Just like children, adults can have attention deficit disorder (ADD) with or without hyperactivity. In fact, adults who suspect they have an attention issue, are typically responding to seeing symptoms of ADD/ADHD in their behavior now. Or a child or grandchild has been diagnosed and they have learned that ADD/ADHD has a genetic component. Either way, as ADD/ADHD is a developmental disorder, it likely began in childhood and remained unrecognized and untreated until now.

Symptoms:

Depending on the coping skills you acquired throughout your life and the symptoms that accompany your particular attention disorder, you may experience any of the following:

• Impulsivity, inattention, hyperactivity (similar to childhood presentation of ADD/ADHD):
• Inability to stay focused or concentrate
• Restlessness or excessive activity
• Inattention
• Seems not to listen
• Mood swings
• Has problems following directions
• Has problems with thought and item organization
• Problems planning ahead
• Poor time management skills
• Loses items with regularity
• Quick temper and inability to keep emotions in check
• Make decisions emotionally
• Talk excessively
• Acts without forethought
• Interrupts conversations

In adults, some additional symptoms may be observed:

• Poor work or academic history
• Substance abuse
• Poor physical or mental health
• Unstable relationships
• Poor self-image
• Tendency to overthink and become stuck

ADD/ADHD often “travels with” Executive Dysfunction which includes symptoms such as:

• Time blindness
• Choice paralysis
• ADHD Task Paralysis Cycle
• ADHD Stimming/fidgeting
• Decision fatigue
• Rejection sensitivity

Treatment Approaches

Treatment approaches are similar to child ADHD. Ironwood Counseling, LLC is prepared to help and offers these adult ADHD therapies:

• Talk therapy
• Problem-solving therapy
• Social skills training
• Marriage and family therapy
• Lifestyle changes
• Organization changes
• Support groups

Assessments

Feel free to print it out, complete it, and bring it in for discussion.

Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale

         Available here and under the new Page “Self-Report Assessments”

Emotional Hyperarousal & Sensitivity

Executive Dysfunction Test

Female ADHD Test

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria with ADHD