD

A psychiatrist with experience in diagnosing and treating people with ADHD may require you to get a physical exam to make sure there are no other medical problems that may result in similar symptoms.

The doctor may take some blood and run tests and recommend some psychological testing. They will also certainly ask about your health history – with the established knowledge that ADHD does not develop for the first time in adults, they will ask about your behavior and symptoms that you may have experienced when you were a child.

School report cards, comments on previous behavior problems, and whether you have a poor focus or underachieve compared to your potential are all areas they may ask about. There is also a possibility that they will ask you to speak with your parents to discuss any symptoms that you may have had during childhood.

Symptoms of ADHD in adults will include historical symptoms of having trouble getting along with others when they were children or experiencing difficulties in school. Your parents may remember the years that the teachers placed you at the front of the class or had to work especially hard with you.

Knowing whether another person in your family has ADHD is helpful information as the trend is for ADHD to run in families.

Treating the symptoms of ADHD in adults

A treatment plan will often include a mix of medication, and therapy, as well as awareness of ADHD and the support of family. These are a powerful combination of factors that can help any adult sufferer to find new habits and behaviors to make daily life easier, and for a person’s general wellness to be significantly improved.

As people who suffer from ADHD often have other conditions such as learning disabilities, mood disorders, or dependencies on alcohol or drugs, the treatment must be advised by a medical professional with a full understanding of all aspects of your health.

Different types of therapy and behavioral treatments

When speaking with a trained medical professional, it may well be beneficial to discuss some of the following as part of a treatment plan, such as the following.

• Cognitive and behavioral therapy assists with improving self-esteem.
• The benefits of relaxation training and stress management to decrease anxiety and stress.
• Getting help to set new goals and to learn to stay organized at home and work through life coaching.
• Asking someone to coach or mentor you at work to help you grow your working relationships and also improve your performance.
• Creating opportunities for your family and support network to understand ADHD better so ways can be found together to reduce its effect.

Often the symptoms of ADHD in adults mean that simple tasks like grocery shopping or paying bills may feel overwhelming. While anyone may experience fluctuations in their mood and a lack of focus, ADHD sufferers deal with these each day.

And while medication and treatment can improve your focus, helpful behavior to improve your standard of living while suffering from ADHD include taking medication as directed and developing the habit of organization for the benefit of you and your family.

In becoming organized, develop the habit of using a quiet time in the day, perhaps late afternoon or in the evening, to write down the tasks for the following day, and then decide on the order you will complete them. One piece of advice is to alternate the items between those that interest you and those which do not to help your brain stay engaged.

A daily planner is a very useful tool, as are reminder apps, leaving notes for yourself, and setting an alarm clock when you need to remember an appointment.

Have a firm understanding that your awareness of time is not the same as it is for other people – and because your brain is wired differently it may take you longer to complete tasks. This is perfectly fine, and it falls to you to create a realistic time frame for daily tasks.

Important in this is building in breaks so that you can work well and consistently throughout the day.

Practice deep breathing to help you slow down on your impulsive reaction to interrupt or become quick to anger. In this pause caused by a deep, slow breath you may find that your impulse passes as quickly as it appeared.

Be ruthless in your elimination of distractions. This comes with the ability to prioritize. If noises distract you, such as co-workers’ discussions or nearby music, use noise-canceling headphones.

Being able to place your phone on silent and check it, and your email no more than three to five times a day is also very effective. Imagine the distraction of a mailman delivering mail 150 times each day, the time it would take to stop what you are doing to attend to receive new parcels. By repeatedly checking our phones throughout the day, many of us effectively break our concentration that many times.

Can you close the door in the room where you are working? Do so. Work in a space that will help you focus.

If your house is cluttered, this visual stimulation also serves as a distraction for your brain. If you need the help of a friend to get you started, ask for their help.

One way to reduce clutter is to try to go paperless at home; take your name off mail subscriptions and pay bills online. An under-the-bed container and other storage devices can be very helpful and by staying organized you reduce the time required to tidy up.

Christian counseling to help with ADHD symptoms

If you’re looking for additional help to cope with symptoms of ADHD in adults and the effects it has beyond this article, browse our online counselor directory, or contact our office to schedule an appointment.