ADHD Not Just for Kids

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ADHD NOT JUST FOR KIDS - by Dr. Dan Opdyke

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) , usually thought of as a childhood syndrome, is being identified in more adults every day, twice as common in men. Over half of all children with ADHD continue to have symptoms well into adulthood. ADHD was often overlooked in former decades, and thus untreated. And because the ADHD adult often carries the scars of a childhood of untreated ADHD, the resulting social and emotional fallout can make their lives miserable. When ADHD adults look back at their early years, often there is a history of school failure and impulsively destructive behaviors. This pattern of school failure and behavioral problems in childhood can sabotage adult success. Adults with ADHD find that their problem behaviors from school follow them to their work environments where their performance may suffer.

Though the symptoms of ADHD are similar from child to adult, adult demands are greater. More and more adults are coming into physician and therapist clinics seeking help. Their lives are disrupted by their inability to sustain attention, poor organizational skills, procrastination, impulsivity, forgetfulness, and poor self-discipline. Adults with ADHD have fewer close relationships and more difficulty with intimacy. When spouses are asked, they speak of the disorganized lifestyle, poor listening skills, and seemingly immature behavior of the ADHD adult. Spouses of ADHD adults often, in fact, report that they feel like parents of teenagers in their struggles to manage the household. Anxiety, low self-esteem, and mild depression are also common in adults with ADHD.

Most adults with ADHD are sociable and even-tempered. In certain situations, however, they may become agitated and even violent. Waiting in line, getting stuck in traffic, having to fill out job applications, and other daily hassles can seem unbearable to the ADHD adult, who may explode in unpredictable rages. A study of one state prison found that 25% of male inmates met criteria for ADHD. Bad driving records, spotty employment, divorce, drug abuse, poor financial management, and unhealthy lifestyles plague many of the ADHD adults who go untreated. Less serious perhaps are the lost keys, unmet deadlines, missed appointments, unfinished projects, and sloppy households that are the trademarks of the ADHD adult.

Most physicians are now aware that adults with ADHD exist, and that they respond to stimulant medications much as children with ADHD do. Physicians may be reluctant to prescribe medication because of the danger of drug abuse, but this fear is unfounded. Stimulant medication, when taken by a truly ADHD patient, facilitates the central brain process having to do with self-control. The medication needs to be taken to correct a neurological deficit. Medication is the primary treatment for ADHD.

Psychotherapy repairs damage done from years of undisciplined thinking and behavior. The therapist acts as coach and teacher, helping the client gain control over his life by setting up schedules, routines, to-do lists, etc. Education about the disorder is a large part of the therapy. Relational counseling rebuilds the damaged social network. Supportive counseling builds self-esteem and confidence. As always, an accurate assessment by a qualified professional is the recommended starting point. With help, ADHD adults can recover some of their lost potential.

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