ADHD Symptoms and Treatment in Adults
Many adults discover that they have trouble keeping up with the demands of daily life, often experiencing frustration and mood swings. If you suspect you be suffering from ADHD, consult your primary care provider or a mental health professional to conduct an evaluation.
Adult ADHD is diagnosed using the same criteria that it is for children. The symptoms should last at least six months and cannot be caused by other medical conditions mood disorders or other medical conditions.
Inattentive symptoms
Adults with ADHD often find it difficult to keep up with the workplace, at school or with household chores. They often have trouble keeping appointments, fail to pay bills on time, and have trouble maintaining relationships with family and friends. They are more likely to lose things or make mistakes which can result in serious consequences.
Talk to your health care provider if have difficulty keeping the track of your work or personal issues. Your primary care provider can evaluate your situation and refer you to a mental health professional if appropriate.
Symptoms of inattentive ADHD are often misunderstood. People with inattentive ADHD don't always listen when they are questioned and are easily distracted or often distracted by irrelevant thoughts. They may struggle to stay on task, make mistakes, or struggle to follow instructions. They may also have trouble keeping their hands from their faces, or appear to be shaken.
Inattentive symptoms may lead to failure in the workplace or at school and can result in anger and shame for the affected. They can also cause problems in relationships with friends, family members and co-workers.
The diagnosis of ADHD is based on a assessment of the clinical. This involves an interview with the patient and an examination of their past behavior. They may ask the patient to fill out an inventory of symptoms and run medical tests in order to determine whether other conditions have similar symptoms. Symptoms of ADHD must occur consistently since before age 12 for the diagnosis to be made.
Adults who suffer from inattention ADHD are often able to benefit from psychotherapy, lifestyle modifications and other treatments that help to manage their symptoms. These treatments include medication, behavioral therapy and family psychoeducation. Psychotherapy is a kind of counseling that helps patients develop new skills, attitudes, and ways to interact with other people. Behavioral therapy can help reduce self-destructive and impulsive behavior, increase the ability to manage and organize, and boost confidence.
It can be beneficial for those with inattention ADHD to talk about their struggles with a friend or family member, or therapist. They may also seek accommodations from their teachers or supervisors as well as colleagues. Accommodations are tools and changes to the environment that enable a person with disabilities to carry out tasks like the rest of us. For example an individual who is short may use stepstools.
Hyperactive Symptoms
Adults may exhibit different symptoms in comparison to children. Adult symptoms are more subtle. While children might be agitated and tense adults are less active. They may forget about their tasks or tasks, lose the track of time or location and make mistakes that aren't their fault. They may also feel overly active and have difficulty sitting still during a meal or class. They may interrupt others or blurt out answers before being asked an answer, or struggle to keep their place during games or conversations.
These symptoms can be triggered by a variety of conditions. To determine the cause of the symptoms and determine the most effective treatment, a complete psychiatric assessment is required. This could include psychotherapy, medications and lifestyle adjustments. They can be an improved diet, exercise and sleeping schedules. They can also involve changing school or work assignments and using aidive devices such as calendars, planners and smartphone apps.
If you suspect that you might have ADHD the first step should be to discuss your concerns with your family physician or primary care physician. The How to Talk to Your Provider factsheet from NIMH offers tips on how to talk with your doctor about mental issues.
To be diagnosed with ADHD symptoms must be evident in at least two environments and have an impact on everyday life. They must have been present for at least six months in order to be eligible. Your provider will evaluate you to see if you have the inattentive or hyperactive/impulsive symptoms of ADHD.
There are medications available that can aid in managing your ADHD symptoms in addition to adjustments to your lifestyle and accommodations. These medications are called stimulants. They work by streamlining the signals within your brain, which affect your mood, attention and behavior. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate dosage of the medication for you and will monitor your response to treatment. You might be prescribed non-stimulant drugs when you experience adverse reactions or if a stimulant fails to work. They can also be combined with stimulants to boost effectiveness.
Instinctive Symptoms
Everyone loses keys or cellphone from time-to-time, but for people with inattentive ADHD small distractions are more of an issue. People with inattentive ADHD have a harder managing their tasks, arranging their materials and completing their projects. As adults, the result could be a million unfinished projects around the house: unpaid bills, dirty houses and the garden that was planted but never watered.
The impulsive symptoms of ADHD can cause difficulties in a variety of aspects of life, but particularly in relationships. People with an impulsive ADHD are often impatient and want immediate gratification. They may be impulsive and enter social situations without planning ahead or take risks that can result in negative consequences. Impulsive people may also overreact to emotional or stressful situations. One can become angry or defensive when fighting with family or friends.
To be diagnosed with one of the two forms of ADHD A health care professional specializing in mental disorders should review a person's medical history and conduct a physical exam. The doctor will ask you about the symptoms and how they impact your interactions with others, work, and your home. In order to be diagnosed with either type of ADHD, a person must have six or more of the nine main symptoms and the symptoms have to interfere with daily functioning for at least six months (American Association for Psychiatric Research 2000).
The most effective treatment for ADHD is psychostimulants. These are drugs that affect the way certain chemicals communicate in the brain to regulate behavior. The most common stimulant is methylphenidate. It was originally used to treat ADHD in children. It is important to speak with your doctor about your medication if you suffer from other health issues such as depression or high blood pressure. In addition to medication psychotherapy can help reduce the symptoms of impulsivity and distraction. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) focuses on teaching individuals to identify the automatic or irrational thoughts that could trigger negative behaviors, and develop strategies of self-regulation.
Combination of Symptoms
Adults who suffered from ADHD as children may have symptoms that resurface during adulthood. They can have mild, moderate or even severe symptoms that hinder school, work, and social interactions. They could also be suffering from other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression, that require treatment. Adults may also experience problems with learning, which may make it difficult for them to understand or follow directions in classrooms and offices.
Adults may not be able to detect the signs of inattention ADHD however it could still affect their ability to function at work and home. This kind of ADHD can make it difficult for people to stay focused in business meetings or college lectures. They may also have difficulty keeping up with their work and assignments. They may often lose the location of their belongings and forget appointments or deadlines. They might also have trouble keeping track of conversations or listening to music. They are more likely to get distracted by activities or people that are happening around them than the majority of 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 4th edition (DSM-IV TR) has a diagnostic criteria that includes symptoms that begin before age 12, occur in multiple settings and lead to impairment in a variety of areas including 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. They must persist at home, in school, and in social and work situations.
Researchers are studying genetic and environmental factors which may be at play in the development of ADHD. Studies suggest that the brains of individuals with ADHD have trouble regulating certain chemicals, such as neurotransmitters that manage mood, attention and behavior.
If how to get treated for adhd in adults have signs of ADHD discuss it with your primary care doctor. Your doctor can perform an examination and refer you for an evaluation by an expert in mental health. Treatment for ADHD typically involves psychotherapy as well as medications like stimulants that boost levels of certain chemicals in the brain. Amphetamines and methylphenidate as well as other stimulants are utilized. Inform your doctor of all other medications you are taking such as vitamins or supplements. The FDA's medication website contains information on approved medications as well as patient information and warnings guides.