ADHD in Adults: Symptoms, Effects, and Self-Help

"Understanding ADHD (or ADD) in adults

Life can be a balancing act for any adult, but if you find yourself constantly late, disorganized, forgetful, and overwhelmed by your responsibilities, you may have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), previously known as ADD. ADHD affects many adults, and its wide variety of frustrating symptoms can hinder everything from your relationships to your career.

While scientists aren’t sure exactly what causes ADHD, they think it’s likely caused by a combination of genes, environment, and slight differences in how the brain is hardwired. If you were diagnosed with childhood ADHD or ADD, chances are you’ve carried at least some of the symptoms into adulthood. But even if you were never diagnosed as a child, that doesn’t mean ADHD can’t affect you as an adult.

ADHD often goes unrecognized throughout childhood. This was especially common in the past, when very few people were aware of it. Instead of recognizing your symptoms and identifying the real issue, your family, teachers, or others may have labeled you as a dreamer, goof-off, slacker, troublemaker, or just a bad student. Alternately, you may have been able to compensate for the symptoms of ADHD when you were young, only to run into problems as your responsibilities increased as an adult. The more balls you’re now trying to keep in the air—pursuing a career, raising a family, running a household—the greater the demand on your abilities to organize, focus, and remain calm. This can be challenging for anyone, but if you have ADHD, it can feel downright impossible.

The good news is that no matter how overwhelming it feels, the challenges of attention deficit disorder are beatable. With education, support, and a little creativity, you can learn to manage the symptoms of adult ADHD—even turning some of your weaknesses into strengths. It’s never too late to turn the difficulties of adult ADHD around and start succeeding on your own terms.

Signs and symptoms of adult ADHD

In adults, attention deficit disorder often looks quite different than it does in children—and its symptoms are unique for each individual. The following categories highlight common symptoms of adult ADHD. Do your best to identify the areas where you experience difficulty. Once you pinpoint your most problematic symptoms, you can start implementing strategies for dealing with them.

Trouble concentrating and staying focused

-Becoming easily distracted by low-priority activities or external events that others tend to ignore.

-Having so many simultaneous thoughts that it's difficult to follow just one.

-Difficulty paying attention or focusing, such as when reading or listening to others.

-Frequently daydreaming or “zoning out” without realizing it, even in the middle of a conversation.

-Struggling to complete tasks, even ones that seem simple

-A tendency to overlook details, leading to errors or incomplete work.

-Poor listening skills; for example, having a hard time remembering conversations and following directions.

-Getting quickly bored and seeking out new stimulating experiences.

Hyperfocus: the other side of the coin

While you're probably aware that people with ADHD have trouble focusing on tasks that aren't interesting to them, you may not know that there's another side: a tendency to become absorbed in tasks that are stimulating and rewarding. This paradoxical symptom is called hyperfocus.

Disorganization and forgetfulness symptoms

-Poor organizational skills (home, office, desk, or car is extremely messy and cluttered)

-Tendency to procrastinate

-Trouble starting and finishing projects

-Chronic lateness

-Frequently forgetting appointments, commitments, deadlines

-Constantly losing or misplacing things (keys, wallet, phone, documents, bills).

-Underestimating the time it will take to complete tasks.

Impulsivity symptoms

-Frequently interrupting others or talking over them

-Poor self-control, addictive tendencies

-Blurting out thoughts that are rude or inappropriate without thinking

-Acting recklessly or spontaneously without regard for consequences

-Trouble behaving in socially appropriate ways (such as sitting still during a long meeting)

Emotional symptoms

-Being easily flustered and stressed out

-Irritability or short, often explosive, temper

-Low self-esteem and sense of insecurity or underachievement

-Trouble staying motivated

-Hypersensitivity to criticism

Self-help for adult ADHD

Armed with an understanding of ADHD's challenges and the help of structured strategies, you can make real changes in your life. Many adults with attention deficit disorder have found meaningful ways to manage their symptoms, take advantage of their gifts, and lead productive and satisfying lives. You don't necessarily need outside intervention—at least not right away. There is a lot you can do to help yourself and get your symptoms under control.

1. Exercise and eat healthfully.

2. Get plenty of sleep.

3. Practice better time management.

4. Work on your relationships.

5. Create a supportive work environment.

6. Practice mindfulness.

7. Blame the ADHD, not yourself.

When to seek outside help for adult ADHD

If the symptoms of ADHD are still getting in the way of your life, despite self-help efforts to manage them, it may be time to seek outside support. Adults with ADHD can benefit from a number of treatments, including behavioral coaching, individual therapy, self-help groups, vocational counseling, educational assistance, and medication.

Treatment for adults with attention deficit disorder, like treatment for kids, should involve a team of professionals, along with the person's family members and spouse.

Professionals trained in ADHD can help you control impulsive behaviors, manage your time and money, get and stay organized, boost productivity at home and work, manage stress and anger, and communicate more clearly.

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