Do I Have ADHD? Signs And How To Get A Diagnosis (2024)

ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder, which means it impacts brain development and functioning. While ADHD is most commonly diagnosed in childhood, ADHD symptoms can persist into adulthood and diagnoses can happen later in life. An estimated 2% to 7% of adults worldwide have ADHD^[1]Ginapp CM, Macdonald-Gagnon G, Angarita GA, Bold KW, Potenza MN. The lived experiences of adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A rapid review of qualitative evidence. Front Psychiatry. 2022;11:13:949321. ^[2]Williams OC, Prasad S, McCrary A, et al.. Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a comprehensive review. Ann Med Surg (Lond). 2023;85(5):1802–1810. .

ADHD impacts the executive functions housed in the frontal lobe of the brain, says Billy Roberts, a licensed independent social worker, certified ADHD therapist and clinical director of Focused Mind ADHD Counseling in Columbus, Ohio. “These functions include the ability to plan ahead, filter out distractions and sustain focus, maintain effort and energy toward goals, self-regulate, recall things in the short term (also known as working memory) and organize oneself,” he says.

While researchers haven’t identified an exact cause of ADHD, certain genetic and environmental factors may play a role. These factors include:

• Family history of ADHD
• Premature birth
• Low birthweight

There is no known cure for ADHD, but a combination of treatments can help reduce symptoms and improve quality of life. These treatments include:

• Psychoeducation, which includes teaching those diagnosed and their family members about ADHD and how ADHD can affect different areas of life
• Therapy/skills training
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Supplements, such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
• Medication(s)

Regardless of age, people with ADHD have structural differences in their brains compared to people without ADHD. With that said, symptoms can present differently in children and adults. “One major reason is that the ‘adult world’ has a different set of expectations and social standards than the world of childhood,” says Roberts.

Additionally, ADHD symptoms in adults can be varied and complicated, and “even if someone has many symptoms that seem like they are caused by ADHD, there can still be other causes,” notes Jennifer Minami, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Loma Linda University School of Medicine.

ADHD symptoms typically fall into two categories: inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity. Adults can have mostly inattention symptoms, mostly hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms or a combination of both. Some of the most common symptoms of ADHD in adults include the following.

Difficulty Paying Attention

Adults with ADHD often struggle to maintain focus and tend to avoid tasks that require extended mental effort. Inattention may manifest as zoning out in conversations or meetings or getting easily distracted during tasks, says Roberts.

Procrastination and Difficulty Following Through on Tasks

Procrastination is one of the hallmarks of ADHD, with studies suggesting it’s the most common functional impairment for diagnosed adults. According to Roberts, adults with ADHD not only tend to put off tasks, but they may also struggle to get projects over the finish line.

“This starts to create much more significant problems in adulthood when individuals are expected to remember to pay bills, follow through on tasks at work and engage in longer-term projects,” adds Dr. Minami.

Forgetfulness

Adults with ADHD can experience memory problems, with research finding decreased performance in short-term memory tasks. Indeed, according to one small study, participants with adult ADHD said they were often teased or criticized for their forgetfulness^[3]Beaton DM, Sirois F, Milne E. Experiences of criticism in adults with ADHD: A qualitative study. PLoS One. 2022;17(2):e0263366. . “During childhood, being forgetful may have fewer consequences because a child has an adult figure who helps them remember things and organize themselves,” says Dr. Minami.

Feelings of Underachievement or Laziness

“ADHD in adults can bring on chronic feelings of underachievement, being lazy or not living up to one’s potential due to procrastinating or not completing work while having the skills and knowledge to perform better,” says Dr. Minami. In studies, adults with ADHD have reported academic or workplace underachievement, often finding it hard to stay on task, multitask or return to a task when interrupted.

Difficulty in Social Situations

In one review, adults with ADHD reported feeling misunderstood or rejected in social contexts, often struggling to pick up on social cues^[4]Bjerrum MB, Pedersen PU, Larsen P. Living with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adulthood: a systematic review of qualitative evidence. JBI Database System Rev Implement Rep. 2017;15(4):1080-1153. . A tendency to interrupt others or react with intense emotion, according to Dr. Minami, can also make it challenging for adults with ADHD to navigate certain social situations.

