The article is developed in partnership with BetterHelp.
Can you get diagnosed with ADHD as an adult? Yes! Many people believe the ADHD diagnosis ship has sailed once you graduate from high school and strike out on your own—and it is true that most people with ADHD get their diagnosis when they are children. However, more than four percent of American adults are living with ADHD.
Setting an appointment with a physician or psychologist is the best way to get a confirmed ADHD diagnosis, but you might be wondering whether that’s even worth your time. Below are some symptoms that often align with ADHD; if more than one sounds familiar, talking to your doctor may be useful.
To understand how ADHD is often treated in adults, BetterHelp has resources that provide some insights: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/adhd/what-are-the-options-for-adhd-treatment-for-adults/
Hyperactive-Impulsive Versus Inattentive Presentation
When people hear “ADHD” in the context of adults, they often think of people who cannot sit through a meeting or forget to pay their bills until they are delinquent. While both can be presenting symptoms, adult ADHD symptoms can also involve hyperactivity and impulsivity. Those diagnosed with ADHD sometimes present as either hyperactive and impulsive or inattentive exclusively, while more than half receive a combined diagnosis.
Hyperactive-Impulsive Presentation Symptoms
Just about every adult has had experience with one or more of the following symptoms at least once in their life. That does not mean you have ADHD, however. To be diagnosed with hyperactive-impulsive adult ADHD, you must have had at least five related symptoms for at least six months. Additionally, you must have had the symptoms before you turned 12.
- Constantly feeling restless
- Bouncing your legs or otherwise fidgeting while seated
- Feeling like you always need to be on the move
- Having trouble waiting for your turn to talk
- Having difficulty waiting for your turn while standing in a line
- Saying things before thinking them through
- Completing tasks haphazardly or too quickly
- Not being able to thrive without plenty of mental and physical stimulation
- Taking unnecessary risks
- Experiencing extreme mood swings
These are not all of the possible hyperactive-impulsive presentation symptoms. If you said yes to more than a couple, though, you may have this type of ADHD.
Inattentive Presentation Symptoms
Closely related to the hyperactive-impulsive presentation is inattention. Here are a few clues that you may have inattentive ADHD:
- Experiencing forgetfulness with everyday tasks, such as not putting keys in their usual place or not closing the refrigerator door
- Not heeding important details which then causes you to make mistakes
- Finding it challenging to pay attention at work, school, or when other people are talking
- Constantly procrastinating
- Frequently daydreaming or not being “in the moment”
- Constantly being late to engagements and appointments
- Not being able to follow a book or movie
Again, having five or more of these symptoms that appeared before the age of 12 and have been present for six or more months could indicate inattentive ADHD in adults.
How Does Adult ADHD Get Treated?
The first step in treating ADHD is usually medication. Your doctor might prescribe stimulants that contain amphetamine or methylphenidate. Some patients also get prescribed MAOIs, tricyclic antidepressants, or certain other types of antidepressants. Stimulants work quicker than antidepressants, which typically take a few weeks to fully kick in.
Some doctors may also prescribe talk therapy for ADHD, though this treatment mainly helps patients manage challenging symptoms rather than targeting its underlying causes. Talk therapy may also reveal other mental health conditions in ADHD patients, such as anxiety or depression. In addition to therapy and medications, mindfulness exercises such as meditation can help calm the busy mind of people with ADHD.
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