For many years, ADHD was thought to be a child disorder, and more
specifically a disorder only found in young boys. But with medical
technology and research evolving, it has been found that many children
with ADD do not grow out of it when they become adults. Although
some of the hyperactivity tends to decrease, the core symptoms of the
disorder do not disappear. Hyperactivity can turn into impulsivity in
adulthood, which can potentially be very destructive.
92 percent of adults diagnosed with ADHD who were treated after age 18
wish they had been diagnosed sooner, according to research done by
Harris Interactive surveys. Research also indicated that 90
percent of teachers felt that late diagnosis affected both academic and
social development in students.
Families of people with ADD believe that getting an accurate diagnosis
is very important, but that conflicting information prevents this from
happening in many cases. Media from drug companies such as the
one pushing the popular ADD drug Strattera contribute to this
misinformation. Internet links that supposedly indicate ADD also
contribute to misinformation. ADD is not something you can
diagnose just by taking a simple quiz or survey. It must be diagnosed
by a psychologist or psychiatrist, and even these visits should involve
some type of formal testing for the disorder.
Before recently, many adults with ADHD were called unmotivated or
lazy. One thing to keep in mind is that just because you have
some of the symptoms does mean you have the disorder. It is the
severity of the symptoms and the history of them in the individual that
is the tell tale sign. What you need to keep in mind is that a
disorder by definition is something that gets in the way. So, if you
have symptoms that get in the way of every day life, please go get
tested and determine what the problem is so that you can get the help
you need.
For a diagnosis in adulthood, the symptoms of disorganization,
distractibility, impulsivity and lack of long-term planning must have
started sometime in childhood. It is hopeful that you would be
diagnosed in childhood to head off as many of the problems as possible.
Adults with ADHD can definitely have a successful life, and the
disorder has a range of effects on their progress in adulthood. Some
individuals with ADHD will have trouble finishing college, some won't.
Some will have trouble finding a job or career they enjoy, some
won't. It depends on many factors: how severe the disorder is,
how supportive the individual's family is, whether secondary disorders
mask ADD, etc, etc. Some individuals may have ADD and the field
they chose to go into supports their creativity and ideas. Some
will have no idea what they want to do and only are concerned with the
moment. The bottom line is that if you think you have ADD and it
is affecting the quality of your life; see a professional to further
investigate your hunches. Medication and counseling can have a
huge affect on the quality of your life.
If you even have the smallest idea, go get checked. This disorder is
not something to put off treatment to and your quality of life will be
much better the sooner you have an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
Don't discount counseling and other therapis. Science has come to
understand more about these types of disorders in the past few years
and will continue to progress with more and better medications.
Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on ADHD, please visit living-with-adhd.us/ ADHD for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith's own web site at keithlondrie.com/keithlondrie.com/