Many adults who are eventually diagnosed with ADHD don’t start out wondering if they have a disorder.
They usually have a simpler explanation: “I’ve always been this way.”
Maybe they’ve always been disorganized. They lose things, forget appointments, put things off until the last minute or have trouble finishing what they start. They may struggle to pay attention during a meeting, yet have no problem focusing for hours on something that really interests them.
For years, many simply assume this is part of their personality. Some even blame themselves, wondering why things that seem easy for other people take so much effort.
Adult ADHD can be easy to miss, particularly in people who have learned ways to compensate. They may have done well in school, built successful careers or relied on calendars, lists, reminders and deadlines to keep themselves on track.
Then life gets more complicated.
Work becomes more demanding. There are children, bills, schedules, appointments and more things to keep track of. Strategies that worked for years may suddenly not work quite as well.
That’s often when people begin wondering about ADHD.
But being distracted, forgetful or prone to procrastination doesn’t necessarily mean you have it. Anxiety, depression, poor sleep, stress, medications and medical conditions can all interfere with attention and concentration. That’s why a good ADHD evaluation involves more than checking symptoms off a list.
ADHD begins in childhood, even when it isn’t recognized until adulthood. An evaluation looks at the pattern over time, how these difficulties have affected someone’s life and whether something else might better explain them.
For some adults, finally having an explanation for difficulties they’ve dealt with for years can be a tremendous relief. It can also help replace years of blaming themselves with a better understanding of why certain things have been so difficult.
More importantly, ADHD is treatable.
If you’ve spent years wondering why organization, time management or attention seem harder than they should, it may be worth talking with a qualified mental health professional.
Sometimes “I’ve always been this way” is simply who we are.
But sometimes, there’s more to the story.
Peter P. Zafirides, MD
Central Ohio Behavioral Medicine
