Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that begins before the age of twelve. ADHD affects the brain’s “executive functions,” which help us complete tasks that require planning, focus, or organization. Although many people mistakenly believe ADHD only affects children, about 65% of people with ADHD will continue to suffer from the disorder through adulthood.
Although ADHD begins in childhood, many people are not properly diagnosed with the condition until well into adulthood. Do you have problems with focus, inattention, or disorganization?
Here are ten warning signs that you may actually be suffering from ADHD:
You can’t seem to stay organized. – In a matter of hours, your house, car, or living space seems to go from tidy to “when did the tornado hit?” No matter what you try, you can’t seem to keep your belongings organized the way other adults can. You might lose things frequently or even forget appointments.
Problems with organization can be severe enough to affect your life and personal relationships. Maybe others were more forgiving when you were ten and lost your homework, but losing important documents or car keys as an adult can have greater consequences. You might feel ashamed or even blame yourself for being “lazy.”
If you lose things so frequently that disorganization is wreaking havoc on your life, it’s time to consult with a professional to determine if you might be suffering from ADHD. A licensed psychologist can not only offer you a diagnosis but also treatment for your symptoms. He or she can help you developing better organizational strategies or even suggest a medication, such as Vvaynse, to help relieve the burden of ADHD.
You can’t manage your time effectively. – You have the day off and a lengthy to-do list. But as the hours tick by, you keep finding yourself wasting the precious time you have. We all procrastinate sometimes, but if putting things off seems to be a repeated issue for you, your time management difficulties may be related to ADHD.
Or maybe your problem isn’t procrastination as much as it is chronic lateness. You don’t mean to disrespect your friends, family, or coworkers, but try as you may – you always seem to be late for everything. When you are on time, you rush in frazzled with only seconds to spare. You have trouble gauging how much time you really need to get ready, and as a result – lateness becomes a habit.
If you think you might be suffering from ADHD, recognize that your lateness isn’t a character defect, and it doesn’t make you a bad friend or worker. Instead, your lateness might be indicative of a problem with your brain’s executive functions. Unlike people without ADHD, you have greater difficulty planning your time.
You get frustrated easily. – You feel like you can’t do anything right. When you’re unable to do something right away, you often feel ashamed of yourself. You might give up more easily than others, or you just feel exceptionally frustrated when trying to master new tasks. Or you might grow quickly frustrated with other people, even those you love.
Because ADHD can affect your ability to process emotions, frustration can become a frequent emotion. Although everyone feels frazzled sometimes, people with ADHD may experience frustration frequently enough that it begins to affect their well-being.
You have trouble controlling your temper. – People with ADHD tend to feel emotions more strongly than other people. You may even feel exceptionally joyful or excited at times. The bad news is you feel all emotions strongly – including the unpleasant ones, like anger.
You may feel like you’re on an emotional rollercoaster. Sometimes problems with anger and other emotions can simply be a direct result of ADHD. Other times, emotional highs and lows can indicate another diagnosis such as a mood disorder. In fact, ADHD frequently occurs with other types of mental illness. For instance, up to 20% of people with ADHD also meet the criteria for bipolar disorder, compared to just three percent of the general population.
You can’t seem to stick anything out. – Maybe you’re really excited to start a new project. But before you see it through to completion, you lose interest. You might be great at starting things, but not so great at finishing them. Or maybe for you it’s the opposite – you just can’t seem to get started in the first place.
ADHD can cause problems with both motivation and focus. Because big projects can take time, you may not be able to hold focus long enough to complete them. You may also have difficulty motivating yourself to begin or finish tasks.
Sometimes, people with ADHD also cycle through relationships more frequently than other people. You may get bored quickly with new relationships or encounter a lot of conflict as your relationship leaves the beginning stages. People with ADHD also have a divorce rate that may be as high as twice that of people without ADHD.
You have a poor driving record. – Crashes. License suspensions. Speeding tickets. They’re all more common in people with ADHD. If you suffer from ADHD, you may find that your driving record isn’t as clean as it should be.
ADHD can lead to a less-than-ideal driving record for several reasons. Problems with inattention and focus can cause you to make mistakes when driving, leading to dangerous crashes. You may also drive more impulsively without first thinking through the consequences of risky choices like speeding. Because people with ADHD can have difficulties with emotion processing, you may also be prone to road rage.
You have difficulty holding down a job. – If you have ADHD, you may find you quickly grow bored at work. You may impulsively decide to quit and move on to a new job or even a new career entirely. In one study, only 24% of adults with ADHD were employed.
Work difficulties associated with ADHD can have significant consequences. Quitting a job unexpectedly can create conflict at home, as your spouse or family may rely on your income. You may also earn less money through your lifespan if you are constantly leaving jobs and forgoing opportunities for advancement. You may even have difficulty finding work if your modern resume template indicates you are a “job hopper.”
You can’t seem to put money away. – Even if you are gainfully employed, if you have ADHD, you might find yourself in financial trouble. People with ADHD often have trouble managing money. You might not save as much money as you should or put funds away for your retirement. You may also rack up credit card and other types of debt.
ADHD can affect your ability to think and plan for the future. When your executive functions are impaired, you may not recognize the importance of a savings fund. You may not be able to envision yourself in the future and prepare for the unexpected. As a result, your finances may suffer.
You struggle with substance abuse. – If you have ADHD, you may be suffering from other problems as well. You may even develop unhealthy coping mechanisms for your symptoms, including drug or alcohol abuse. ADHD may also make it harder for you to stick with a treatment program for addiction.
If you are struggling with addiction, you may also want to be screened for ADHD. You may need treatment for underlying ADHD in addition to your addiction treatment. Treating both can make it more likely to kick the habit and stay sober.
You suffer from depression or anxiety. – Symptoms of depressive and anxiety disorders often accompany ADHD. Depression and anxiety can exist on their own. However, if your depression or anxiety is accompanied by several of the other items on this list, it’s time to see a licensed psychologist.
Females with ADHD may be especially prone to anxiety. Anxiety is one example of an internalizing symptom, which is any symptom that is directed toward the self rather than manifested externally. Women and girls are more likely to exhibit internalizing symptoms and are also less likely to display hyperactivity.
Even if you don’t meet the criteria for diagnosis of an anxiety or depressive disorder, your symptoms still should be treated. Labels are not as important as getting help for symptoms that are affecting your life. The Psychology Today website allows you to search for a therapist by certain criteria like area of specialization or location.
From time to time, everyone experiences the signs described above. However, if you’re experiencing several of these signs on a regular basis and they’re impacting your home, work, or social life, you may be suffering from ADHD. The good news is that many treatments are available, and with the proper care, you can lead a healthy, happy, and productive life.
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