In the fast-paced world we live in today, it’s easy for anyone to become forgetful or get distracted. But for adults with ADHD, their difficulty maintaining attention negatively impacts their life in numerous ways. Problems begin to surface at work, in relationships, and at home. If you’re concerned you may have ADHD, here are some signs to look out for.

Can’t Relax
The ADHD sufferer’s hyperactivity and/or restlessness makes it difficult for them to relax. If you have ADHD, you may find frequently it difficult or almost impossible to do things that require a quiet mind, such as staying seated during an entire movie or meditating.

Trouble Concentrating
If you’re easily distracted or have trouble focusing on simple tasks, this is a sign you may have ADHD. Your difficulty concentrating may cause problems at work such as not paying attention in meetings, or problems in relationships because you’re distracted during conversations.

Lack of Organization
Responsibilities such as your career, maintaining your home, paying bills on time, and caring for children and/or aging parents can become unmanageable for adults with ADHD. Your difficulty staying organized can cause problems such as misplaced documents at work, or lights being shut off from unpaid bills.

Procrastination
If you find yourself often running late, missing deadlines at work, and piling up laundry in your room, these symptoms of procrastination are signs you may have ADHD. Adults with ADHD tend to procrastinate because of their distractibility, difficulty focusing, and trouble handling mundane tasks.

Bad Temperament
If you have angry outbursts, then find yourself immediately over it while your friend or loved one is still reeling from the exchange, this is a sign that you may have ADHD.

Impulsivity and Risk Taking
Adults with ADHD tend to take risks and be impulsive. You might buy something expensive on a whim, have unprotected sex, drive recklessly, or blurt out thoughts that hurt or offend others. If you find yourself acting on impulse without taking account of possible repercussions, this is a sign that you may have ADHD.

Although ADHD is oftentimes self-diagnosable, it’s important to consult with a trained mental health professional. Some of the symptoms of ADHD such as trouble concentrating and risk taking are also associated with bipolar disorder, depression, and other mental health issues. Getting the right diagnosis is an important first step for your road to wellness.

If you think you may have ADHD and would like to consult with a licensed and experienced mental health professional, contact my office today so we can schedule an appointment.

When searching for information on mental health issues, you’ll find attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) lumped together. In fact, you’ll often read ADD/ADHD. So it’s easy to see why people get confused.

Before we talk about the differences, it’s worth it to take a brief historical look at attention deficit disorder to get an idea of how the term came about.

The diagnostic system of psychiatric disorders is relatively young, having been adopted back in 1980. Before that, the term that doctors used to describe hyperactive and inattentive children was “Hyperkinetic Disorder of Childhood.”

Then a new publication of the psychiatric diagnostic reference, called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3rd Edition (DSM III), came out in 1980 and the terms “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder” (ADHD) and “attention deficit disorder without hyperactivity” (just plain ADD) were formalized.

So What are the Real Differences Between ADHD and ADD?

The real difference between ADD and ADHD is who is diagnosing the person and which terminology (older or newer) they prefer to use. For example, the term “Attention Deficit Disorder” is shorter and easier to say and write. It is often used by people, as well as medical professionals, as a shorthand version of the full-blown Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

To be clear, and technically speaking, there is no longer an official “attention deficit disorder (ADD)” diagnosis — it is all known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), with a specifier made for the actual type of ADHD the patient suffers: inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type, or a combination type.

That being said, ADD is often used as a shorthand to describe the inattentive type of ADHD.

I know, it can definitely be confusing!

Treatments

Treatments for ADD and the other types of ADHD (hyperactive-impulsive and combination) are similar and typically include some kind of therapy and/or medication as interventions.

Common therapies include:

Behavioral therapy: Often using rewards system, the goal of behavioral therapy is to change negative behaviors into positive ones. This therapy is often used in conjunction with medication.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT): This is a type of talk therapy that encourages individuals to think about their feelings and behavior. CBT helps kids and adults build self-esteem, which often takes a hit with the diagnosis of ADHD.

Social skills groups: This is a therapy primarily used to treat kids and adolescence with ADHD. Kids with ADHD often have symptoms that make it hard to socialize. A social skills group can help kids learn and practice important skills for interacting with others.

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with ADHD or ADD and is interested in exploring treatment options, please get in touch. I’d be happy to discuss how I may be able to help.

