Adult ADHD: Symptoms, Evaluation & Treatment

by Andrianna Riggs

“An Adult with ADHD  (Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ) symptoms requires a proper evaluation & treatment or medication as a first priority simply because he is not comfortable at home, office or while driving a car on the road.

An adult ADHD patient finds it difficult to stay focused on the task he is doing.  He is known for his irresponsible behavior.

Be it home, or office, he fails to manage the affairs properly. He is a careless person. He works less, but interferes or interrupts more. He may get hyper over issues of a trivial nature. He may speak non-stop to the irritation of others.”

The genesis of “Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” can be found in childhood.  Something unusual in the behavior of a child that sends a signal towards the symptoms of ADHD.

The most common symptoms include inattention, impulsiveness & hyperactivity.

About 5% of the children are believed to have the ADHD issues. Such issues, when not given a due attention, may travel with the child to his adulthood.

General Causes of Adult ADHD

An “Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” is more or less, a group of behavioral problems.

Above 10% adults with ADHD issues have such problems since their childhood.  Most of such issues are neurodevelopmental disorders.

An “Adult Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder” is more or less, a group of behavioral problems.  More than 10% adults bear ADHD issues  from childhood.

In a large number of cases, these are found to be closely related to the genetic or hereditary issues. Studies show that ADHD is a family related and heritable disorder.

Scientists have identified the dopamine transporter and dopamine receptor genes responsible for the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

The onset and aggravation of the ADHD depends also upon the environments of the place where one spends most of the time.

It is not only at home, but the environment of the workplace also contributes to the rise and growth of behavioral problems.

A continued situation of stress as well as neglect, both have a significant impact on the behavioral attitude of a person.

Due to these two environmental situations, a person may have an irritating attitude or he may prefer loneliness to the company.

These otherwise simple mental ill-health or psychiatric disorders get complicated due to lack of awareness about ADHD.   

A large number of adults choose a wrong approach to recover from this problem. This otherwise simple mental ill-health or psychiatric disorder becomes complicated due to lack of awareness about ADHD. 

A large number of adults choose a wrong approach to recover from this problem.

To cope with their frustration & irritation due to the behavior of the others, some ADHD affected people take-up, excessive alcohol drinking whereas many others choose drugs and narcotics.

It is medically established that excessive intake of alcohol and narcotics, both affect the brain adversely.

None of the two is a remedy for ADHD issues. Due to neglect, their mental ill-health continues to be worsened.

Younger adults with ADHD issues have the larger risks of developing “Bipolar Disorders” at subsequent stages.

Symptoms of Adult ADHD

Lack of attention is one of the major problems of Adult ADHD.  The patient finds it difficult to be attentive and stay focused on the task that he is doing.

On the other hand, some patients stay focused on a single point during the conversation that they do not recognize what others have been talking about.

They are in a state of “Hyper Focus.” Hyperactivity is one of the foremost symptoms of adult ADHD.  Sometimes, he is over-involved in an activity.

Adults with ADHD symptoms usually get distracted during the conversation with others. 

Setting aside the subject matter of the discussion, they may start discussing over something new that may crop up on the screen of their minds during the course of a discussion.

He is not a good manager. Be it home or office, he fails to manage even small affairs.

He is a confused person. He is not in a position to decide what to do or what not to do.

Most of the ADHD patients have the conditions of major and critical depressive disorder. They prefer loneliness to the company. They may prefer silence to speak.

On the other hand, there is a type of ADHD patients who speak non-stop to the irritation of others.

Forgetfulness is yet another major problem with the ADHD adult patients. They cannot manage the things in a proper order. They may find it difficult to trace something which they themselves had kept at a place.

ADHD patients are impulsive. They act in a haste without considering the consequences of what they are doing.

Their actions are often offensive. They are not good listeners. They want them to be heard.

Some patients are addicted to the substance abuse. They also have eating and addictive disorders.

Most of the male adults with ADHD problems have “Psychopathology” disorder.

Phobias and Anxiety” are very common even in the adult ADHD patients. They may carry the fear of embarrassment and avoid interaction with others.

Adult ADHD & Its Evaluation

The degree of ADHD complications varies from person to person.

Physicians, Psychiatrists, and Psychologists evaluate and assess the level of the disorder from the symptoms alone. 

There is hardly any Pathological or a Clinical Laboratory Test to measure the extent of the disorder.

Diagnostic interview is an important way to evaluate an ADHD problem. ADHD

Specialists intend to gather the maximum information and previous medical history of the patient. Family members or friends of an adult ADHD patient are the main sources of the information.

Most of the ADHD Specialty Clinics use Medical Classification Systems & Statistical Manuals for Mental Health Disorders.

Treatment & Medication of Adult ADHD

As the symptoms of ADHD differ from patient to patient, no particular medication would be suitable for all the patients.  Obviously, a different patient with different symptoms needs a different medication.

A speedy recovery is of utmost importance. Only medication is not the sole option for effective treatment of adult ADHD patients.  Multimodal medication is best suitable for adult ADHD patients.

This type of treatment may include medication, stimulants, diet that is beneficial to brain’s health, and exercise, etc. 

Behavior Therapy also plays an important role in an early recovery from ADHD symptoms.

A naturopathy specialist can suggest which fruits or vegetables could be the best for recovery from a particular type of problem. 

Similarly,  a dietician can better suggest the right diet. 

Adult ADHD conditions can be improved with nutritious diet.

A Psychologist can suggest as to how the patient may overcome the social phobia.

Aggravated issues of adult ADHD have long-lasting effects on the personal, family and social life of the affected person.

ADHD is a completely curable disease. It just requires a timely evaluation and treatment.

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Andrianna is a blogger by profession and traveler by choice. She loves traveling, reading and is a good guitarist. She lives peacefully with her husband and a lovely daughter in South California.  She has gained much knowledge about the health, lifestyle and used to share it through her blog.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect all or some of our beliefs and policy.  Any links on this page do not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.

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