Do people call you forgetful or ditzy? Do they say you don’t listen, you’re always late, impulsive, fidgety or disorganized? Do you struggle to focus, stay organized and finish tasks? Do you often fail to complete that thing you’re meant to do? If you answered yes to a few of these questions, you might have ADHD.
But in order to be diagnosed as an adult, you would have had to have had attention problems or some other symptoms as a child. Even if you didn’t receive a formal diagnosis back then. ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders affecting children. Yet most adults with ADHD didn't know they had it as kids.
ADHD isn’t always picked up in childhood. Sometimes it’s misread as laziness, depression or anxiety. Other times, it’s totally missed because the child does absolutely fine in school, but struggles later with the demands of college, work or even relationships.
According to WebMD, people who are more hyperactive and impulsive are more likely to get diagnosed in childhood because their behavior was disruptive in school. But when it comes to those who had trouble paying attention and didn't act out, the ADHD could go undetected.
Around 60% of people who had ADHD in childhood will continue to show symptoms when they’re adults. While the symptoms change, most people don't outgrow it. So if you were diagnosed when you were young, there’s a good chance you still have ADHD as an adult. Forbes reports that more than 366 million adults worldwide have ADHD, while around 129 million children and teens have it.
According to Psychiatry.org, "adults with ADHD may experience poor self-worth, sensitivity towards criticism, and increased self-criticism possibly stemming from higher levels of criticism throughout life." While Mayo Clinic reports that hyperactivity may decrease in adults but they could still struggle with impulsiveness, restlessness and difficulty paying attention may continue.
"Many adults with ADHD aren't aware they have it — they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge. Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines and forgotten meetings or social plans," reads the site. When in comes to controlling impulses, adults with ADHD could might not being able to wait in line, deal with traffic, or they could have mood swings and outbursts of anger.
ADHD appears to be more common among boys than girls. But this doesn't mean it affects boys more. Researchers say girls are often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed at all. And that’s because symptoms differ between the two. According to Psychiatry.org, “Boys tend to present with hyperactivity and other externalizing symptoms whereas girls tend to have inactivity.”
