ADHD Symptoms and Treatment in Adults
Many adults find that they have trouble keeping up with their daily activities often expressing frustration and mood swings. If you suspect you have ADHD you should consult your primary care physician or a mental health professional for an assessment.
The criteria used to diagnose adult ADHD is the same as that for children The symptoms must be present over 6 months and not better explained by medical disorders or conditions.
Attention-deficit Symptoms
Many people with ADHD struggle to complete homework, work or household chores. They often miss appointments, fail to pay bills on time, and have difficulty maintaining relationships with friends and family. They are more likely than others to lose their possessions or make a mistake that could have grave consequences.
If you are having trouble managing your personal or professional affairs, consider talking to your health care provider. Your primary care doctor can evaluate your situation and refer you to a mental health professional when appropriate.
Inattentive ADHD is often misunderstood. People with inattentive ADHD are not always attentive when they are spoken to and tend to forget quickly or are frequently distracted by irrelevant thoughts. They might have difficulty staying on task, make mistakes or struggle to follow directions. They also have trouble keeping their hands off their face or may seem shaky or fidgety.
Inattentive symptoms may lead to failure in school or at work, which can cause anger and shame for the affected. They can also cause issues with relationships with friends, family and co-workers.
The diagnosis of ADHD is based on the assessment of the clinical. This involves an interview with the patient and a review of past behavior. They often require the patient to fill out a questionnaire about their symptoms and may conduct tests for medical reasons to rule out physical or mental health conditions that share similar symptoms. The symptoms of ADHD must be evident consistently prior to 12 years of age to be able to determine if it is an assessment.
Adults with inattention ADHD may benefit from psychotherapy and lifestyle modifications to ease their symptoms. These treatments include behavioral therapy, medication and psychoeducation for families. Psychotherapy is a form of counseling that helps patients to develop new skills, attitudes, and ways to interact with other people. The use of behavioral therapy can help decrease impulsive, self-destructive behavior, increase organizational skills, and increase confidence.
People with inattentive ADHD might find it beneficial to talk about their issues with a trusted family member or therapist. Teachers, supervisors, and co-workers may be able to offer accommodations. Accommodations are a way of making changes in the workplace that permit disabled people to do the same tasks as everyone else, such as using a step stool for those who are short.
Hyperactive symptoms
Adults can exhibit different symptoms than children. Adult symptoms are less obvious. While children may be agitated and tense adults are less and less talkative. They might forget about tasks or tasks, lose track of time or place and make a few erroneous mistakes. They might also feel stimulated and have trouble sitting still, even while sitting down to a meal or in class. They might interrupt others or shout out answers before being asked an answer, or struggle to keep their place in conversations or games.
There are many illnesses that can cause these symptoms. A full psychiatric evaluation is required to determine the root of the symptoms and determine the most effective treatment. This could include psychotherapy, medications and lifestyle adjustments. This can include an improved diet, more exercise, and an improved sleep schedule. This could include making adjustments to work or school assignments, and utilizing aidive tools like calendars, planners, and smartphone apps.
It is important to discuss your concerns with your family doctor or primary healthcare provider if you suspect you may have ADHD. The How to Talk to Your Provider factsheet from NIMH provides tips on how to talk with your provider about mental issues.
It is important to understand that to be considered diagnosed with ADHD symptoms must be present in at least two or more environments and have a significant impact on everyday life. To be considered a candidate they must be present at least six month. Your provider will evaluate you to see if you have the inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms of ADHD.
Alongside lifestyle changes and accommodations, there are medications that can ease your symptoms of ADHD. treatment for inattentive adhd in adults are known as stimulants. They work by reorganizing the brain's signals that influence your mood, attention and behavior. Your doctor will prescribe the right dosage of the medication to you and monitor your response to treatment. You might be prescribed a non-stimulant medicine in the event of a recurring side effects, if the stimulant isn't working, or is used in conjunction with stimulants to increase the effectiveness of treatment.
Instinctive Symptoms
People who are inattentive ADHD are more likely to lose their keys or cellphones. If it's a case of doodles in class or losing track of time during a meeting, people with inattention ADHD are more difficult to keep track of tasks, organize their materials and complete their projects. As adults, the result could be a million unfinished projects around the house: unpaid bills, messy homes, and the vegetable garden that was planted but never watered.
The impulsive symptoms of ADHD can create problems in many areas of our lives, but specifically in relationships. People with impulsive ADHD are usually fast-paced and crave immediate satisfaction. They might be quick to enter social situations without planning ahead or take risks that could lead to negative consequences. In addition, impulsive people might react in a emotionally or stressful situations. For instance, someone might become highly annoyed or defensive during arguments with family members or friends.
To determine if you have one of the two forms of ADHD the health care professional specializing in mental disorders should review the medical history of a patient and conduct an examination. The doctor will also inquire about how symptoms affect your home, work, and relationships. In order to be diagnosed with either type of ADHD, a person must have six or more of the nine main symptoms and the symptoms must interfere with daily functioning for at least six months (American Association for Psychiatric Research 2000).
Psychostimulants are the most effective treatment for ADHD. They affect the way certain chemicals communicate with each other in the brain to regulate behavior. The most well-known stimulant is methylphenidate. It was initially used to treat ADHD among children. The medication might not be suitable for people with other health conditions, such as high blood pressure or depression It is therefore important to discuss your medication with your physician. In addition to medications, psychotherapy may help reduce impulsive and distracting symptoms. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is focused on helping individuals recognize unintentional or irrational thoughts which can trigger negative behavior, and develop strategies of self-regulation.
Combined Symptoms
Adults who experienced ADHD as children could experience symptoms that come back in adulthood. They may experience mild, moderate, or severe symptoms that interfere with school, work and social interactions. They also may have other mental health problems like depression or anxiety, which require treatment. Some adults may also have learning disabilities, which make it difficult to understand or follow instructions in offices and classrooms.
Symptoms of the inattentive type of ADHD aren't as easy to see in adults but they do affect how people function at home and work. This type of ADHD makes it difficult for people to stay focused during business meetings or college lectures. They might also have difficulty keeping up with their work and assignments. They may forget deadlines or appointments, and then lose the track of their belongings. They might also have trouble following conversations or listening music. They are more prone to being distracted by people or activities around than most people.
Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms are more common in adults than the inattentive type of the disorder, but they can be difficult to diagnose in adults, too. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV TR) has a criterion for diagnosing the disorder that includes symptoms that start before age 12, occur in multiple settings and lead to impairment across multiple domains like school and in relationships.
To qualify for a diagnosis of hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, people must have six or more symptoms that have persisted for at least six months. The symptoms must have manifested before the age of 12 years old and continue at home, at school, as well as in other work and social situations.
There's no known cause of ADHD however, researchers are studying environmental and genetic factors that may play a role. According to research, people with ADHD may have difficulty regulating certain brain chemicals, including neurotransmitters which can regulate mood, attention and behavior.
Talk to your primary health care provider if you exhibit indications of ADHD. Your doctor can conduct a physical examination and refer you to an assessment by a mental health professional. Psychotherapy and medications are usually utilized to treat ADHD, including stimulants that increase the levels of certain brain chemicals. Amphetamines, methylphenidate, and other stimulants are used. It is important to inform your doctor about any other medication you take, including supplements and vitamins. The FDA's website for medication contains information about approved medications along with warnings and information guides.