According to the American Psychiatric Association, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is considered a chronic and debilitating disorder, impacting many aspects of life including professional and academic achievements, interpersonal relationships and daily functioning. As one of the most common mental health disorders affecting children, ADHD symptoms are most often recognized and diagnosed before age 12.
However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately six percent of U.S. adults have a current ADHD diagnosis, and nearly half of those adults received their diagnosis during adulthood. Psychologist Shannon Beach, Ph.D., with SSM Health St. Anthony Family Medicine Clinic in Oklahoma City, shares the importance of seeking out proper ADHD testing to discover the root cause of symptoms.
In children, ADHD most commonly presents as difficulty in following instructions, completing tasks or sitting still for extended periods; kids may exhibit excessive activity, impulsivity and inattention that affects academic and social functioning. In adults, symptoms can look different: inattention and impulsiveness that affect relationships and employment, along with forgetfulness, distractedness and difficulty finishing tasks. Because many adults have spent years developing coping mechanisms to mask these symptoms, ADHD can go unrecognized well into adulthood.
That’s part of why proper testing matters, Beach says, because symptoms that look like ADHD often aren’t.
“Many of the adults I see who receive the appropriate testing do not have ADHD,” he says. “Instead, the vast majority have symptoms related to anxiety or trauma.”
Providing context, Beach notes that the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), the clinical standard for defining and diagnosing mental health conditions, devotes eight pages to ADHD and more than 700 pages to other disorders that can negatively impact attention.
Beach explains that a full evaluation for ADHD typically takes a half day to full day, sometimes longer, and includes attention measures, executive function testing, a full-scale IQ test, adaptive functioning measures and an emotional and psychological screening. A correct diagnosis is essential to creating the best treatment plan.
“Children and young adults under the age of 25 tend to rely more heavily on medication to manage symptoms,” says Beach. “Your frontal lobe continues to develop until you’re about 25, and as your brain develops, symptoms often lighten.”
As a result, Beach says adults most often benefit from behavioral strategies, such as structured calendars and task-prioritization systems, to help them stay focused.
“Adults who truly have ADHD tend to be the ones who report feeling less muted and more free without medication, versus people without it (ADHD), who simply report feeling better because stimulants help everyone focus,” says Beach.
Ultimately, Beach recommends against relying on quick screenings or self-diagnosis. Even a brief conversation with a psychologist, before testing, can help someone understand whether a complete evaluation is worth pursuing – and what else might be going on.
While ADHD can be a challenge, there are many ways to manage symptoms successfully.
