Since the turn of the millennium, more and more adults have received an ADHD diagnosis. The condition once reserved for fidgeting children is now used to explain adults who were previously known as flaky, lazy, sloppy and moody. Although it seems as if every adult in the U.S. is being diagnosed with the condition, only 8.1 percent of the population has ADHD. These 18- to 44-year-old people have found a world of information out there to help explain their behavior and to also help them change it. You can too. First, you must understand the ADHD condition.
Little Known Facts About ADHD
Along with the increase in the disorder’s diagnosis, ADHD has like many other conditions accumulated many myths in such a short time. However, researchers have also discovered just as many absolutes about the condition that you should know if you have been diagnosed with ADHD or think you have it.
1. The average age of ADHD onset is seven years old, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Adults with ADHD do not develop the disease out of the blue. They actually have the symptoms from childhood, but were little experts at coping. HelpGuide.org explains that the rigors of adulthood demand organization, time management and a calm demeanor. These are all difficult states for an ADHD patient to maintain. It is these and other stresses of adulthood that trip those childhood coping mechanisms and lead many sufferers to seek treatment for the first time.
2. Hyperfocus is the one symptom found more in adult ADHD sufferers than in children with ADHD. It is common knowledge now that adult ADHD is a lot different than childhood ADHD. The lack of motivation, disorganization, forgetfulness and lack of time management are adult symptoms. Meanwhile, WebMD describes childhood symptoms as inability to sit still, hyperactivity and inattention. Surprisingly one of the most common adult symptoms is something called hyperfocus. Instead of being unable to pay attention like children, adult ADHD patients experience a phenomenon where they aim all of their energy to focus on one task. That focus is so intense that there is no room for other attention. The hyper focused patients lose sense of time on that one task, causing missed appointments and problems in relationships according to the HelpGuide.org.
3. The frequency of symptoms and age of onset distinguishes adult ADHD from Bipolar Spectrum Disorders. Bipolar Spectrum Disorder, also known as bipolar mania, is characterized by extreme mood swings and impulsive behaviors. ADHD patients also experience very wide mood swings and impulsive behaviors. The difference between the two illnesses is frequency. ADHD cause a constant state of mood swings as it exaggerates the moods that a person normally experiences. Sadness in amplified to depression and happiness can appear manic, with both states constantly leading one into the other. Bipolar disorders have states of mania and depression but between episodes, the person experiences normal behavior. For the ADHD sufferer, there are no episodes. The exacerbated moods are a fact of life.
4. Approximately 42 percent of ADHD sufferers have at least one other mental illness. Conditions such as depression, bipolar disorders and more. According to ADDitutde Magazine, 20 percent of adults with ADHD have a bipolar disorder. Psychiatrists tend to treat the accompanying condition before treating the ADHD.
5. Patients with ADHD always have more than one family member with the condition as well. 11/7/11. Having your own diagnosis is often the first step to a new life. However, many patients don’t realize that ADHD is a disorder that is tied to genetics. There is never just one ADHD sufferer in the family. Research shows that families that carrying the gene have several members affected in varying degrees.
Armed with the understanding of the disorder, patients can begin build a plan for living. If you suspect that ADHD is the condition laying a shadow over your life, seek medical treatment from a psychiatrist.
References
National Institute of Mental Health, “Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Among Adults.
HelpGuide.org, “Adult ADD/ADHD Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Treatment ”
ADDitude, “Is it Bipolar Disorder or ADHD?”
WebMD, “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms of ADHD