If you’re an adult struggling to cope with ADHD, everyday life can present you with various challenges. You may have difficulty managing work and personal relationships, meeting demands at work and at home, as well as taking care of your own health and well-being. If you’re in need of some tips to help you manage daily life with your ADHD, below are five strategies you can start using today.

1. Watch the Clock
Becoming more mindful of the time will help immensely in managing your day-to-day symptoms. When you start tasks or chores, make note of the time; write it down or say it aloud if needed. You can also stay aware of the time by always wearing a wristwatch. Take note of areas in your home where you may spend a lot of time without realizing it, such as your garage, bathroom, or living room. Instead of relying on small appliance clocks that are easy to ignore (such as on the microwave or the cable box), buy a large wall clock and place it in a highly visible location.

2. Use Timers and Reminders
Use your smart phone to set timers when you start tasks. You can also use your smart phone to set reminders to yourself.

3. Make a Priority List
Keep a list handy for tasks and chores, and be sure to list them by priority: the most important things get done first. For lower priority tasks, schedule to do them after your higher priority tasks are complete. Set a reminder to review your priority list each morning, before you check voicemail or email. When you receive tasks from others, schedule them right away according to your priority list, rather than theirs.

4. Remove or Manage Time Sinks
If you find yourself checking email, news/gossip sites, blogs, or social media too frequently, uninstall or move app shortcuts around to make them harder to access. For websites or computer games/applications, delete shortcuts or bury the shortcut in a folder so it’s more difficult to get to.

5. Give Yourself Extra Time
When figuring how long it will take to complete a task, add 10 minutes on to the time to allow yourself extra time to get things done. Plan to arrive at work and other functions 10 to 15 minutes earlier to avoid being late.

Although there’s no cure for ADHD, there are many things you can do to manage it. By developing healthy habits, you’ll find that handling daily challenges will become second nature.

For additional help, you can find many resources (such as articles, apps, podcasts, and webinars) to help you manage your ADHD at www.ADDitudemag.com, and at add.org/resources.

If you’re having trouble managing your ADHD and would like some guidance from a licensed, trained professional, call my office today so we can set up an appointment to talk.

A lot of discussion is given to childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But this behavioral issue greatly affects adults as well. While the exact cause of adult ADHD isn’t yet understood, recent research seems to indicate that genes and heredity, the foods we eat, and our environment play key roles.

Symptoms of Adult ADHD

Many adults who are eventually diagnosed with ADHD have always “sensed” that something was off, but they were too embarrassed or ashamed to seek help. Others still never paid attention to the many signs:

• Difficulty focusing attention, especially when it comes to reading maps, books or magazines.
• Home, office, and/or personal spaces are always disorganized and messy.
• It’s challenging to complete tasks and projects.
• A mental fog or haze.
• Friends and family members tease about being scatterbrained.
• Symptoms have been present since childhood.
• Other family members also have attention issues or suffer from depression or anxiety.

Beyond assessing this list of symptoms, adults may also take the Conners Test. This test is considered the gold standard and superior to neuropsychiatric testing by many. The diagnosis of ADHD is a clinical one and does not generally require neuropsychiatric testing (unless you wish to have a child evaluated for learning disabilities).

You may find out more about the Conners test here.

Other Disorders That Mimic ADHD

It’s also important to mention that there are other disorders and conditions that exhibit similar symptoms to ADHD:

• Menopause
• Sleep apnea
• Insomnia
• Chemotherapy
• Certain prescription medications such as antibiotics and blood pressure medication
• Bipolar Disorder
• Depression
• Substance abuse
• Head injuries

Getting an Accurate Diagnosis

While you can try and diagnose yourself, your best course of action is to find a trained therapist who can take a detailed history and determine if your symptoms are truly from ADHD or something else. Should you be diagnosed with adult ADHD, you will want to work with your therapist to come up with the right treatment plan.

Your plan may include a combination of therapeutic strategies such as medication, nutrition, behavioral therapy, exercise and joining a support group. Finding the right treatment plan for you will take a bit of research, planning and testing. But once you find your individual strategies, you will be able to manage your ADHD symptoms and live a happy and productive life.

If you are interested in getting diagnosed and exploring treatment options, please be in touch. I would be more than happy to discuss how I may be able to help.