I Thought Adhd Was Only In Kids How Many Adults Have Adhd
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD is primarily diagnosed in children ages 417 but according to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 4.4% of adults aged 18-44 have ADHD. ADHD is a neurological disorder present from birth and has a strong genetic component. If your symptoms are being caused by ADHD, they may have been present but not noticed in childhood. Many parents of children with ADHD are diagnosed when their child starts to struggle at school and are referred to a specialist.
Resources And Support For Young People
If youre a young person looking for support for your mental health, we have a guide on finding support and visiting your doctor.
To find out more about living with ADHD and the treatment and support options available, you can find a range of resources on the ADHD Foundation website. YoungMinds also have a page on the links between ADHD and mental health that you might find useful.
For parents who are supporting a child with ADHD, you can visit the parents section of the ADHD Foundation website. YoungMinds also provide a guide on supporting your child.
Do Things Which Help You
These are things which have been helpful for people with ADHD. These will not work for everyone and there may be other things which you have discovered for yourself.
- You may find it hard to organise things so that you get things done you really need to.
- Make lists, keep diaries, stick up reminders, and set aside some time to plan what you need to do.
- Find ways of letting off steam, like exercise, dance, sport
- Find ways of relaxing like music or relaxation techniques.
- Set yourself realistic goals.
- Remind yourself about the things you can do well.
- Avoid things that make life more difficult. These could be arguments with other people, using drugs and alcohol, and pressure at work.
- Dont spend time with people who encourage you to drink too much or use drugs, or who create stressful situations.
Don’t Miss: Can Not Enough Sleep Cause Anxiety
How Do I Know If I Have Anxiety
Anxiety is a normal reaction to many things in life that may cause us to feel threatened, challenged or under pressure. Feeling anxious from time to time is no great cause for concern. However, if you experience persistent anxiety that feels overwhelming, unforgettable and interferes with your daily life, you may be dealing with the symptoms of an anxiety disorder. Always reach out to a mental health professional for expert advice on whether your symptoms meet the criteria for a diagnosis.
Identifying And Treating The Seven Types Of Add/adhd
ADD, or attention deficit disorder, is the outdated term for ADHD . In 1987, the American Psychological Association discontinued the use of the term ADD and instead replaced it with ADHD. However, in modern times both terms are thrown about and sometimes this can cause major confusion. In a modern context, ADD is used to describe inattentive attention deficit hyperactive disorder, which is a subtype of ADHD.
ADD/ADHD is characterized by hyperactivity and a lack of impulse control and attention. However these symptoms can vary by the individual and not all the symptoms must be present to diagnose ADD/ADHD. In fact, there are several different types of ADD/ADHD and understanding these different types is a crucial aspect in developing an effective treatment plan. But first, lets take a look at the basics of ADD/ADHD.
Recommended Reading: Is Anxiety And Depression The Same
Strategies To Cope With Adhd And Anxiety
Treatment for ADHD and anxiety typically includes medication, therapy, or a combination of both. But there are also lifestyle changes that can help you manage both conditions.
People with both ADHD and anxiety can cope by learning to manage both conditions, Roberts says. Learning skills to decrease the occurrence of forgetfulness is helpful for people with ADHD.
Roberts also stresses the importance of learning skills such as meditation to help manage anxiety. Daily meditation can help people better identify their feelings and determine which are based on facts vs exaggerated fears.
Other self-care strategies you might want to consider include:
- yoga
What Is Adhd Like
If you experience ADHD, you might find that you:
- have difficulty concentrating
- are forgetful
- sometimes make impulsive decisions.
This isnt a complete list of all symptoms, but they are some of the symptoms which are also common in mental health problems.
Lots of the main symptoms of ADHD are things that impact your behaviour, mood, and thinking. So you might be misdiagnosed with a mental health problem like depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or a personality disorder.
You May Like: Does Paxil Help With Anxiety
Anxiety Or Adhd Why They Sometimes Look The Same And How To Tell The Difference
Anxiety and ADHD are very different, but sometimes the symptoms can look similar. The correct diagnosis is critical to guide treatment and to make sense of things when kids seem to be struggling or when something doesnt feel quite right. As much as the right diagnosis can heal, the wrong one can also harm. Understanding how anxiety might look like ADHD, and the telltale differences between the two, can make an important difference in avoiding a misdiagnosis, and helping kids deal with the symptoms that might be getting in their way.
ADHD is one of the most diagnosed childhood conditions, and it seems to be increasing. The Centre for Disease Control reports that 11% of children between 4-17 have been diagnosed with ADHD at some point in their lives. Reports suggest that about 8% currently have ADHD and about 6% are taking medication. The prescription of medications for ADHD has increased by 800% in the last two decades.
ADHD has been the firestarter for plenty of hearty debate, with some questioning whether or not it actually exists. Lets start by putting that argument to bed, or somewhere less cosy and far away so it wont find its way back. ADHD absolutely does exist, and there are pictures to prove it. Brain imaging shows definite differences between a brain with ADHD and a brain without.
