Symptoms

To be diagnosed with adult ADHD you need to have symptoms of ADHD, have had those symptoms since childhood, and be impaired by those symptoms in everyday life (1). Symptoms of ADHD are grouped into inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. See official list of symptoms from the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders (IV) here. An adult with ADHD may experience these symptoms in a variety of ways, such as:

Trouble with organizing and planning due to:

  • Becoming easily bored
  • Having problems reading for a long time or doing paperwork
  • Excessive procrastination
  • Making decisions ‘on the go’ and regretting them later

Having problems with friendships or relationships due to:

  • Not being able to follow through on commitments
  • Poor listening skills
  • Blurting things out that you regret later

These types of problems can lead to larger issues, such as:

  • Dropping out of education
  • Trouble holding down a job
  • Trouble managing money
  • Difficulty organizing your home
  • A feeling a life being chaotic or out of control

Problems with attention are the most commonly reported of the symptoms of ADHD in adulthood. While the symptoms of hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to decline with age, inattention can be persistent over time (2). While many of us may feel that we can relate to these symptoms, it is important to understand that individuals with ADHD are significantly impaired by these symptoms in areas of their life. For example, they may get fired from jobs or be unable to study. Adults with ADHD may also have other mental health issues at the same time. Some of the more common issues people with ADHD experience are:

  • Depression – depression is characterised by feelings of sadness, feeling of worthlessness, inappropriate guilt, changes to your sleeping pattern, feeling like you don’t want to do anything, or crying for no reason.
  • Anxiety – anxiety disorders are characterised by feelings of excessive worry. This can be about something specific (a phobia) or life in general.
  • Substance abuse – substance abuse describes excessive use of a mind altering substance such as alcohol, inhalants such as glue, or illicit drugs.

You can get a valid online screening test for ADHD here.

References:

(1) American Psychiatric Association (1994). Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

(2) Bieder, J., Mick, E., Faraone, S. (2000). Age-dependant decline of symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: impact of remission definition and symptom type. American Journal of Psychiatry, 157(5). 816-818.

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