When we think about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, also known as ADHD, we may have an image of a child or teen, but ADHD can impact adults as well. ADHD is a neurological disorder that is commonly signalized by patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. When left untreated, ADHD can interfere with your work, home life, and relationships.
Historically, ADHD was looked at as a childhood condition; however, it is now known that this condition can persist into adulthood. Individuals with ADHD can receive a diagnosis in childhood or adulthood. With that being said, many adults with ADHD may never receive a diagnosis as medical professionals believe that ADHD is largely under diagnosed in adults.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, and couples with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, Florida, North Carolina, and Utah.
What is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
Many people have heard of ADHD. You may think of a nephew who has ADHD and has trouble paying attention. Maybe you think of a friend who is hyperactive or impulsive. Not as known to many people is that adults can have ADHD too. It is estimated that 4 percent to 5 percent of adults in the United States have ADHD.
What causes ADHD?
The exact cause of ADHD is not known. It is thought that a combination of factors is to be responsible for ADHD.
Genetics or Heredity
ADHD is a heritable condition. For example, it is estimated that nearly half of parents with ADHD will have a child with ADHD. If you have a child with ADHD, read our blog “Parenting A Child With ADHD” for some support and guidance.
The way that ADHD is inherited is complex, and is not driven by one single genetic fault.
Environmental Factors
Several studies have shown that exposure to extreme stress and trauma can increase the risk and/or severity of ADHD symptoms.
Brain Function and Structure
Brain injury or additional events that impact your central nervous system during development may play a primary role in the development of ADHD.
It is important to note that adult ADHD studies are still ongoing. As of now, some studies involving brain scans have shown that certain areas of the brain may be smaller in people with ADHD, while other areas may be larger.
Additional studies have shown that people with ADHD may have an imbalance in the level of neurotransmitters in the brain. If that is not the case, then studies have hypothesized that these chemicals may not work properly.
ADHD is not caused by a poor diet, not enough exercise, excessive screen time and so on although these factors can make ADHD symptoms worse in some people.
What does ADHD look like in adults?
ADHD in adults generally resembles common signs of ADHD in children. It is important to note that symptom intensity can vary, particularly regarding hyperactivity. The severity of ADHD symptoms is known to decrease over time for many people.
What are common symptoms of adult ADHD?
If you have adult ADHD, you may find it difficult to:
Finish work on time
Concentrate
Organize tasks
Remember information
Follow directions
ADHD symptoms can be categorized into two types of behavioral issues:
Inattentiveness (Hard time concentrating and focusing)
Hyperactivity and impulsiveness
Many people with ADHD have symptoms that fall into both of the above categories, but that is not always the case.
Inattention symptoms
Forgetfulness
Poor time management and organizational skills
Difficulty focusing and regulating your attention
Poor attention to detail
Hard time getting started and completing tasks
2. Impulsivity symptoms
Low tolerance for irritation/frustration
Emotional dysregulation
Talking excessively
Restlessness
Fidgeting
Interrupting other people frequently
How are symptoms of adult ADHD different from that of ADHD symptoms for kids and teens?
For adults, ADHD symptoms are not simple to define due to a lack of research on adults with ADHD. Since ADHD is a developmental disorder, it is believed that ADHD must first appear during childhood and/or adolescence before it “appears” during adulthood.
Attentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness impact adults differently than children and teens. For instance, as you age, hyperactivity tends to decrease. On the other hand, areas like inattentiveness tend to remain a peak concern for adults with ADHD.
Generally, symptoms of ADHD in adults tend to be more subtle in comparison to childhood symptoms.
ADHD adult specialists have suggested the following as a list of symptoms specifically associated with adult ADHD…
Continuously losing or misplacing things
Forgetfulness
Poor organizational skills
Mood swings
Irritability and/or a quick temper
Inability to deal with stress (If you are struggling with high stress levels, check out our blog “Everything You Need To Know About Stress Management Therapy”)
Restlessness or edginess
Extreme impatience
Blurting out responses and/or interrupting other people
Starting new tasks before finishing old ones
Carelessness
Lack of attention to detail
Engaging in risky activities (e.g., driving dangerously)
Does adult ADHD coincide with other mental health conditions?
Similarly to ADHD in kids and teens, ADHD in adults can occur along with several other related problems or conditions.
If you have ADHD as an adult, you may also suffer from:
Anxiety (Take our Anxiety Quiz!)
Depression (Take our Depression Quiz!)
Anger issues (If you struggle with this, check out our blog “The Most Important Things You Need To Know About Anger Management”)
Low self-esteem (Read “Do You Understand Your Self-Esteem?” for more information)
Substance abuse and addiction (If you think you may be struggling with addiction, check out our past blog “‘High Functioning Addict’: Spot the Signs and How to Get Help”)
Personality disorders
These additional mental health issues may impact you severely or not at all. These can be problems that are always present or dependent on a certain situation.
For example, let us say that you previously struggled with a vaping addiction. You were able to overcome this addiction but, a stressful situation at work triggers you and you resort back to using your vape. If you are having a hard time battling your vaping addiction, read our recent blog “Am I Addicted to Vaping?”.
