We hear so much today about Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) in children, but there isn’t much focus on the disorder in adults. It is known that in about 60% of children with the disorder, ADHD will continue into adulthood. This means that about 8 million adults in the U.S. have adult attention deficit hyperactive disorder. These individuals can have ADHD with out hyperactivity, ADHD with predominant hyperactivity, and ADHD where both inattention and hyperactivity are prominent. Sadly, because there is such a heavy concentration of information relating to children, many adults who have the condition do not even consider it as a cause of some of the problems they have learned to “work around” throughout their lives.

Adult ADHD symptoms may include:

• having trouble following directions, concentrating, and remembering information
• being chronically late
• having employment difficulties due to having a hard time completing tasks on time or organizing assignments
• being impulsive, having low self-esteem, and having anger issues
• procrastination
• experiencing addiction or substance abuse
• having been a “problem child” in school, having had to repeat a grade, or having dropped out of school

How Adults with ADHD are Diagnosed

Researchers agree that adults with ADHD showed varying degrees of behavior impairments or symptoms during their childhoods – ADHD is not something that begins in adulthood. Adult ADHD is diagnosed by reviewing the person’s childhood behavior and/or any disciplinary problems in school and interviewing the person’s parents for signs of symptoms during childhood (examples could be bed-wetting, school suspensions, or problems with their peers). In some cases, adult ADHD sufferers report a family history of ADHD. In addition, psychiatrists review the results of other exams, such as physical exams (MRIs or CT scans, for example) to rule out medical or neurological problems. Also, pyschoeducational tests, such as IQ tests, or assessments may be done to rule out learning disabilities.

Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Treatments

Once ADHD has been confirmed in an adult, ADHD treatment can begin. Often, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is used to build self-esteem. Relaxation therapy can also be used to reduce stress and behavioral coaching can be used to help the person build work and organizational skills and provide them with tools to improve home and work relationships.

In addition to behavior therapies, medications are often used to help the ADHD adult cope with the disorder. Medications such as Ritalin, Concerta, and Adderall, among others, have given patients significant improvement in their symptoms.

How To Live With Adult ADHD

• Take your medications exactly as prescribed
• Work at minimizing daily distractions (for example, wear earplugs to avoid distracting music)
• Develop a hobby or other pastime to help you deal with the excess energy this disorder can bring
• Take charge of impulsive behaviors – try to count to 10 before acting on an impulse or concentrate on breathing slowly to avoid getting angry at someone
• Organize tasks by using a list or a daily planner to help you remember appointments or projects that need to be completed
• Ask for help! Psychiatrists are trained to give you ways of coping and ideas to help control disruptive behaviors

Even though an adult with ADHD will not outgrow the condition, they can learn to manage the challenges that come with the disorder. Medications and behavior therapies can allow the ADHD adult to excel and succeed! For more information and help for Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, contact Dr. David A. Gross in Delray Beach, Florida at 561-496-1281 or email Dr. Gross today.