Living with Adult ADHD

Who do you think of when you think of someone with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? Many think of a hyperactive, loud child with a whirlwind of energy. However, for children with ADHD, approximately half will find that the symptoms of ADHD persist into adulthood. For these adults, the symptoms may even get more intense in the face of life’s increasing pressures and demands.

Adults with ADHD struggle daily with regulating their attention, their impulse to talk and act, and their emotions. Adults with ADHD have trouble:

• Staying focused
• Getting organized
• Starting and completing work
• Managing time and money
• Remembering all the little things in their daily life

If you are living with unrecognized and untreated ADHD, the disorder can take its toll – the never-ending to-do list, missing deadlines, and forgetting appointments. On top of all that, friends and family members may become increasingly aggravated if they don’t understand why you just can’t seem to “pull it together.”

The good news is that life doesn’t have to be this way. Treatment can go a long way toward getting adult ADHD in check. But before you can manage the problem, you must identify it. This starts with understanding what adult ADHD looks like. Adults with ADHD may face the following issues:

• Activation: Organizing, prioritizing, and starting tasks
• Focus: Sustaining focus and resisting distraction
• Effort: Getting motivated, sustaining the effort, and persisting
• Emotion: Regulating emotions and managing stress
• Memory: Maintaining short-term memory and difficulty with memory retrieval
• Action: Keeping in check one’s self-control and self-regulation

Effects of Adult ADHD

Left untreated, ADHD can disrupt everything from your career to your personal life to your financial stability.

Work

ADHD can be a big stumbling block on the road to success in your career. The symptoms of disorganization and inattention, in particular, can pose problems in the workplace. Symptoms of adult ADHD may manifest themselves by:

• Being late to work a lot
• Missing or forgetting deadlines and meetings
• Having a hard time organizing projects
• Having a hard time delegating work
• Having trouble completing projects on time
• Spending hours at work, but getting very little done
• Getting distracted by trivial tasks while neglecting the most important ones
• Having trouble paying attention in meetings or in conversations

Relationships

ADHD can put a strain on relationships. The disorder can be particularly hard on romantic relationships. The spouse or partner without ADHD may feel resentful if he or she is the one who frequently has to take care of all the household responsibilities, such as planning, organizing, cleaning, and bill paying. If you have adult ADHD, you may resent your partner’s constant nagging to tidy up, get organized, pay attention, and so on. Friends and family members may also take things personally, such as when you forget conversations or commitments, speak a little too bluntly, or keep them waiting.

Finances

Certain symptoms of ADHD, such as procrastination, disorganization, and impulsivity, can interfere with good money management. If you have ADHD, you may find yourself:

• Forgetting to pay bills
• Running up balances on your credit cards
• Unable to save money
• Unable to follow through on long-term financial goals
• Shopping impulsively
• Having difficulty keeping financial paperwork in order
• Failing at budgeting and recordkeeping

Managing Adult ADHD

Diagnosis of ADHD in an adult is not easy, and should be made by a licensed clinician with expertise in ADHD. However, once you know you have ADHD, you can start to deal with its effects and manage the symptoms more effectively. There are dozens of self-help methods for getting organized, becoming more efficient, and improving your interactions with people. By taking advantage of these, you may become more productive in many areas of your life.

For adults with ADHD, life can seem overwhelming. Many adults with ADHD often exhibit a lot of creativity and imagination. And it’s with these qualities that many may find the seeds of skills and practices that can bring order to their world.

Managing adult ADHD is, to a certain degree, a process of self-help. Remember, ADHD is not a character flaw or something you caused. Think of it as an explanation instead of an excuse. You still have to take care of your family, keep the house in order, get your work done, and pay the bills. It’s a challenge, but by recognizing your strengths, you can use them to develop skills to help you work better, be more organized, and interact with people more effectively.

Treatment of ADHD

Medications for ADHD may help reduce the symptoms of distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. However, medication doesn’t cure ADHD. It may relieve symptoms while you’re taking it, but once you stop, the symptoms return. Also, ADHD medication works better for some than for others; some people experience dramatic improvement while others experience only slight changes. As with any medication, ADHD medication should be taken under the supervision of a licensed health professional.

Because each person responds differently to medication for ADHD, its use should always be personalized and closely monitored by a doctor. When medication for ADHD is less carefully monitored, it is less effective and more risky. Medication often is most effective when combined with other therapies that address emotional and behavioral issues.

In addition to medication, adults with ADHD may also benefit from a other treatments. These include behavioral coaching, individual therapy, self-help groups, vocational counseling, and educational assistance. Remember, if you have adult ADHD, you’re not “immature” or “lazy;” rather, you have a condition that can be treated. And you’re not alone. Talk to your doctor about ADHD – it’s the first step in taking control of your life.

For more information on adult ADHD, please visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/index.shtml.