If you think ADHD is a disorder that affects just children, then you are in for a surprise. This is because there are adult ADHD cases as well. In fact, there are actually more than 12 million American adults who suffer from ADHD as well.
But the process of diagnosing ADHD in adults is still a bit difficult to do. For one thing, the symptoms in child ADHD are different from that of in adults so it is hard to conduct an accurate comparison of both conditions. What’s more, research into ADHD in adults is still at the very early stages so not much is indeed known of the disorder. When it comes to diagnosing ADHD in children, there is no test that can identify the disorder accurately. How much more when it comes to ADHD in adults? There are also no genetic indicators that can help establish a diagnosis. Therefore, it is an imperative to consult your physician, who in turn, will conduct a thorough evaluation of the patient’s past behavior, as well as a physical exam. This physical exam is conducted to weed out any possible cause that can account for any of the adult ADHD symptoms that have been manifesting.
The symptoms of ADHD, particularly in adults, can be relative. But if you would take a look at the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual) of Mental Disorders prepared by the APA, or the American Psychiatric Association, there is a collection of symptoms that are very common in people affected with ADHD. People affected with ADHD find it difficult to organize activities and tasks, for starters. If you find it hard prioritizing your daily activities and tasks, pertaining to your job for instance, you just might be suffering from adult ADHD already.
Those who also frequently lose things that are necessary in carrying out activities and tasks are possibly affected with ADHD as well. This is because the person has a hard time focusing his attention on the things that are very much needed in carrying out such activities. Oftentimes, these people lose things because they are distracted by any sort of stimuli at hand. This is also one of the symptoms that are quite present in many ADHD cases.
These are just some of the symptoms mentioned in the DSM formulated by the APA. These are the primary symptoms manifested in ADHD cases involving children. However, researchers studying adult ADHD cases turn to these symptoms, in the attempt to understand the adult version of the disorder better.