Trigger warning: this article discusses ADHD as a mental health disorder.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders that affect children. ADHD is often referred to as a child disorder – assumed to affect only children. While it is true that ADHD is most often diagnosed in children, it still affects adults in later stages in life.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is diagnosed as one of three types:
- Inattentive
- Hyperactive/impulsive
- Combined
The attentive type includes symptoms such as trouble focusing and paying attention, not completing duties and work, avoiding tasks that are deemed difficult or boring, and getting easily distracted.
The hyperactive type includes symptoms such as fidgeting, not being able to stay seated in one place for too long, talking too much, and interrupting others.
Several children with ADHD continue to experience symptoms even after reaching adulthood. Reaching adulthood is not always a magical way to suddenly erase all traces of ADHD in the brain. However, oftentimes, the symptoms would change in how they are manifested. They have a tendency to evolve and become more subtle with time.
Some symptoms of adult ADHD include:
- Lack of focus
- Disorganization and lack of motivation
- Problems with time management
- Forgetfulness
- Impulsivity
- Poor self-image
The Misconception
ADHD can still be diagnosed in adults, even after they have surpassed their teenage years. The misconception that ADHD can only be diagnosed in young children is harmful to those that have experienced symptoms of ADHD throughout their lives but have gone unnoticed. While ADHD varies in the degree of intensity, it is, nevertheless, crucial for those affected by it to receive the treatment that they need in order to improve the quality of their life. Untreated ADHD can cause numerous problems in a person’s life if left that way, especially if it is comorbid with other disorders.