Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that begins in childhood, but its effects can continue throughout adolescence and adulthood. Some people are diagnosed when they are young, while others do not receive a diagnosis until adulthood. Healthdirect
For adults who have spent years struggling with organisation, concentration, time management or impulsivity, understanding why these difficulties occur can be an important step towards finding appropriate support.
However, occasionally losing focus, procrastinating or feeling restless does not necessarily mean someone has ADHD. A comprehensive professional assessment is important because ADHD symptoms can overlap with other health and mental health concerns. Healthdirect
What Is Adult ADHD?
ADHD affects a person’s ability to regulate areas including attention, behaviour and impulses. Healthdirect describes three broad symptom presentations: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and a combination of both. Healthdirect
Although ADHD begins in childhood, the way it appears can change as a person gets older.
An adult is unlikely to be running around a classroom, for example, but may experience internal restlessness, difficulty sitting through lengthy meetings, problems managing competing responsibilities or a tendency to act before considering the consequences.
The experience can also differ significantly between individuals.
What Are Some Signs of ADHD in Adults?
Adult ADHD can affect several areas of everyday life.
Difficulty maintaining attention
Some adults find it challenging to stay focused, particularly during tasks they find repetitive or uninteresting.
They might become distracted by conversations, notifications, unrelated thoughts or activities happening around them.
Other experiences can include starting tasks without finishing them, overlooking details or struggling to follow lengthy instructions.
Organisation and time management difficulties
Keeping track of multiple responsibilities can be challenging for some adults with ADHD.
This may appear as frequently running late, underestimating how long tasks will take, missing appointments or deadlines, losing important belongings, or having difficulty deciding which task to tackle first.
Healthdirect notes that adults experiencing inattentive ADHD symptoms may particularly struggle with organisation and managing their time. Healthdirect
Forgetfulness
Everyone forgets things occasionally.
For some people with ADHD, however, forgetfulness may be frequent enough to interfere with everyday life. This could involve forgetting appointments, losing belongings or struggling to remember tasks and instructions. Healthdirect
Restlessness
Hyperactivity can look different in adults than it does in children.
An adult may experience a persistent sense of restlessness, frequently fidget, find prolonged periods of sitting uncomfortable or continually seek activity and stimulation.
Impulsivity
Impulsivity involves acting before fully considering the consequences.
It may appear as interrupting conversations, making quick decisions, having difficulty waiting or reacting rapidly to situations. Healthdirect
ADHD Can Affect More Than Productivity
Discussions about adult ADHD often focus on productivity and concentration, but its effects can extend beyond work.
Persistent difficulties may influence education, employment, relationships, family life and everyday responsibilities. Healthdirect notes that adults with ADHD can also experience difficulties involving work and family, and some people may have co-occurring conditions such as anxiety or depression. Healthdirect
This is one reason a proper assessment considers the person’s broader circumstances rather than looking at one symptom in isolation.
Why Can ADHD Go Unrecognised Until Adulthood?
Some people reach adulthood without having ADHD identified earlier in life.
They may have developed strategies that helped them manage difficulties during school, or their symptoms may not have been recognised as ADHD at the time.
The demands of adult life can also expose difficulties that were previously manageable.
University, employment, finances, household responsibilities, relationships and parenting can require substantial planning, organisation and self-management. When these responsibilities accumulate, long-standing difficulties with attention or executive functioning may become more noticeable.
Receiving an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood does not mean that ADHD suddenly developed as an adult. Current diagnostic criteria require evidence that symptoms were present during childhood. Healthdirect
Having ADHD-Like Symptoms Does Not Automatically Mean You Have ADHD
Many people occasionally experience distraction, forgetfulness, procrastination or restlessness.
These experiences alone are not enough to diagnose ADHD.
Other factors and health conditions can also cause difficulties with attention or concentration. Healthdirect specifically notes that proper assessment is important because there can be other explanations for inattentive, impulsive or hyperactive symptoms. Healthdirect
Rather than relying on online checklists or social media content for a diagnosis, speak with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional if these difficulties are persistent or affecting your everyday functioning.
