ADHD in Adults
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is most often diagnosed in children. As the following article notes, behaviors that accompany ADHD in children including restlessness and increased motor movement, tend to mollify or lessen after the age of 9. Also ADHD is still primarily diagnosed in males, and most of the clinical studies to date have involved males under the age of 40. But there seems to be a significant level of adult ADHD that is not diagnosed or treated. Treatment can be pharmacological, with medicine such as stimulants, or with psychotherapy. Cognitive Behavioral therapy is the one most widely researched, and I believe one of the reasons for this is that it lends itself the best to research as behaviors and thoughts that are noted or counted tend to lessen. ADHD also tends to accompany depression or anxiety issues, as well as substance abuse. There are paper and pencil tests that can give an indication of the presence of ADHD, although I would suspect that folks who have it are aware of ADHD in their lives, probably as someone near them has told them! ADHD is treatable; contact your doctor or mental health professional if you believe that you have the symptoms.
Dennis Dozier LISW CCDP
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