It is important to remember that two adults with ADHD are not alike. If you have ADHD, you may be able to concentrate if you are interested in or excited about a certain project. But, some people with ADHD may have trouble concentrating at all times, no matter if they are interested in a task or not.
Some people with ADHD may look for stimulation while others avoid it. Additionally, adults with ADHD can be antisocial and withdrawn. Others may be very social and seek relationships often.
The additional mental health conditions that you may experience alongside ADHD can cause issues that interfere with your daily life, such as difficulties with relationships and social interactions.
ADHD can interfere with multiple areas of your life…
Problems at School:
Adults with ADHD may have…
Dropped out of school
Had to repeat a grade
Gotten in a lot of trouble due to behavioral issues
A history of not performing well academically
2. Problems at Work:
Adults with ADHD are more likely to…
Be less satisfied with their job
Have less successes at work
Change jobs a lot
Perform poorly
3. Problems in Life:
Adults with ADHD are more likely to…
Smoke cigarettes
Have less money
Use alcohol or drugs more often
Have additional mental health complications, like anxiety and depression
4. Relationship Issues:
Adults with ADHD are more likely to:
Have more marital issues
Get separated more often
While these are all complications that may occur from ADHD, it is important to remember that, with the proper treatment plan, you can be in control of your ADHD.
How do I know if I have adult ADHD?
You may be reading through this blog and thinking “I resonate with a lot of these symptoms.” In this case, you may have ADHD but the most important thing to do is to consult a professional who can confirm your suspicion.
A proper diagnosis requires a clinical evaluation by a mental health professional. This includes your personal history and self-reported symptoms.
Some questions a mental health professional may ask you during an intake session are:
Do your behaviors and feelings indicate that you have problems with attention and hyperactivity?
Do you have a difficult time keeping your temper in line or sustaining a good mood?
Do these problems occur when you are at home and/or at work?
Do family members and friends notice these issues?
Have you had these problems since you were a child?
Do you have any health problems that might impact your behavior?
How is adult ADHD treated?
Treatment plans for ADHD can encompass:
Therapy for adult ADHD
Medicine
Education or learning more about ADHD
Getting support from your family members and friends
A combination of the above treatments are most effective when it comes to managing your adult ADHD symptoms. When you utilize the treatments, your day-to-day life becomes easier. This can make you feel better in general and increase your self-confidence. If you want to work on building your self-confidence, read our recent blog “The Ultimate Guide to Building Self-Confidence.”
When you know the whole picture, you can know what is best for you and how to proceed with your adult ADHD treatment plan. For example, your first step could be meeting with an ADHD therapist to confirm that you have ADHD. From there, ADHD therapy can help you learn more about the disorder and how to cope with it.
Does traditional talk therapy for ADHD really work?
Yes! Finding an ADHD therapist who suits your needs is a powerful treatment plan. Traditional talk therapy for adult ADHD can teach about how ADHD works and how you can better deal with the issues that it may create.
A popular form of treatment for adult ADHD is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). If you are interested in learning more about CBT, check out our past blog “What is CBT?”.
How is CBT for adult ADHD organized?
CBT is a form of talk therapy that can help alleviate symptoms of ADHD. Thus, making your issues regarding school, work, and relationships a little bit easier. Whether or not you decide to take medication for your ADHD, CBT is here to help you each step of the way.
What does CBT for ADHD do?
CBT is rooted in the principle that many problems are ignited by false or negative thoughts.
Some examples of negative thoughts you may experience on a daily basis include the following…
“I can never do anything right.”
“Things should be better than they are right now.”
“No one thinks I’m good enough.”
“I’ll never be as good as my co-worker.”
CBT helps you recognize how negative thoughts can create obstacles in your life. Eventually, you will learn how to replace these false thoughts with thoughts based in reality. When you have a positive outlook on life, it makes things easier. It creates an automatic cycle where you are happy and fulfilled and you feel good about yourself, allowing you to accomplish more.
The Process of CBT for Adult ADHD
Your first session, also known as the intake session, is a chance for you to outline your goals with your ADHD therapist. In the first few sessions, you and your ADHD counselor are building rapport, discussing in detail what it is that you want to work on in therapy. You may want to tackle the hardships that come along with ADHD and interfere with your daily life.
Some examples of things you may want to work on in ADHD counseling are…
Learning how to make plans and follow through
Finishing projects that you start
Enhancing your time management skills
Together, you and your adult ADHD therapist will craft and agree on an action plan to help you reach your goals. You may also be assigned “homework assignments” which is to ensure that you are practicing the skills you learn in therapy and applying them to your real life.
An example of a CBT homework assignment would be writing tasks down, setting reminders, and creating a structured schedule. As your ADHD therapist will discuss in more length, it is important to start small so you do not feel overwhelmed. For instance, let us say that you are starting to create a structured schedule to minimize your ADHD symptoms. Instead of trying to strictly follow this schedule seven days a week, you can try it once a week and work your way up from there.
Contrary to popular belief, adults can have ADHD too. If you are struggling, you do not have to treat your condition by yourself. At Anchor Therapy, we have adult ADHD therapists who can help you feel in control of your ADHD by using healthy coping skills and CBT techniques to alleviate your symptoms.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Office Manager at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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