Adult ADHD
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an adult is often
not noticed because the person may maintain relationships, stay
organized, and hold a steady job. It is not unusual for a parent to
discover they have ADHD when their child is diagnosed with the
disorder. The key to the diagnosis of ADHD for an adult is the
presence of symptoms before he or she was 7 years old.
Hyperactivity in adults is often seen as:
Inattention in adults is often seen as:
Symptoms of ADHD may affect an adult in their:
Diagnosing ADHD in Adults
The evaluation for ADHD includes a comprehensive clinical
interview surveying past and present ADHD symptoms,
developmental and medical history, school history, work history,
psychiatric history, social adjustment and general day-to-day
adaptive functioning. This comprehensive interview is intended
first to identify evidence of core ADHD symptoms and then to
ensure that the history of these symptoms is both chronic and
pervasive. This assessment usually requires one or two hours at.
Ideally, the assessment relies on several informants, such as a
parent or significant others, and surveys behavior from multiple
settings (i.e., school, work, home).
Since many adults are long unaware that they may have ADHD,
an adult evaluation also reviews any available past objective
records such as report cards, transcripts or prior
testing/evaluation reports.
In addition formal attention testing is also conducted to
determine the specific types of core cognitive issues the adult is
having difficulties with. This may include visual sustained
attention, auditory sustained attention, divided attention and
impulsivity.
A comprehensive evaluation is needed in diagnosing adult ADHD
for three reasons: to establish an accurate diagnosis, to
evaluate for the presence of coexisting medical or educationally
disabling conditions, and to rule out alternative explanations for
behaviors and/or relationship, occupational or academic
difficulties.
Treatment Process in Adults with ADHD
The treatment process has three basic stages:
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in an adult is often
not noticed because the person may maintain relationships, stay
organized, and hold a steady job. It is not unusual for a parent to
discover they have ADHD when their child is diagnosed with the
disorder. The key to the diagnosis of ADHD for an adult is the
presence of symptoms before he or she was 7 years old.
Hyperactivity in adults is often seen as:
- Fidgeting. Typically they swing their legs, shift in their
seats, or tap their fingers. - Constant motion. They feel "revved up," on the go, and
show little or no ability to relax until exhausted. - An inability to relax. They have difficulty trying to relax or
to do quiet activities such as reading or watching television.
Inattention in adults is often seen as:
- Difficulty completing tasks that they do not find interesting
or easy. - Difficulty maintaining relationships.
- Difficulty focusing their attention on conversations, reading
materials, or jobs. They may frequently move from one job
to another. - Forgetfulness, misplacement, or loss of things.
- Distractibility.
Symptoms of ADHD may affect an adult in their:
- Job performance. Their work performance may be
inconsistent because they have problems organizing their
work, managing their time, and concentrating on one task
at a time. They may be forgetful and misplace or lose
things. They may quit their jobs out of boredom. - Personal relationships. Relationships may suffer for adults
who have problems focusing their attention on
conversations, "reading" the behavior and moods of
others, and expressing their own feelings. - Temper. Becoming easily frustrated often is related to
having difficulty tolerating stress. These adults may
overreact and have a short, quick temper. - Problem-solving ability. Adults who have difficulty waiting
for things they want may not be able to accurately foresee
the consequences of their actions. As a result, they may
engage in risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex,
alcohol and drug use, or unwise financial ventures.
Diagnosing ADHD in Adults
The evaluation for ADHD includes a comprehensive clinical
interview surveying past and present ADHD symptoms,
developmental and medical history, school history, work history,
psychiatric history, social adjustment and general day-to-day
adaptive functioning. This comprehensive interview is intended
first to identify evidence of core ADHD symptoms and then to
ensure that the history of these symptoms is both chronic and
pervasive. This assessment usually requires one or two hours at.
Ideally, the assessment relies on several informants, such as a
parent or significant others, and surveys behavior from multiple
settings (i.e., school, work, home).
Since many adults are long unaware that they may have ADHD,
an adult evaluation also reviews any available past objective
records such as report cards, transcripts or prior
testing/evaluation reports.
In addition formal attention testing is also conducted to
determine the specific types of core cognitive issues the adult is
having difficulties with. This may include visual sustained
attention, auditory sustained attention, divided attention and
impulsivity.
A comprehensive evaluation is needed in diagnosing adult ADHD
for three reasons: to establish an accurate diagnosis, to
evaluate for the presence of coexisting medical or educationally
disabling conditions, and to rule out alternative explanations for
behaviors and/or relationship, occupational or academic
difficulties.
Treatment Process in Adults with ADHD
The treatment process has three basic stages:
- Baseline evaluation: As part of the diagnostic evaluation,
we determine the target symptoms and the baseline
degree of impairment - Treatment strategy: We then form a treatment strategy by
prioritizing the target symptoms and determining which
treatment methods are best suited to reduce them - Symptom monitoring and strategy adjustment: A key part
of Adult ADD treatment is monitoring of symptoms in
various areas (such as learning, academics, family
interactions, and peer relationships) and settings (such as
home, workplace, social context)
| Sydney Cognitive Development Centre |
| Adult ADHD |
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| Sydney Cognitive Development Centre |
Maximising your child's potential
| Sydney Cognitive Development Centre |