It’s easy to put what could be ADHD down to other things than recognise it. Often the symptoms become so “normal” that you shift the blame to other causes.
“I’m too busy", "I’m too tired", "my head is spinning.” “I’m just disorganised". "It's because I’m so stressed out.”
For many unknowingly living with ADHD, shifting the blame means not being able to stop and consider perhaps not everyone experiences what you do. That maybe there's another way to understand what you’re experiencing. Some of you might feel you just aren’t good at various things, and see your symptoms as a personal failing.
What we know for sure is that ADHD and its symptoms are neurological. It's not your choice. It's because brains are all created differently. A brain with ADHD is usually capable of as many amazing things as other brains (sometimes even more!). But, like all amazing things, they can come with their own significant challenges.
Understanding of ADHD has changed dramatically
It was not so long ago that ADHD was commonly considered to be an 'excuse' for bad behavour, caused by bad parenting, and something that mainly affected young boys. Many of today's adults grew up in that environment, so it's little surprise they were never assessed or provided with the right adjustments, understanding and support.
Over the decades the understanding of ADHD has changed dramatically. Years of excellent research, destigmatisation and education campaigns, mean the general population is beginning to understand that ADHD:
- is real
- is neurodevelopmental, and
- makes you different but not less.
Despite this ADHD symptoms in adults frequently remains unrecognised or misdiagnosed. Because we are all individuals, there are differences in how each person experiences ADHD, but there are also some definite commonalities. Below are some symptoms of adult ADHD that are often put down to other causes.
What adult ADHD can look like
Note: ADHD in adulthood can present itself in many different ways, depending on the coping strategies we create for ourselves. The examples below are just some of the ways adults can experience ADHD and is by no means an exhaustive list.
You love to live in the moment, which means planning and organising can take a back seat. You often leave unstimulating activities to the last minute. Your racing mind skirts over numerous subjects as you crave stimulation. This can challenge you when making realistic goals. You often over-commit, multi-task and get off track which can inhibit competing projects.
It’s easy to get distracted or side-tracked by noise, people walking past, or email alerts. This side-lines your focus and can promote little mistakes.
Your ADHD brain has to work much harder to control and filter attention and process behaviours and emotions that come naturally to others. This commonly results in significant fatigue by the end of the day. You’re constantly tired, yet often have difficulty getting to, or staying, asleep. You have headaches and allergies but succumb to food/sugar cravings and habitually bite your nails or cuticles. Your child may have been diagnosed with ADHD and you’re wondering if you’re one of the 25 per cent of parents who also has it.
Here are some of they ways adult ADHD can present itself:
Emotional extremes: People with ADHD can experience raw extremes of emotions that can be as quick to come as they are to go away. They may become overexcited or angry, struggling to self-soothe and calm down in the moment.
Distraction: ADHD can lead to being forgetful of little things, fidgeting, doodling and getting bored easily. People can be easily distracted or sidetracked by noises and movement.
Focus: People with ADHD can hop between numerous subjects with many thoughts going on in their mind at once. If an activity is boring they often drift off. They may be reluctant to read because it hard to focus and concentrate or reluctant to write because it’s hard to express and sequence ideas. It’s possible they may be dyslexic as well.
Impulsiveness: People with ADHD can become easily bored, craving stimulation which can lead to taking unnecessary risks. They can be impulsive and not think about possible consequences until they happen. In general, they prefer to live in the moment than have to plan or organise.
Impatience: People with ADHD can interrupt or talk over others, usually without meaning to. They may finish others’ sentences without realising this can be annoying, and may can impatient or tactless. They often don’t notice others are annoyed or upset until attention is drawn to it and then feel bad.
Procrastination: People with ADHD can experience severe procrastination, leaving activities to the last minute. This can lead to a general sense of underachievement, that they could do more if only could focus/stay on task.
Co-existing conditions
ADHD often goes alongside other existing conditions. Here are some of the most common ones:
- fatigue
- allergies
- addictions
- thyroid problems
- food or sugar cravings
- migraines or headaches
- twitching, tics, cramps
- nail biting, skin picking
- air hunger, such as sighing, yawning
- hypersensitivity to certain sounds, textures, pain
- poor sense of temperature
- sleep disturbance: difficulty settling to sleep, Restless Leg Syndrome, insomnia, Sleep Apnea.
Self-assessment tool
If this sounds all too familiar, try our self-screening tool, developed by the World Health Organisation and the Workgroup on Adult ADHD.
The tool does not replace consultation with a qualified professional. It is not a formal assessment and doesn't provide a diagnosis, but it may support any decision to get an ADHD assessment done by a qualified health professional. To find out more about it and how it works, visit:
Self-screening assessment tool for adults (adhd.org.nz)
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