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Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staffADHD has been called attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and hyperactivity. But attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is the preferred term because it describes both primary aspects of the condition: inattention and hyperactive-impulsive behavior.
Adult ADHD symptoms can include:
- Trouble focusing or concentrating
- Restlessness
- Impulsivity
- Difficulty completing tasks
- Disorganization
- Frequent mood swings
- Hot temper
- Trouble coping with stress
- Unstable relationships
Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have the disorder — they just know that everyday tasks can be a real challenge. Many adults with ADHD find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social engagements. The inability to control impulses can range from impatience waiting in line or driving in traffic to mood swings, outbursts of anger and troubled relationships. Many adults with ADHD have a history of problems at school and at work.
All adults with ADHD had ADHD as children, even if it was never diagnosed. About 1 in 3 people with ADHD grows out of symptoms; about 1 in 3 continues to have symptoms that are less severe as adults; and about 1 in 3 continues to have significant symptoms as adults.
What's normal, and what's ADHD?
At some point in life, virtually everyone has some or all of the symptoms for ADHD. Some people simply have personalities with certain characteristics common with ADHD. But ADHD is diagnosed only when symptoms are severe enough to cause ongoing problems in multiple areas of your life. In adults with ADHD, these persistent and disruptive symptoms can be traced back to early childhood. If your difficulties are recent or occurred only occasionally in the past, you're not considered to have ADHD.
Diagnosis of ADHD in adults can be difficult because certain ADHD symptoms are similar to those caused by other conditions, such as anxiety or mood disorders. To make it even more challenging, half of adults who have ADHD also have at least one other diagnosable mental health condition, such as depression or anxiety.
When to see a doctor
If inattention, hyperactivity or impulsive behavior continually disrupts your life, talk to your doctor about whether you might have ADHD. Because signs of ADHD are similar to those of a number of other mental health conditions, you may not have ADHD — but you may have another condition that needs treatment.
- Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
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- Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 11, 2009.
- Plizska S. Practice parameter for the assessment and treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychology. 2007;46:894.
- Martinez M, et al. Psychopharmacology. In: Hales RE. Textbook of Psychiatry. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2008. http://www.psychiatryonline.com/content.aspx?aID=320457&searchStr=antidepressive+agents. Accessed Oct. 22, 2009.
- Weber W, et al. Complementary and alternative medical therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and autism. Pediatric Clinics of North America. 2007;54:983.
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