It is possible to experience a sense of relief and overwhelm when diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Relief since you can now give a name to what you have been going through.
You might be feeling too much as you do not know where to begin.
The fact is that adult ADHD is not as rare as it is believed, and it is not impossible to live a good life with it. It only requires the right understanding – and the right support.
What Really Happens in Your Brain
ADHD is not a problem of willpower. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is based on how your brain controls your attention, impulse control, and behavior.
These are the three areas that are most likely to be impacted:
- Executive dysfunction – difficulty with planning, task initiation, organization, and follow-through
- Working memory deficits – inability to store and retain information immediately
- Emotional dysregulation – greater, quick-altering emotional reactions that seem difficult to control
Dopamine dysregulation is also common to many adults, and that is why everyday activities become almost insurmountable as compared to highly engaging activities.
The Reason Adult ADHD Doesn’t Appear as You Might Expect
It’s Not Just Hyperactivity
The majority of adults with ADHD deal with:
- Constant lateness and deadlines
- Rushing, buzzing mind (also referred to as cognitive overload)
- Obsession with interesting activities, yet a lack of attention to all other things
- Impulsivity in actions, expenditure, or relationships
- The constant sense of not doing your best
Comorbid conditions such as anxiety disorders, major depressive disorder, or sleep disorders are usually bundled with ADHD in adults, and thus, it is more difficult to diagnose on its own.
The Reason So Many Adults Are Underdiagnosed
In the past, ADHD was considered a childhood disease.
A large number of adults, and particularly women, had high compensatory strategies in early life years, and they found themselves exercising them to the point of exhaustion until they hit the call of adult reality, and the strategies were no longer viable.
What Can Help
Commence a Correct Psychiatric Assessment
The start of self-awareness is a good one. However, a correct diagnosis – by conducting a full psychiatric assessment – is what opens the gate to specific, successful treatment.
Your full symptom picture will be evaluated by a qualified provider, and overlapping conditions will be eliminated. A treatment approach will be suggested, designed specifically for your case.
Evidence-Based Therapeutic Alternatives
A combination of strategies is almost always applied to living with ADHD:
- Medication management – stimulant and non-stimulant drugs have the potential to significantly enhance children’s and adults’ attention, impulse control, and emotional regulation
- Cognitive behavioral therapy – CBT is an effective approach that has been demonstrated to be effective in adults with ADHD to provide the means of reorganizing dysfunctional thought patterns and establishing more functional coping mechanisms
- Behavioral strategies – challenges with executive functioning can be compensated in daily lives with the help of time-blocking, external cues, and body doubling
- Psychoeducation – the truth about how your brain works eliminates self-blame and creates real confidence
Minor Changes That Make a Real Difference
- Get sleep – sleep deprivation greatly exacerbates the symptoms of ADHD
- Work out regularly – aerobic exercise elevates the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine
- Make your surroundings easier – as much as possible, minimize friction and decision fatigue
- Lean on structure – the external systems make up the fault of the internal regulation
Get Support
Treating ADHD as an adult does not involve doing things harder. It is all about having the right support and creating systems that are, in fact, helpful to your brain.
Catherine Mepukori, PMHNP-BC, offers evidence-based, personalized care to adults facing ADHD and co-occurring issues at Renewed Hope Psychiatric Care.
FAQs
Is this a childhood-onset or an adult disease?
ADHD is a developmental disorder which starts at an early age when one is still a child, yet most of them are not diagnosed until they are much older; this is because their symptoms were not properly recognized or the problem was attributed to another disorder.
What is the distinction between ADHD or being just busy or distracted?
ADHD is not stress or busyness. The condition is characterized by chronic, widespread disruption of life domains (not occasional).
The best way to get clarity is to give a proper psychiatric assessment.
Is ADHD different in women?
Yes. One of the reasons that ADHD is not adequately diagnosed in women and girls is that they tend to manifest inattentive symptoms as opposed to hyperactivity