Adults with ADHD

ADHD does not only affect children, it affects adults as well. Adults with ADHD may have difficulty following directions, remembering information, concentrating, organizing tasks or completing work within time limits.

If these issues are not handled properly, they can cause associated behavioral, emotional, social, and academic problems.

Adult ADHD statistics

ADHD afflicts approximately 3% to 5% of school-age children and an estimated 60% of those will maintain the disorder into adulthood.
Prevalence rates for ADHD in adults are not as well determined as rates for children, but fall in the 1% to 5% range.
ADHD affects males at higher rate than females in childhood, but this ratio seems to even out by adulthood.

Common behaviors and problems of adult ADHD

A few problems that may be caused from ADHD are:

Chronic lateness and forgetfulness
Anxiety
Low self-esteem
Employment problems
Difficulty controlling anger
Substance abuse or addiction
Poor organization skills
Procrastination
Difficulty concentrating when reading
Mood swings
Depression
Relationship problems

These behaviors may be mild to severe and can vary with the situation or be present all of the time. In addition, adults with ADHD can be withdrawn and antisocial, or they can be overly social and unable to be alone.

Work-related impairments in adults with ADHD

Change employers frequently and perform poorly
Have had fewer occupational achievements, independent of psychiatric status

Social-related impairments in adults with ADHD

Have a lower socioeconomic status
Have driving violations such as: be cited for speeding; have their licenses suspended; be involved in more crashes
Use illegal substances more frequently
Smoke cigarettes

Relationship-related impairments in adults with ADHD

Have more marital problems and multiple marriages
Have higher incidence of separation and divorce M

How adult ADHD is diagnosed

While researchers may disagree about age of childhood onset in diagnosing adult ADHD, all agree that ADHD is not an adult-onset disorder and must be verified from childhood. An assessment of ADHD symptoms and behavior from childhood may include any or all of the following:

A questionnaire to determine if the adult had ADHD in childhood
School report cards, if available, to look for comments about behavior problems, poor focus, lack of effort or underachievement relative to the student's potential
Discussion with the parents to determine any symptoms during childhood
A complete history from the adult with the symptoms.
The developmental history would be consistent with ADHD, including evidence of problems with peers, other delays such as bed wetting, school failure, suspensions, or special interventions such as sitting in front of the class, etc.

Behavioral treatments for adult ADHD

Adult ADHD may be treated with one or more of the following:

Individual cognitive and behavioral therapy to enhance self-esteem
Relaxation training and stress management to reduce anxiety and stress
Behavioral coaching to teach the person strategies for organizing home and work activities
Job coaching or mentoring to support better working relationships and improve on-the-job performance
Family education and therapy

In-depth assessment, treatment planning, medication management, individual therapy, education and family support are all necessary to help the adult with ADHD function in new ways and build his or her self-esteem.

Psychosocial behavior management
Adults with ADHD can also benefit from some basic organizational concepts and behavior management strategies to help manage the condition. Here are ways to train yourself to overcome these problems or make them more manageable:

Take medications as directed. If you are taking any medications for ADHD or any other condition, be sure and take them exactly as prescribed. Missing a dose or taking two doses at once to catch up on missed doses can have negative consequences for you and others.
Organize yourself. Train yourself to become more organized. Make lists of daily tasks and strive to complete them. Use a daily planner, leave notes for yourself and set your alarm clock when you need to remember an appointment or other activity.
Control impulsive behavior. If you have a tendency to do things you later regret, such as interrupting or getting angry at others, manage the impulse by counting to 10 while breathing slowly instead of acting out.
Minimize distractions. Find ways to reduce the distractions throughout the day. If you find yourself being distracted by loud music or the television, turn it off or use earplugs.
Find constructive outlets for excess energy. People with ADHD sometimes seem to have more nervous energy than others, and this hyperactivity needs to have an outlet of some sort. A hobby or other pastime can be helpful.
Ask for help. We all need help from time to time and it is important to not be afraid to ask for it when you need it. If you are having disruptive thoughts or behaviors, ask a counselor if they have any techniques that might help control them.

Natural Supplement for ADHD - Listol

Listol is an alternative all natural supplement designed to work with the body to help with ADD/ADHD. Listol replenishes nutrients that are lacking and causing the symptoms of ADD/ADHD. Unlike prescribed medications for the treatment of ADD/ADHD Listol does not have the unwanted side effects. Below is a list of ingredients in Listol.

Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine is essential for proper function of the nervous system.
Iron - Research indicates that iron deficiency is associated with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.
Magnesium - In a study of 116 children with ADHD magnesium deficiency was observed in 95% of the subjects. Analysis of the data showed a correlation between levels of magnesium and the quotient of development to freedom from distractibility.
Zinc - A study conducted to explore the relationship of zinc nutrition to the severity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in a middle-class American sample with well-diagnosed ADHD showed that serum zinc levels correlated at with parent-teacher-rated inattention.
Copper - When supplementing with zinc it is always important to take additional copper to prevent deficiency of this trace mineral, as zinc and copper compete for absorption. Furthermore, copper levels are observed to be lower in children with hyperactivity.
Glycine - Glycine is a basic amino acid which is vital for proper nervous system function.
GABA Powder - GABA pathways in the brain appear to play a role in certain cognitive disorders like ADHD.
DMAE Bitartatrate - DMAE is a precursor for phosphatidylcholine, an important phospholipid in the brain. Supplementation with DMAE has demonstrated improvements in hyperkinesis, an older term for ADHD.

To learn more about Listol Click Here.

More ADHD Articles