Related Conditions In Children And Teenagers With Adhd
Although not always the case, some children may also have signs of other problems or conditions alongside ADHD, such as:
- anxiety disorder which causes your child to worry and be nervous much of the time it may also cause physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, sweating and dizziness
- oppositional defiant disorder this is defined by negative and disruptive behaviour, particularly towards authority figures, such as parents and teachers
- conduct disorder this often involves a tendency towards highly antisocial behaviour, such as stealing, fighting, vandalism and harming people or animals
- Tourette’s syndrome a condition of the nervous system, characterised by a combination of involuntary noises and movements
- learning difficulties such as dyslexia
Also Check: Does Eliquis Cause Depression Or Anxiety
What Causes Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In Adults
The causes of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are unclear, but the condition often runs in families. There appears to be a genetic and neurobiological basis for ADHD. Usually, adults with the predominantly inattentive form of ADHD first developed it during childhood and adolescence. They were likely reprimanded in elementary or middle school, were consistently distracted and turned in incomplete work. However, because children with this form of ADHD usually are not hyperactive, the disorder might have gone unrecognized until they reached adolescence or adulthood. This is especially true for girls and women with inattentive ADHD. Girls may be more quiet and passive than those who do not have the disorder, and therefore they do not stand out in the classroom. At times, adult women can go undiagnosed until one of their children is diagnosed with ADHD. At this point they might recognize similarities in their own behavior patterns and seek professional help.
Researchers are studying environmental trauma and other issues related to pregnancy or early life exposure as other possible factors that may play a role in ADHD.
You May Not Have Adhd If
You May Like: How To Handle Anxiety At Work
Different Types Of Adhd
There are three different types of ADHD, each one with its own set of symptoms:
Predominantly Hyperactive/Impulsive
People who experience this type tend to be really restless and impatient, always fidgeting or moving around even when sitting still .
They also often make careless mistakes at work or school not because they dont know the answers but rather that they lose interest in a task and stop paying attention.
Predominantly Inattentive
People who experience this type tend to get distracted easily, forget things, and struggle with following instructions and completing tasks.
They also often make careless mistakes at work or school without realizing it because their mind wanders off.
Combined Hyperactive/Impulsive and Inattentive
People who experience this type have symptoms of both previous types of ADHD, meaning that they might be restless or fidgety but also tend to lose focus easily.
They often struggle with all the previously mentioned tasks plus things like organizing or planning.
How Is Anxiety Treated
Treatment for anxiety typically consists of a combination of psychotherapy and medication. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most effective form of psychotherapy for generalized anxiety disorder. CBT teaches specific skills to manage your worries and help you gradually return to the activities you have avoided because of anxiety.
Recommended Reading: Does Lithium Help With Anxiety
’15 Tips To Help Yourself’
Adapted from 50 tips by American psychiatrist Ed Hallowell in Driven to Distraction.
- tell people: but dont use the diagnosis as an excuse
- ask for help from your friends and family: but say exactly what you need
- get feedback about how you affect others: and ask for feedback about when you do things well
- use structure and prioritise:
- break down big goals into smaller, manageable tasks
- ADDISS: Charity providing information and resources about ADHD for parents, sufferers, teachers and health professionals.
- Adders: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Online information service.
- UK Adult ADHD Network: Professional body that aims to support practitioners in rolling out the NICE clinical guideline 72 and establish clinical services for adults in the UK.
If The Symptoms Are From Adhd Whats Driving Them
An ever-increasing body of research has found that there are widespread structural and functional, electrical and neurochemical differences in the brains of children with ADHD. Researchers arent exactly sure what causes these changes, but theres a lot of research happening in the area to get us closer to the answers.
The changes are particularly in the areas of executive functioning and sensorimotor processing .
The frontal cortex and other parts of the brain are smaller in children with ADHD. Size makes no difference at all when it comes to intelligence, and many kids with ADHD will have above average IQs. What it does affect is behaviour. An ADHD brain is powerful, intelligent, and very capable, but its not able to filter the noise from the relevant information coming in. A brain with ADHD is like a beautiful, high-powered, high performing sports car, but without any brakes.
Many people seem to grow out of ADHD, and there seems to be a good reason for this. Research suggests that with ADHD, the brain is delayed in some areas by about three years. It still develops in a normal pattern, but some areas will take a little longer. Eventually, the functioning in these areas catches up, which is when the symptoms of ADHD seem to lessen or disappear.
Also Check: How Do You Know You Are Suffering From Anxiety
What Is An Anxiety Disorder
An anxiety disorder is a mental health condition in which a person has ongoing worry and fear. It is normal to experience anxiety when going through a stressful time occasionally. Still, for people with an anxiety disorder, feelings of anxiety are constant and may even get worse over time.
Anxiety disorders are diagnosable mental health conditions, and as such, they often require professional monitoring and treatment. You will need to consult with a doctor or mental health professional to receive an anxiety disorder diagnosis, but knowing signs that you have anxiety can help you decide whether to seek help.
There are different types of anxiety, but what all of these different disorders have in common is that they lead a person to experience fear and worry that interferes with daily life. For some people, anxiety symptoms may lead to general worry and fear, whereas others may have anxiety related to specific situations or objects.
Related Reading: What is Relationship Anxiety and How can you Deal with it?