ADHD Symptoms and Treatment in Adults
Many adults discover that they have trouble keeping up with daily tasks often expressing frustration and mood swings. If you think you might have ADHD check with your primary healthcare provider or a mental health professional for an assessment.
Adult ADHD is diagnosed using the same criteria as it is for children. The symptoms should last at minimum six months, and cannot be caused by any other medical condition mood disorders, other medical conditions.
Attentive Symptoms
Many adults with ADHD struggle to complete schoolwork, work, or household chores. They are late for appointments, don't pay bills on time, and have trouble maintaining relationships with their family and friends. They are more likely than other people to lose their possessions or make a mistake which can result in serious consequences.
Talk to your health care provider if are having trouble keeping the track of your work or personal issues. Your primary care doctor can evaluate your situation and recommend you to a mental health specialist should it be necessary.
Inattentive ADHD is often misunderstood. People suffering from inattentive ADHD are not always attentive when they are spoken to. They tend to forget quickly or get distracted by irrelevant thoughts. They may have trouble staying focused, make careless mistakes, or struggle to follow instructions. They also have trouble keeping their hands from their face or may seem unsteady or fidgety.
Inattentive symptoms can lead to failure at work or school and can cause frustration and shame for the person suffering. They can also cause problems in relationships with family, friends and co-workers.
Health care providers identify ADHD based on a clinical assessment that involves interviewing the person and analyzing their past behavior. They will often ask the person to answer a symptom questionnaire, and may perform tests to rule out physical or mental illnesses that have similar symptoms. The symptoms of ADHD must be evident consistently prior to the age of 12 for a diagnosis.
Adults who suffer from inattentive ADHD typically benefit from psychotherapy, lifestyle modifications and other treatments to manage their symptoms. These treatments include behavioral therapy, medication, and family psychoeducation. Psychotherapy is a type of counseling that helps patients develop new skills, attitudes and ways of communicating with other people. Psychotherapy can teach strategies that decrease self-destructive and impulsive behaviors improve organizational skills and build confidence.
People with inattention ADHD may find it helpful to discuss their struggles with a trusted family member or therapist. Teachers, supervisors, and co-workers may be able to offer accommodations. Accommodations are tools and changes to the environment that enable a person with disabilities to complete tasks just like all other people. For instance, a short person can utilize stepstools.
Hyperactive Symptoms
Adults may exhibit different symptoms in comparison to children. Adult symptoms are more subtle. While children might be agitated and tense while adults tend to be less active. They might forget about tasks and lose track of time or place and make a few erroneous mistakes. They may also feel energetic and find it difficult to sit still, even when eating dinner or in class. They might interrupt other students, or give answers before being asked an inquiry.
There are many conditions that can cause these symptoms. To determine the underlying cause of the symptoms and determine the most effective treatment, a complete psycho-psychiatric evaluation is required. These can include psychotherapy, medication and lifestyle changes. This could mean a healthier eating plan along with more exercise and an improved sleep schedule. They could also include adjusting work or school assignments and making use of aidive devices such as planners, calendars, and smartphones apps.
You should first discuss your concerns with a family doctor or your primary healthcare provider if you suspect you may have ADHD. There are some tips to talk to your health care provider about mental health issues on NIMH's How to Talk to Your Health Care Provider fact sheet.
It's important to know that in order to be diagnosed with ADHD symptoms must be present in more than one setting and significantly interfere with daily life. For them to qualify they must have been present for at least six months. Your provider will evaluate you to see if you have the inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms of ADHD.
There are medications available that can aid in managing your ADHD symptoms, in addition to lifestyle modifications and accommodations. These are known as stimulants. They work by streamlining the signals within your brain, which affect your mood, attention and behavior. Your doctor will prescribe you the right dose and observe your response. You may be prescribed non-stimulant drugs when you experience adverse reactions or if a stimulant doesn't work. They can also be combined with stimulants to increase the effectiveness.
Instinctive Symptoms
People with inattention ADHD are more likely to lose their keys or mobile phones. If it's a case of doodles in class or losing track of the time in a meeting, those with inattention ADHD find it harder to follow tasks, organize their materials and complete their projects. As adults, this may cause a variety of tasks that are not completed at the home: unpaid bills and unkempt homes, as well as the vegetable garden that was started but not watered.
The impulsive symptoms of ADHD can create problems in many areas of life, but particularly with relationships. People who suffer from impulsive ADHD tend to be impatient and want immediate satisfaction. They might jump into social situations without planning ahead or take risks that can lead to negative consequences. Additionally, people who are impulsive might react in a stressful or emotional situations. For instance, a person could become extremely annoyed or defensive in arguments with family or friends.
To be diagnosed with one of the two types of ADHD A healthcare professional who is trained in mental disorders must examine the medical history of the patient and conduct an examination. The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and how they affect your relationships, work, and home. To be diagnosed with either form of ADHD, a person must show at least six of the nine main symptoms. The symptoms must also affect daily functioning and last for at least six months (American Association for Psychiatric Research 2000).
The most effective treatment for ADHD is psychostimulants, which are drugs that affect the way certain chemicals interact in the brain to regulate behavior. The most commonly used stimulant is methylphenidate. It was originally developed to treat ADHD among children. It's important to talk with your doctor regarding your medication if you have other health conditions such as depression or high blood pressure. Psychotherapy can help reduce the symptoms of impulsivity and distracting behavior in addition to medications. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is focused on helping people recognize automatic or irrational thinking that triggers negative behaviors and devise strategies for self-regulation.
Combination symptoms
Adults who had ADHD as children may have symptoms that resurface during adulthood. They may have mild, moderate, or severe symptoms that affect school, work and social interactions. Other mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression, could also require treatment. Some adults also have learning issues, which could make it difficult for them to understand or follow directions in classrooms and offices.
The symptoms of the inattentive form of ADHD aren't as obvious in adults but they do impact how people function at home and work. This kind of ADHD makes it difficult for people to sit still in business meetings or classes at college. They may also have difficulty keeping up with their work and assignments. They might forget deadlines or appointments, and lose their possessions. They also have trouble following conversations or listening to music. They are more susceptible to distraction by people or activities that are going on around them than the majority of people.
Hyperactive-impulsive ADHD symptoms are more common in adults than the inattentive type of the disorder, but they can be difficult to diagnose in adults, too. adhd treatment for older adults and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition (DSM-IV TR) has a diagnostic criteria that includes symptoms that start before age 12and can manifest in multiple settings and cause impairment in a variety of areas including school or in relationships.
To qualify for a diagnosis of hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, people must have six or more symptoms that have persisted for at least six months. The symptoms must have manifested before the person was 12 years old. They must persist at home, at school and in other social and work settings.
Researchers are studying environmental and genetic factors that might be responsible for the development of ADHD. According to studies, those who suffer from ADHD may have difficulty controlling certain chemicals in their brains and brains, such as neurotransmitters that can regulate mood, attention and behavior.
If you're experiencing symptoms of ADHD discuss it with your primary care physician. Your doctor can conduct a physical examination and refer you to an evaluation by a mental health professional. Treatment for ADHD usually involves psychotherapy as well as medications, such as stimulants that boost levels of certain chemicals in the brain. Amphetamines and methylphenidate as well as other stimulants are used. Inform your doctor about any other medications you take such as vitamins or supplements. The FDA's medication site has information on approved medications along with warnings and information guidelines.