ADHD Symptoms and Treatment in Adults
Many adults struggle to keep up with their everyday tasks. They are often frustrated and mood shifts. If symptoms of adhd in adults treatment suspect you might be suffering from ADHD contact your primary health care provider or mental health professional for an evaluation.
Adult ADHD is diagnosed with the same criteria as it is for children. The symptoms should last at minimum six months, and cannot be explained by other medical conditions mood disorders, other medical conditions.
Attention-deficit Symptoms
Adults suffering from ADHD often have a difficult time to keep up with school, at work or with household chores. They often skip appointments, fail to pay bills on time, and have difficulty maintaining relationships with friends and family. They are more likely than others to lose their possessions or make careless errors that could have grave consequences.
If you are having trouble keeping track of your personal or work-related affairs, consider talking to an expert in health care. Your primary care provider will examine your situation and may refer you to a mental health professional should it be necessary.
Inattentive ADHD is often misunderstood. People suffering from inattentive ADHD are not always attentive when they are spoken to. They are easily distracted or get distracted by unrelated thoughts. They struggle to focus on tasks, may make a mistake or struggle to follow directions. They also have difficulty keeping their hands from their face or appear unsteady or fidgety.
Inattentive symptoms can lead to failing at school or at work, which can create anger and shame for the person suffering. They can also cause problems in relationships with family, friends and co-workers.
Health care providers identify ADHD through a medical assessment, which involves conducting an interview with the patient and reviewing past behavior. They may ask the individual to fill out the symptom checklist and perform medical tests to determine whether other conditions exhibit similar symptoms. The symptoms of ADHD must be evident consistently prior to the age of 12 to be able to determine if it is a diagnosis.
Adults suffering from inattention ADHD may benefit from psychotherapy and lifestyle modifications to help manage their symptoms. These treatments include medication, behavioral therapy, and family psychoeducation. Psychotherapy is a type of counseling which helps patients to develop new attitudes, skills and ways of communicating with other people. The practice of behavioral therapy can teach methods that reduce impulsive and self-destructive behaviors as well as improve organizational skills and build confidence.
It can be beneficial for people with inattentive ADHD to talk about their struggles with a friend or family member therapist. Teachers or supervisors as well as coworkers might be able to provide accommodations. Accommodations are the tools and modifications to the environment that allow a person with disabilities to perform tasks as everyone else. For instance the person who is short can use the step stool.
Hyperactive symptoms
The symptoms of this type of ADHD may look different in adults compared to children. Adult symptoms are more subtle. While children might seem to be restless and fidget while adults tend to be less and less talkative. They may forget tasks, lose track of or get lost and make a few mistakes. They may also feel energised and struggle to sit still, even when sitting down to a meal or in class. They may interrupt other students, or give answers before being asked to answer a question.
These symptoms can be triggered by a variety of conditions. To determine the root of symptoms and the most effective treatment, a full mental health assessment is needed. These include psychotherapy, medications and lifestyle adjustments. These could include a healthier diet, exercise and sleeping schedules. This could include making adjustments to work or school assignments and making use of aidive tools like calendars and planners, as well as smartphone apps.
You should first discuss your concerns with your family physician or your primary healthcare provider if you suspect that you may have ADHD. The How to Talk to Your Provider factsheet from NIMH provides suggestions on how to speak with your provider regarding mental health issues.
To be diagnosed with ADHD symptoms must be present in at least two settings and have an impact on daily life. To be considered a candidate, 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.
Alongside lifestyle modifications and accommodations There are also medications that can ease your symptoms of ADHD. These medications are called stimulants. They function by reorganizing brain's signals that affect your mood and attention, as well as your behavior. Your doctor will determine the best dosage of the medication for you and track your response to treatment. You may be prescribed non-stimulant medication if you experience side effects or if a stimulant doesn't work. They are also combined with stimulants to boost effectiveness.
Impulsive Symptoms
People with inattentive ADHD are more likely to lose their keys or cellphones. If it's a case of doodles in class or losing track of the time during a meeting, people with inattentive ADHD have a harder time to follow tasks and organize their materials to complete projects. As adults, the result may be a million unfinished projects around the home: unpaid bills, messy homes and the garden that was started but never watered.
Relationships are among the most common areas where an impulsive ADHD symptoms can cause issues. People with impulsive ADHD often feel anxious and require immediate satisfaction. They might be quick to enter social situations without thinking ahead or take risks that could cause negative consequences. In addition, impulsive individuals may react too strongly in emotional or stressful situations. One can become angry or defensive when fighting with family members or friends.
A health care specialist who is specialized in mental disorders will examine the medical background of a patient and perform an exam to diagnose ADHD. The doctor will also ask questions about how the symptoms impact your home, work and family relationships. To be diagnosed with one or the other form of ADHD, a person must exhibit six or more of the nine major symptoms. The symptoms must also affect daily functioning and last at least six months (American Association for Psychiatric Research 2000).
Psychostimulants are the most effective treatment for ADHD. These medications target the way certain chemicals communicate with one another in the brain to regulate behavior. The most commonly used type of stimulant is methylphenidate, which was first used to treat ADHD in children. The medication may not be suitable for people with other health conditions for example, depression or high blood pressure It is therefore important to discuss your medication with your doctor. Psychotherapy can help reduce the symptoms of impulsivity and distracting behavior in addition to medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is focused on teaching people to recognize Irrational or automatic thinking that triggers negative behaviors and to develop strategies for self-regulation.
Multiple symptoms
Adults who were diagnosed with ADHD as children may experience symptoms in adulthood. They can have mild, moderate or even severe symptoms that interfere with work, school and social interactions. They may also have other mental health problems like depression or anxiety that require treatment. Many adults also suffer from problems with learning, which may make it difficult for them to comprehend or follow directions in classrooms and offices.
The symptoms of the inattentive form of ADHD aren't as evident in adults but they do affect how people function at home and at work. It's hard for people who suffer from this type of ADHD to be able to concentrate during college lectures or business meetings, and they might have trouble keeping up with assignments and work-related tasks. They may frequently lose track of their belongings and forget deadlines or appointments. They may also have difficulty following conversations or listening to music. They tend to be more easily distracted by the activities or people around them than most other 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. The American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition (DSM-IV TR) has a criterion for diagnosing the disorder that includes symptoms that begin before age 12and can manifest in multiple settings and lead to impairment across multiple domains like school and 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. Symptoms must have started before the age of 12 years old and continue at home, in school, and in other work and social settings.
There's no known cause of ADHD however, researchers are studying genetic and environmental factors that may play a role. Research suggests that the brains of those with ADHD are unable to regulate certain chemicals, including neurotransmitters which help control attention, mood and behavior.
If you have signs of ADHD, talk to your primary care physician. Your doctor will conduct an exam of your body and refer you to an expert in mental health care to do an evaluation. Treatment for ADHD usually involves psychotherapy and medication including stimulants, which increase the levels of certain chemical in the brain. Amphetamines, methylphenidate and other stimulants are commonly used. Inform your doctor about any other medications you take including supplements or vitamins. The FDA's website for medication contains information about approved medicines as well as warnings and information guides.