How to Know If You Have ADHD
There are some online quizzes that can help you determine if you have ADHD. These can give you confidence to schedule an appointment with a health professional.
Doctors and therapists will look at how many symptoms you have, when they started, and how severe they are. They will also consider your personal and family history.
What Are The Symptoms Of ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD can be difficult to diagnose. Symptoms can appear in children and adults of any gender or age. They can be a combination of inattention, hyperactivity-impulsivity or a mix of both.
Children with ADHD may have difficulty sitting still, squirm or fidget in their seats or have trouble following instructions at school. They may also forget tasks, get distracted easily or have trouble making and keeping friends.
Girls and women with ADHD have different symptoms than boys and men. They may be more likely to have internalizing behavior, meaning they are more likely to have trouble maintaining friendships and relationships, or become depressed or anxious. They also often have more inattentive symptoms than hyperactivity-impulsive symptoms and these can worsen during hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy or puberty.
Causes Of ADHD
If your ADHD symptoms go undiagnosed and untreated, they can wreak havoc on virtually every aspect of your life. You may struggle to keep a job, meet the demands of family responsibilities, and handle the financial stresses of daily living. You may feel a persistent sense of underachievement and low self-esteem. You may experience physical health problems, such as weight problems and chronic stress, anxiety, or depression.
You might have trouble sleeping, which can contribute to the chronic fatigue you feel. You might also have difficulty keeping up with your medical care, including missed doctor appointments and a lack of regular exercise.
The symptoms of ADHD in adults look a little different than those of children, but providers still use American Psychiatric Association guidelines to diagnose the condition. Take this ADHD test to help identify whether your symptoms are the result of ADHD.
Getting Diagnosed With ADHD
Many people with ADHD go undiagnosed. Their symptoms are often misunderstood by family and friends, who label them as dreamers, goof-offs, or troublemakers. When they grow up and become adults, their difficulties with time management, organization, and attention to detail may cause them to struggle at work or in their personal lives.
A diagnosis of ADHD requires a thorough evaluation by health care providers or mental health professionals who are trained in ADHD assessment and treatment. A complete evaluation typically includes a description of symptoms from the person being evaluated, the completion of questionnaires and scales by parents or caregivers, and information about the person’s environment, upbringing and education.
Some people with ADHD have the combined type, meaning they display symptoms from both the inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive categories. This type tends to affect younger children.
Risk Factors Of ADHD
Many adults with ADHD go undiagnosed. Their symptoms can interfere with relationships, cause work or financial difficulties and contribute to other health problems like depression or anxiety. They may also experience recurring problems in their daily lives such as losing things, forgetting medical instructions and appointments or being overly impulsive with spending.
Children with this disorder often have trouble staying focused and following instructions at school, and parents and teachers notice these symptoms. However, it’s difficult to diagnose them before age 5, when they are usually diagnosed with other conditions such as autism or depression. In addition to observing behavior, doctors also consider the person’s history. It’s common for ADHD to run in families, so people who have a sibling with the condition have a higher chance of developing it themselves.
Complications Of ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD can cause serious problems, especially for adults. They may find it hard to get or keep a job, feel overwhelmed at work or home, and struggle to manage money. They may also forget to take important medication, have trouble following medical instructions, and be prone to impulsive spending.
It’s important to note that only a trained professional can diagnose ADHD. While many websites and tests offer questionnaires about symptoms, these are not standardized or scientifically validated. It’s also important to know that ADHD symptoms differ for different people. It’s common for children to have different symptoms than adults, and the symptoms can look very differently at older ages. In addition, to be diagnosed with ADHD, at least five symptoms need to have been present before the age of 12. Also, symptoms must have lasted for more than six months.
