Understanding And Diagnosing Adult ADHD

You have trouble focusing, your marriage is rocky, problems at work are plentiful, and you've rarely met a deadline. Stop thinking that you're flawed, and start thinking about getting evaluated for ADHD.

Children aren't the only ones who are diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); adults can be, too. Many people don't realize that they have adult ADHD, yet recent studies show that a significant proportion of children with ADHD will also go on to have adult ADHD.

An adult with the disorder often won't get a diagnosis until she has one or more children diagnosed with ADHD and starts to realize that she shares many of her child's symptoms.

Many people with adult ADHD simply think that, as children, they were poor students, couldn't focus, and were generally "bad." As adults, they find that they are unable to concentrate, have trouble getting organized, and are often late for appointments and deadlines.

Diagnosing Adult ADHD: Getting Evaluated

To decide if you should be evaluated for adult ADHD, consider whether you:

Find it difficult to pay attention

Are extremely disorganized

Are constantly late

Can't hold down a job

Have problems in your relationships because you forget commitments and can't get things done

Are easily distracted

Frequently procrastinate

Are extremely impatient

Act recklessly at times

Get easily frustrated 

Then think about when you were a child. Why? Because symptoms must start during childhood in order to be considered adult ADHD. ADHD doesn't just develop out of nowhere later in life.

Diagnosing Adult ADHD: The Consultation

The first step in determining whether you have ADHD is to find a health professional — a family doctor, psychologist, psychiatrist, neurologist, or social worker — experienced in adult ADHD.

Because there is no single test to make the diagnosis, experts use a number of medical tools to evaluate people for ADHD. Usually, an assessment will start with a review of your symptoms and when they began. Two standardized scales often helpful in diagnosing ADHD are the Conners rating scale and the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Scale.

You'll be asked about your experiences during elementary and high school and about your current relationships with your spouse or partner, relatives, friends, and perhaps work colleagues. Diagnosing ADHD properly also includes a physical exam and psychological testing.

"Some people may need additional tests," says Jon Shaw, MD, director of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "Many times there are other conditions that go along with having ADHD or that may mimic its symptoms, for example anxiety disorders." Psychological and learning disabilities testing can help your doctor figure out if you have other conditions that should be identified and treated.

Diagnosing Adult ADHD: The Confirmation

After the testing is finished, your doctor will compare the results with established clinical guidelines for diagnosing adult ADHD. These guidelines provide specific, objective information for your doctor to consider while assessing your personal situation. To have ADHD, you must have major, behavior-related problems in at least two arenas of your life, including your job, home, school, or social outlets. 

Diagnosing Adult ADHD: How It Was Missed in Childhood

Adults are often surprised to learn that they have ADHD. They wonder why their ADHD wasn't diagnosed earlier in life. One answer may be that in the past there wasn't as much widespread awareness about ADHD. Although its characteristic behaviors have been noted by doctors since 1902, what is now known as ADHD was once diagnosed as a "defect of moral control" rather than as a medical condition.

There are other reasons that adult ADHD may not have been diagnosed earlier. For example, very smart children with ADHD often compensate for their symptoms and get along so well that no one realizes they have a problem until they reach adulthood. At that point, they may have trouble keeping a job, fulfilling adult relationships, or simply managing the ins and outs of daily life.

In other cases, protective parents probably figured out ways to control their child's ADHD symptoms so that the condition didn't disrupt the child's or their lives.

Diagnosing Adult ADHD: A Mystery Solved

Once you're diagnosed and have a good treatment plan in place, you'll probably find life a lot easier and more rewarding. You should be much less challenging to get through your day and get along with family, friends, and colleagues. With the right treatment and emotional support, people with adult ADHD can lead happy and successful lives.

Thanks to Everyday Health, Inc.