Post by dilwale2005 on Feb 16, 2013 8:34:53 GMT -5
I thought to share this with you.....
Do you have ADHD?
About
4 percent of adults have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), and many others have never been diagnosed. (About half of kids
with ADHD still have it in adulthood.)
A diagnosis can be
important. Adults with ADHD tend to have lower incomes as well as
higher rates of accidents, unplanned pregnancies, and substance abuse
than those without it, says Dr. Martin W. Wetzel, an assistant professor
of psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, in Omaha.
Here are 15 signs of adult ADHD.
You're restless
Children with ADHD can be overly energetic, but adults may just feel edgy or restless.
"Adults
don't show the more obvious signs such as running and jumping," says
Colette de Marneffe, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Silver Spring, Md.
"Hyperactivity presents more subtly in the form of restlessness."
However,
you may recall a rambunctious childhood. Dr. Wetzel had a patient who
recalled spending a lot of time in the school hallways because "he
couldn't sit still." It's a "classic story," he says.
You have a child with ADHD
ADHD
appears to have a genetic component. When one member of the family has
it, there's a 25 percent to 35 percent chance that someone else in the
family does, too, according to the Attention Deficit Disorder
Association.
When a child is diagnosed with ADHD, some
adults, who may have had the same symptoms when they were children,
realize that they may have always had the condition without realizing
it.
You have relationship trouble
A newly minted relationship is often exhilarating, but the novelty can wear off in time.
"Oftentimes
adults with ADHD really have a hard time with that transition," notes
de Marneffe. "When the relationship becomes more stable and predictable,
conflicts tend to emerge."
Being easily distracted or
inattentive - symptoms of ADHD - can also sabotage existing
relationships with family, friends, and significant others who view
their loved one's behavior as self-centered, Dr. Wetzel adds.
You smoke
About 40 percent of adults with ADHD smoke, versus only percent of the general population.
"Nicotine
is very effective for a lot of ADHD symptoms and it's not uncommon for
me to see someone for the first time after they quit smoking," says Dr.
Wetzel. That's because they often start to have more problems with focus
and concentration, he explains.
Adults with ADHD are also more likely to use alcohol and other drugs, and at earlier ages, than people without ADHD.
You had academic problems as a child
If
you suspect you have ADHD as an adult, an early history of ADHD
symptoms - difficulty sitting still, paying attention to the teacher,
and focusing on your work, for example - can confirm the diagnosis.
"What
adult patients will tell you over and over and over again is that they
had to work twice as hard as their peers to get half as much done in
school," Dr. Wetzel says.
You're a champion procrastinator
Do you live deadline to deadline?
"I
can't tell you how many times a patient has told me, 'I'm the king of
procrastination,' or 'I'm the queen of procrastination,' because they
feel like no one else can put things off like they can," says Dr.
Wetzel.
It makes sense, he adds, because when people with
ADHD are under the gun and anxious, that's when they can focus.
Constant anxiety, however, can be very stressful.
You're a thrill seeker
People
with ADHD are often drawn to activities that are stimulating. They may
engage in risky behaviors, like fast driving, gambling, and even
extramarital affairs.
The key is to channel that desire
for excitement and novelty into activities that don't jeopardize your
work and family life, says de Marneffe. Parasailing or other
high-adventure activities may be good outlets.
You lose things all the time
Is losing your cell phone, wallet, or keys part of your daily routine? People with ADHD frequently misplace common items.
Dr. Wetzel describes ADHD as an "underpowered state of consciousness."
If
you set down your keys and you're not really paying attention, your
brain doesn't lay down a memory of the event. "It's kind of like it
never happened," he says.
You have trouble on the job
Everyone
encounters some task he doesn't particularly enjoy, but most people are
able to find a way to complete the boring aspects of their job, says de
Marneffe. People with ADHD, however, have a hard time doing that.
Jobs
with a lot of repetition tend to be a poor fit, she observes. Choose
work that engages you and fulfills your need for novelty and
variability.
You have a quick temper
If
you fly off the handle in a fit of anger or frustration one moment but
are completely over it in the next, it might be a sign of ADHD.
Because
this type of irritability can also be a symptom of bipolar disorder,
some people with ADHD can be misdiagnosed, says Dr. Wetzel. (However,
you can also have both.)
It's important to get a thorough evaluation and diagnosis.
You have problems completing tasks
Is
your house cluttered with piles of laundry? Is your expense account
still a work in progress? Failing to finish tasks can be a symptom of
ADHD in adults.
Dr. Wetzel, author of the e-book "The
Adult ADHD Handbook For Patients, Family & Friends," finds the most
successful ADHD patients tend to be entrepreneurs who rehttp://adhd.freeforums.net/thread/new/14
cognize this
shortcoming and surround themselves with people who will focus on the
details, finish the paperwork, and handle the mundane portions of a
task.
You're impulsive
If you blurt out whatever's on your mind without weighing the consequences, it might be a symptom of ADHD.
And acting on an impulse, rather than thinking things through, can cause trouble with family and colleagues.
Examples
would include abruptly quitting a job, having unprotected sex, or
impulse buying with little thought about the repercussions.
You can't relax
Your
spouse wants to catch a movie, but unless it's the thriller you've been
dying to see, you may get up several times or have random thoughts that
distract you from the plot.
Being calm requires a quiet
mind, and that's tough for people with ADHD because "so many other
things can take over their consciousness," Dr. Wetzel says. "People with
ADHD will tell you it's almost impossible for them to meditate."
You're easily distracted
You're on a conference call, but your mind keeps wandering. Next thing you know, you've lost chunks of conversation.
With
ADHD, sustaining focus is a real problem and a core feature of the
disorder. Unimportant things - from external noises and movement to
daydreams - grab your attention.
Move to a work space with fewer distractions or use white noise to block out other sounds in the surrounding environment.
You're disorganized
Here's
the tip off: Your desk is a mountain of paper and you just wasted a
half hour searching for an important legal document. Or maybe you failed
to make appointments for your children to see the pediatrician, and the
school wants their immunization reports - pronto.
If you
have ADHD, getting and staying organized is a challenge for you.
Breaking organizational tasks into smaller steps may help, according to
the National Resource Center on ADHD, in Landover, Md.