Recognizing ADHD Symptoms in Adults

Adult ADHD is more common than most think. In fact it is likely that over 5% of the worlds adults has the condition. This may be surprising number due to the ADD ADHD adults mastery at masking many of their most obvious, and problematic symptoms such as hyperactivity. 

ADHD symptoms in adults just don’t appear out of the blue. This condition is not like catching the flu where one day you have it and a couple of weeks later you don’t. No, ADD ADHD adults have had the condition since early childhood and may or may not have been received a positive diagnosis. But by adulthood many of their problematic symptoms have started to mellow leading some family and friends to assume that the attention deficit disorder which has impacted their lives and personalities has finally gone away. While hyperactivity may have taken on a different less intrusive form other symptoms such as inattention, disorganization and trouble finishing projects may not have subsided at all. 

Do you know an adult friend, coworker, or family member who starts multiple home improvement projects only to leave each one partially completed for months or maybe years? Or someone who continually expresses an interest in taking up a new hobby but with each beginning there is quickly an end? Or perhaps an adult friend who goes seeming less never ending shopping sprees, despite budget constraints, only to buy one more blouse to go with the 75 others which have yet to be worn? These examples could all be signs of ADHD symptoms in adults. In fact one could easily correlate both inattention and impulsivity which all three of these examples. 

ADHD symptoms in adult can also include a great deal of inattentiveness. An ADD ADHD adults train of thought might be lost right in the middle of a conversation only to wander to another completely unrelated topic. They may also appear to be bored, have trouble making and/or maintain eye contact, and may abruptly interrupt others who are trying to carry on a conversation. 

The cold hard truth of the matter is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is not like a faucet you can turn off and on when you wish. Instead it is a biological condition of the brain involving the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine that leads to problems with self regulation. You can no more ask the ADHD ADD adult to stop starting projects around the house, stop shopping, or quit beginning new hobbies than you can ask a vegetarian to eat a cheeseburger. It is simply how their brains work and there are only two choices, either to accept them for who they are or gently suggest a possible treatment option. 

What Next? For those ADHD ADD adults finding a treatment option that can help them manage their symptoms should be one of their main priorities. The most common form of treatment for ADHD symptoms in adults are stimulant medications such as Ritalin, Adderall or Cylert. While effective all stimulant medications come with a number of serious label warnings. The risk of side effects or perhaps lack of success with stimulants has prompted many to investigate other options. A couple examples of this are behavior modification therapy and/or homeopathic remedies. Homeopathic remedies for ADHD are a side effect free way to address such problematic symptoms as inattention, distractibility, impulsivity, erratic behavior and hyperactivity and can be used both as a standalone treatment or as a compliment to other nonprescription alternatives.