Understanding the Signs of ADHD
When ADHD comes to mind, it’s often associated with children or assumed to be a childhood disorder. Most people don’t think about what happens after those children grow up and become adults. Truthfully, ADHD affects millions of adults.
Symptoms of ADHD do transition a bit from childhood into adulthood and may not be as obvious. It’s not uncommon for those with ADHD to go undiagnosed for this reason. Not until these symptoms start to interfere with daily life, do they have a chance of being further explored. We will take a closer look at common signs of ADHD.
Difficulty Focusing
One of the more commonly known signs of ADHD is decreased attention. You may have a difficult time focusing on tasks or becoming easily distracted by other external factors. It’s common for you to get sidetracked from your work tasks and start checking emails. While completing household chores, you start a new one in the middle of the prior one.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and push matters off. Unfortunately, this can’t be done all the time, nor is it the most productive.
Hyperactivity
Another familiar sign is hyperactivity. There are spells of high energy or being rather talkative. It can present as constant moving around or excessive fidgeting. With adults, it can be a feeling of restlessness.
Hyperactivity can look as simple as wandering around or appearing lost. At random times, the hyperactivity can get kicked in by a distraction and result in an “off in space” moment.
Difficulty with Task Completion
When initiating any kind of task, those with ADHD are often met with a burst of energy. This may be from excitement or that new tasks offer a means for creative thinking and problem solving to occur. In the beginning, there is often quick progress made.
As the task progresses, and other tasks are also simultaneously happening, it’s hard to keep attention on one task long enough to make continued progress. Diverted attention that floats from one to the other can result in little efficiency. Tasks may go past the deadline or you may be crunching to finish at the deadline.
Memory Issues
Many individuals who live with ADHD experience moments where they drift off into space. This often leads to a common misunderstanding that they may not be the sharpest tool in the shed.
Having ADHD doesn’t correlate with being any less smart. You are likely to be knowledgeable and can contribute facts and ideas in many situations. Where you struggle, however, is with basic things. The placement of your keys. Where you set your phone down. Where your wallet or purse was left. The day-to-day things that are habit or rote for most people can be the things you become forgetful about.
Disorganization
Besides being somewhat forgetful and misplacing your common items, you may also have difficulty keeping your spaces organized and tidy. Your desk may appear disorganized or your room may have clutter.
This can also be a contributing factor to missing deadlines. When you have multiple projects occurring at once, you may experience difficulty keeping the timelines for each straight or organizing your calendar to meet your needs.
Difficulty with Time Management
When you have ADHD, one sign is having difficulty being able to control where your focus ends up. You may have a few options of tasks to complete but often opt to dive into the one that is more interesting, even if it has a deadline that’s further away.
Similarly, this can apply to taking care of routine responsibilities. Household chores rarely make the top of anyone’s to-do list. It’s easy to lose control of your focus onto something more engaging. When your focus is pulled away from the true top priorities, it can present as poor time management.
Counseling for ADHD
Are you struggling with any of the above signs? Do you think you may have ADHD? Contact us to schedule a free 10-minute phone consultation or an appointment for ADHD counseling.