When Should You Consider Seeking Help?
It may be worth discussing your concerns with a doctor if difficulties with attention, organisation, impulsivity or restlessness are persistent and are interfering with your everyday life.
This might include difficulties affecting your work or study, relationships, ability to manage responsibilities, or general wellbeing.
Healthdirect recommends seeing a doctor when symptoms are making everyday functioning difficult. A doctor may then recommend or arrange referral to an appropriate specialist, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist. Healthdirect
What Happens During an Adult ADHD Assessment?
There is no single simple test that determines whether an adult has ADHD.
Assessment generally involves gathering information about your symptoms, development, medical and mental health history, and how difficulties affect different areas of your life.
Healthdirect states that ADHD diagnosis can involve clinical interviews as well as medical and psychological assessments. Information from family members, partners or others who know the person may sometimes be considered. Healthdirect
A clinician will also consider whether another condition could better explain the symptoms.
Why Is Childhood History Important?
Although someone may first be diagnosed as an adult, ADHD is considered a neurodevelopmental condition that begins during childhood.
For an adult ADHD diagnosis, evidence needs to indicate that relevant symptoms were present before age 12. Healthdirect notes that adults undergoing assessment may sometimes be asked to provide school reports. Healthdirect
Depending on your circumstances, information could potentially come from old school reports, previous assessments or discussions about childhood behaviour and functioning.
Do not worry if you do not have every document from childhood. Your assessing clinician can tell you what information would be useful for your particular assessment.
What Should You Bring to an ADHD Assessment?
Follow the specific instructions provided by your clinic, as assessment requirements can vary.
Useful information may include:
- Your referral and relevant medical information
- A list of current medications
- Previous mental health or developmental assessments
- Relevant school reports, if available
- Information about previous treatments
- Notes about the difficulties you currently experience
- Examples of how those difficulties affect work, study, relationships or home life
- Questions you would like to ask
Providing concrete examples can help the clinician understand how your experiences affect everyday functioning.
What Happens After an Assessment?
The next steps depend on the outcome of your assessment and your individual circumstances.
If ADHD is diagnosed, management should be tailored to the person. The Australian Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline for ADHD focuses on improving everyday functioning and quality of life, and Healthdirect notes that treatment options may involve different healthcare professionals and can include psychological therapies and medicines. AADPA
A psychiatrist can discuss which options may or may not be appropriate based on your individual needs, medical history and circumstances.
An assessment may also identify other factors that require attention, whether instead of or alongside ADHD.
ADHD Is Different for Everyone
There is no single picture of what an adult with ADHD looks like.
One person may primarily struggle with organisation and concentration, while another may experience significant impulsivity and restlessness. Some people develop effective strategies that help them manage particular areas while continuing to struggle in others.
The impact also depends on the person’s environment, responsibilities, strengths, support systems and any other health conditions.
This is why an individual assessment is important.
Seeking Adult ADHD Support
If you have persistent difficulties with attention, organisation, time management or impulsivity and they are interfering with your everyday life, consider discussing your concerns with your GP.
Your GP can review your circumstances and advise whether referral for further assessment may be appropriate. Psychiatrists are medical specialists who can diagnose and manage mental health conditions, including ADHD, and can prescribe medication where clinically appropriate. Healthdirect
Hillside Specialists provides an Adult ADHD service alongside Adult Psychiatry and other specialist psychiatric services. hillside-specialists-landing-pa…
Preparing to Discuss ADHD: Quick Checklist
Before an appointment, it may help to think about what difficulties you are experiencing, how long they have been present, whether you remember similar difficulties during childhood, where they affect you most, and what strategies you have already tried.
If available and requested, you can also gather relevant school reports, previous assessments and your current medication information.
You do not need to determine for yourself whether you have ADHD before seeking professional advice. The purpose of assessment is to understand your experiences and determine what may be contributing to them.
For Referrers
Healthcare professionals can refer patients to Hillside Specialists for consideration through the clinic’s referral pathway.