How to Diagnose ADHD in Adults
ADHD is defined as a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with functioning or development [1]. While the disorder is usually diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, it often goes undiagnosed until later in life. In fact, the National Institute of Health estimates that 4.4% of adults in the United States live with ADHD [2]. The symptoms of ADHD can place roadblocks between you and your goals and make simple everyday tasks like cooking dinner, paying bills, and keeping up with friends feel like hurdles. If you are having trouble completing tasks at work, getting distracted in conversations, unable to keep up with daily demands, or behaving impulsively, these are signs that you might have ADHD. The good news is, though, that there are strategies you can learn to help you manage your ADHD. But the first step in helping you to lead a more centered and focused life is confirming a diagnosis of ADHD through psychological testing.
Isn’t ADHD a disorder kids have?
When most people think about ADHD, they picture hyper-active and inattentive children in school. Although ADHD is typically first diagnosed in an academic setting where kids are having trouble attending to classroom tasks, it can also affect adults in a wide variety of settings. Just because you were never evaluated or treated for ADHD as an adult doesn’t mean that you didn’t have it. Although conventional understandings of ADHD require the presence of symptoms before age 12 in order to make a diagnosis, some newer studies have suggested that certain types of ADHD may have their onset in adulthood [3]. Regardless of when the symptoms arise, many adults who receive a diagnosis of ADHD report feeling relief that they have an explanation for the experiences they have spent so long trying to understand.
Is adult ADHD different?
The way in which ADHD manifests itself in a person’s life can change over time. This means that your ADHD as an adult will look different than the ADHD you may have had as a child. In addition to affecting academic performance, ADHD symptoms can also play a role in job performance, parenting, friendships, and romantic relationships. As an adult, your ADHD might look like:
Losing or misplacing things frequently - You may forget where you set down your phone, keys, important documents, etc.
Starting tasks but unable to finish things - Have you ever started to answer one email when you see another one come in, and open it? Then, in the midst of responding to the second email someone texts you and begin to text them back. You are now communicating with three different people and are having trouble doing so.
Difficulty paying attention in meetings, while watching a movie, or reading a book – You may get to the end of a chapter and forget the plot developments, or leave a meeting at work forgetting the action items you now need to complete.
Lacking motivation – You may really want to get that etsy shop up and running to sell your beautiful DIY designs. The idea of it really excites you, but you can’t seem to bring yourself to do it.
Losing track of time – You know you need to spend your Saturday morning picking up the dry cleaning, buying groceries, and dropping a package off at the post-office, but you sit down to enjoy a cup of coffee first and before you know it, it’s lunchtime and the morning has gotten away from you.
Your mind wanders – During a conversation, you are creating a grocery list in your head, reviewing the emails you still need to answer, and trying to remember who you made plans with on Friday after work, only to realize that you have entirely missed what the person you are talking to has said.
Interrupting others – Someone is telling you a story and you cannot help but interject a related story in the middle of them talking, or you find yourself blurting out comments or jokes that don’t always sit well with others.
Restlessness – Relaxing may be hard for you, and you feel that you need to get up, go for a walk, clean the kitchen, straighten up your bedroom, organize your closet…anything other than just sitting and being present!
Impulsivity – You have difficulty sticking to the budget you have set for yourself or following through with the diet you are trying to adhere to. You might make impulse purchases or cave in on your healthy eating resolutions and consume 3 donuts from the box your coworker brought to share this morning.
Getting bored easily – You might feel you need to change jobs every few years, or move to a different neighborhood every time your lease is up because you are craving a change of pace.
If any of these descriptors ring true for you, and you are curious about psychological testing for ADHD in adults, book a free 15-minute consultation today.
Also, check out our blog 10 Tips for Coping with ADHD for some helpful strategies.
