Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is a diagnosis often heard among parents discussing their children. It is often easy to detect children with ADHD, but for adults the symptoms aren’t so noticeable. The result – adults may find themselves struggling with tasks likes organization, motivation, and timeliness and never know why. If you suspect you have ADHD, isn’t it time to find out for sure and get the help you need? An experienced medical professional can diagnose the issue and recommend a treatment plan to help.
Not sure if you’re ready to see a doctor, these ADHD Adult warning signs can help you decide.
Childhood Behavioral Issues
If you had issues with paying attention and concentrating in school, you may have had ADHD and never been formally diagnosed. Often children with ADHD are accused of laziness and some are even believed to be depressed or stressed. Those diagnosed with ADHD as a child may still have the condition as an adult though the symptoms may be different.
Not a Good Listener?
Those with adult ADHD are often accused of not listening. It is often a matter of losing focus when another person, a television, or something else distracts you and grabs your attention. Another clue here is missing meetings, appointments, and the like because you didn’t hear the time, place, or even the request to be present. If you find yourself zoning out in conversations, business meetings, or class, you may be showing signs of ADHD.
Organization Fails?
Adult ADHD often manifest in the inability to be organized. It could be at work with projects, at home with bills, or simply being unable to coordinate family activities and outings.
Forgetful Much?
While nearly everyone misplaces car keys, cell phones, and glasses, if forgetfulness seems to happen frequently for you, it could be a sign of Adult ADHD. In addition to forgetting where you left items in your home or office, forgetfulness can also manifest in the form of missing work deadlines, doctor’s appointments, failing to pay bills, and forgetting to return phone calls.
Restless?
While in children ‘hyperactive’ is often the label attached to ADHD, for adults this may present as restlessness or difficulty relaxing. If you find yourself unable to relax and unwind or constantly on edge, it might be one of the signs of Adult ADHD.
Easily Distracted?
Going hand in hand with difficulty listening, being easily distracted is often found in those with Adult ADHD. Today’s fast paced lifestyles make distraction easy, but if you find your distractibility is causing you difficulty achieving your goals at work, school, or home, it could be ADHD. Other common related signs in this area are the inability to complete projects, problems focusing for long periods of time, and lack of attention to detail. Being easily distracted, difficulty focusing, and lack of attention can indicate ADHD or other disorders. A visit to the doctor can determine if ADHD is the cause.
Late All the Time?
While being late could simply be habitual, being challenged at time management is also a symptom of ADHD. Missing deadlines and appointments can be a result of distraction, but for those with ADHD is often caused by the inability to correctly calculate the time need to complete a task, whether it is getting to an appointment on time or completing a work project.
Procrastinating?
Like children with ADHD often try to avoid their homework, those with Adult ADHD do the same with any task that requires focus and attention – from workplace projects to home improvements to conflict resolution with friends and family. Difficulty in starting a project as well as completing it are hallmarks of ADHD.
Your Diagnosis
A single of these signs or symptoms is not enough to declare you have Adult ADHD. But if you exhibit one or more, it might be time to call on your doctor to uncover the reason. Diagnosis and treatment are readily available.