Adult ADHD: 20 Things You Need To Know
Do you ever wonder, “Do I have ADHD?” You are creative and ambitious but struggle with organization and time management. You might be wondering if ADHD is impacting your professional and personal life. Maybe you just got a diagnosis of ADHD and you’re proactive about learning more. There's a lot of good and bad information about ADHD out there. It can be hard to sift through it all. So I've got 20 things you need to know about ADHD to help you out.
1. ADHD is super common.
Yep, you're definitely not the only one. There are an estimated 400 million ADHDers worldwide and 15 million here in the USA.
2. ADHD is not just a kid thing and not a new thing.
While we hear a lot about kids with ADHD, it’s a lifelong challenge. Did you know that the medical community has known about adult ADHD for over 250 years? It's not a new thing. But it wasn't until the 1970s that all the smart people in the medical community wanted to do something about it and help ADHD children. And it wasn't until the 1990s that all the smart people in the medical community decided to start studying it in adults.
3. ADHD is a serious and chronic medical condition.
Unfortunately, many people believe ADHD is fake. A famous TV psychologist once called ADHD a “trash can diagnosis.” The truth is the lives of ADHDers are difficult and painful.
ADHD involves more than a bit of distractability and impulsivity. ADHD in adults involves significant brain-based problems with inattention, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation, leading to disruption to education, relationships, and health.
ADHDers have an increased risk for accidental injuries, teenage pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections.
Adult ADHDers are at an increased risk for addiction, risk behavior, and suicide. It's no surprise then that it is estimated that 25% of US prisoners have ADHD, and a whopping 50-80% of teens in the juvenile justice system have ADHD!
On average, adults with ADHD have about a 10-year reduction in life expectancy - likely due to consequences related to a lifetime of impulsive actions and risky behaviors.
4. Self-talk is hard.
ADHDers typically have delays in verbal working memory, which is a fancy way of saying “self-talk.” Verbal working memory is the voice inside your head that guides you in doing what you’ve been asked to do and keeps you on track when pursuing goals. ADHDers have a quieter, less powerful internal voice. It’s harder for them to guide themselves.
5. How is ADHD diagnosed in adults?
It starts with a chat with your primary care doctor about ADHD symptoms. They'll ask about your life, your habits, and even your school days. They might make the diagnosis right there. But they might refer you on to a specialist (like myself) for a full evaluation. Doctors are looking for some key information:
A certain number of inattention and hyperactivity symptoms. (Doctors usually like to collect information from you and other important people in your life, such as spouses, parents, and co-workers)
Symptoms have lasted for six months or more.
Evidence the symptoms existed in childhood - even if there weren’t any big problems yet.
Evidence the symptoms cause big problems at school, work, home, and with friends. Adult ADHD impacts you in multiple areas of life.
Other emotional and behavioral disorders. About 80% of people with ADHD have another clinical disorder.
Exaggeration. Unfortunately, many people exaggerate symptoms to get accommodations or to get out of legal trouble, for example. This can make doctors more cautious than they need to be in diagnosing ADHD in adults.
Medication changes, illness, injuries, and substance use. These factors can appear like ADHD. The tricky part is that ADHDers are more likely to have poorer health, injuries, and problems with substances.
6. ADHD is part emotional disorder.
Many children with ADHD struggle with anger, hostility, and temper outbursts. These problems can persist into adulthood.
7. Can ADHD cause anxiety?
Untreated ADHD doubles the likelihood of developing an anxiety disorder. About 50% of ADHD adults have an anxiety disorder.
8. ADHD is mostly inherited.
If a parent has ADHD, there is a 50% chance their child will have ADHD. There are other contributors, however, such as genetic mutations, exposures to toxins and substances in utero, low birth weight, infections during pregnancy that affect the brain, and delivery complications that cause injury to the frontal lobe.
ADHD is not caused by factors like sugar intake, excessive screen time, or parenting styles.
9. Hyperfocus is a thing.
Yes, you can have ADHD even though you can focus on reading and play videogames. We think poor attention control means problems focusing. But, it also means problems shifting focus. Ever get so into something that you lose track of time and forgot you had somewhere to be? That laser focus is an example of poor attention control. Hyperfocus is a gift and a curse. It may be enjoyable, but hyperfocus gets in the way of getting things done.
10. Can ADHD be cured? How long does ADHD last?
If you have ADHD, you will always have ADHD. But ADHD doesn’t have to always get in the way of your rich, meaningful life.
11. Medication is the core treatment.
I know people have a lot of opinions about medication. Here are the facts. Medication is considered one of the most effective treatments for ADHD. Medication can reduce many of the riskes associated with adult ADHD (#3).
Medication includes stimulants like methylphenidate (immediate and extended release) and amphetamines being commonly prescribed. Non-stimulants like atomoxetine and blood pressure medications like clonidine and guanfacine are also used. Only about 10% of ADHDers do not benefit from medication.
12. But medication isn’t the only answer.
Medicated ADHDers still suffer compared to people without ADHD. ADHD coaching and counseling with CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) and mindfulness for ADHD offers tools to close the gap. Still, it is important to recognize medication alone is more effective than CBT alone. The combination may provide the best effect!
CBT focuses on improving executive functioning deficits, impulsivity, emotion regulation, time management, and self-regulation.
13. Are ADHD people neurodivergent?
Neurodivergent means you have a brain that differs from the general population. ADHDers do have a different brain. Yes, ADHDers are considered neurodivergent.
14. Are ADHD and ADD the same thing?
ADD is an old term. ADHD is the new term. ADHD comes in three flavors: inattentive, hyperactive, and impulsive, and combined. Most people with ADHD have symptoms in both categories, but one category causes most of the problem. age matters. Many ADHDers we're hyperactive as children but the hyperactivity became more subtle over time. It's still there but you just don’t see it as often.
15. Can ADHD develop in adulthood?
It's usually something you're born with, but sometimes it doesn't get spotted until later in life. If something happens to your brain, like an injury, you can develop ADHD-like symptoms that may benefit from ADHD treatment.
16. ADHD affects motivation.
The ADHD brain strongly prefers smaller, immediate rewards over larger, long-term rewards. Thus, ADHD can make it hard to follow through on long-term goals.
Furthermore, ADHD makes it hard to down and up-regulate. In other words, ADHD makes it hard to calm down when upset and to summon willpower and energy to get active. This makes it really hard for ADHD to start working - even if the task is essential.
17. ADHD affects self-awareness.
The ADHD brain tends to focus out, not in. This is another factor that leads to delayed diagnosis. Many ADHDers don’t even realize they have trouble with attention and impulsivity!
18. ADHD paralysis is a thing.
19. ADHD is not your fault, but it is your problem.
ADHDers do not choose to have a difficult life. You didn't sign up for this. You're not to blame. At the same time no one is going to save you. No one is going to build your rich meaningful life for you. ADHDers need to work harder and be more motivated to change. You have to be the one to do it but…
20. There is hope.
ADHD is one of the most treatable psychiatric disorders. With appropriate treamtent, ADHDers can lead rich, meaningful lives. The path is hard, but you don’t have to do it alone!
21. Bonus Thing! Do you want to know how the ADHD brain works? If you want to know more about adult ADHD, learn from Russell Barkley, PhD.
You could argue no one knows more about ADHD than this guy. If you have A LOT of time, you can watch his lecture on adult ADHD.
“Do I have ADHD?”
If the thought has crossed your mind or you are interested in coaching, reach out to me today for a free 15-minute conversation about the change you deserve.
