ADD & ADHD in Adults

Most children do not outgrow their ADD or ADHD and become disorganized, inattentive adults. Symptoms may be holding them back at work, negatively affecting their relationships, and hampering accomplishment of goals. Symptoms usually get worse as life presents more and more pressures and demands on the individual.

Untreated ADD / ADHD causes difficulty at college or at work, frustrated friends and family members who just don’t understand your lack of self control and why you can’t get your act together, poor self esteem over your lack of accomplishments in life and the stress that goes with all of these things.

The first step in overcoming adult ADD / ADHD is realizing you might have it. ADD / ADHD can have the following symptoms in an adult:

Work

• chronically late to work
• miss or forget deadlines and meetings
• have a hard time organizing projects and delegating work
• difficulty completing projects on time
• spend hours at work but get very little done
• get distracted by trivial tasks, while neglecting the most important ones
• difficulty paying attention in meetings or in conversations with your boss and colleagues

Relationships

• your partner has to take care of all the planning, organizing, cleaning, bill paying, and other household responsibilities and becomes resentful you aren't helping out more which strains the relationship
• you may resent your partner’s constant nagging to tidy up, get organized, and take care of business which strains the relationship even more
• Friends and family members take it personally when you tune them out, forget conversations or commitments, speak a little too bluntly, or keep them waiting

Finance

• procrastination, disorganization, and impulsivity can interfere with good money management
• forget to pay bills
• run up huge balances on your credit cards due to impulsive buying
• cannot save money
• unable to follow through on long-term financial goals
• shop impulsively, inability to stop yourself and say no
• difficulty keeping financial paperwork in order
• fail at budgeting and recordkeeping

Eating behaviors

• many adults with the condition also suffer from overeating, obesity, or disordered eating
• snack throughout the day, rather than eating at planned meals
• unable to stick with a diet
• have intense cravings for carbohydrates and caffeine
• eat a lot of fast food and “junk food”
• waiting until hungry and then eating whatever is fast and easy rather than planning a healthy meal in advance

If you have some of the above symptoms and agree that they are negatively impacting your life, look into getting help. Get evaluated. There are self-help resources as well as seeing a doctor. Here are some links for you to get started on conquering your ADD / ADHD:


Read Self-Help for Adult ADD

Read Treatment Options for ADD / ADHD

Read Medications for Treating ADHD

For a listing of famous people throughout history with ADD / ADHD (to make you feel less alone in this) click HERE.

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