Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins in childhood and continues into adolescence and adulthood. The long-held belief that ADHD was only a childhood disorder has led to limited research on adult characteristics and difficulties in diagnosis.
ADHD symptoms in adults include:
- •Forgetfulness: Frequently losing belongings, forgetting appointments
- •Difficulty starting tasks: Constant tendency to procrastinate
- •Time management difficulties: Inability to accurately estimate time, being chronically late
- •Impulsivity: Inability to wait turns, interrupting others
- •Emotional dysregulation: Sudden anger outbursts, easily feeling frustrated
- •Difficulty focusing: Distractibility, missing details
- •Restlessness: Inability to sit still, being constantly on the move
For an adult ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must have been present since childhood. Treatment may include a combination of medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.