Restlessness

While research shows hyperactivity is a more visible symptom in children, adults with ADHD can experience restlessness and difficulty relaxing. This restlessness may also lead adults with ADHD to get up when they’re expected to remain seated, says Roberts.

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If you suspect you may have ADHD, speak with your general practitioner. While they will not give you a formal diagnosis, they can connect you with a specialist.

“The best way to find out if you have ADHD is to seek a comprehensive evaluation by either a psychiatrist, psychologist or psychiatric nurse practitioner who specializes in ADHD,” says Dr. Minami.

The ADHD diagnostic process typically includes an evaluation of:

• Recent symptoms
• Childhood history
• Medical history
• Family history
• Ruling out other psychiatric conditions

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), an adult may be diagnosed with ADHD if they have had five or more symptoms of ADHD for at least six months.

• Predominantly-inattentive ADHD includes the following symptoms:
  • Has difficulty paying attention to details or makes simple mistakes in schoolwork or work
  • Often has trouble keeping their attention on the tasks at hand
  • Does not seem to listen when addressed directly
  • Has difficulty following through on instructions and may not finish schoolwork, chores or workplace duties
  • Organizing tasks and activities is difficult
  • Sustained mental effort tasks are often avoided
  • Loses things often (that are needed for tasks or work)
  • Can be easily distracted
  • Can often be forgetful
• Predominantly-hyperactive-impulsive ADHD includes the following symptoms:
  • Often squirms of fidgets
  • Often has difficulty staying seated
  • May move around or climb things in inappropriate situations
  • May have trouble relaxing
  • Often seems like they are being “driven by a motor”
  • May talk excessively
  • May blurt out answers to questions before the other person has finished asking
  • Can have difficulty waiting their turn in many situations
  • May interrupt others often

Even if some of the above symptoms feel familiar to you, “diagnosis of ADHD in adulthood is a complex process because the person diagnosing will need to be able to tease out what is true ADHD from other conditions that can impact focus or self-control,” says Roberts.

So why is it that some people don’t receive an ADHD diagnosis until they’re older? Roberts says diagnosis in adulthood can happen when ADHD is overlooked for various reasons. For instance, he says, some children compensate with perfectionism or high intelligence or they have a good support system at home and at school. “Once individuals with ADHD reach adulthood, they might find that their current situation creates a tipping point and their previous ways of coping with attention issues are no longer effective,” notes Roberts.

Because certain conditions (such as anxiety or trauma) can have similar symptoms to ADHD, it’s important to talk to your doctor if you’ve been diagnosed and medicated for ADHD but do not feel like you are improving—this could be a sign of a misdiagnosis.

The Dangers of ADHD Self-Diagnosis

While an online self-assessment can be a starting point and perhaps encourage you to speak with a specialist, it’s only a first step. An online ADHD quiz or AI-powered chatbot can help educate you about ADHD and even offer suggestions for what to do next, but it’s best to leave diagnosis—and treatment—to the professionals, such as psychiatrists, psychologists and neurologists.

It’s important to remember that answering “yes” to many self-assessment questions doesn’t guarantee a diagnosis, says Dr. Minami. Additionally, she says, self-diagnosis can lead to a narrow view on treatment approaches because ADHD is often associated with other psychiatric comorbidities. In other words, adults diagnosed with ADHD commonly experience depression and/or bipolar, substance use, anxiety and personality disorders.

“We want to improve the quality of life of individuals through lower stress, better relationships and work and school functioning and greater confidence and self-esteem by accurately identifying the root causes of what’s going on and then working on an appropriate treatment from there,” says Dr. Minami.

Learning you have ADHD later in life can give rise to a mix of complex emotions, including anger and regret after years of feeling misunderstood. It can also provide hope and solace. “An adult ADHD diagnosis often leads to feelings of relief and validation,” says Roberts. “After a diagnosis, a door becomes unlocked and the key was knowing that so many struggles were due to an overlooked neurological condition and not a result of willpower or some character flaw.”

While many ADHD symptoms can be seen as roadblocks in an adult’s life, they can also be considered strengths. In one study, which included adults seeking psychological help for their diagnosis, participants noted several positive ADHD characteristics. For instance, high energy, creativity, the ability to think outside the norm and the frequent pursuit of new experiences can lead to positive outcomes at home and in the workplace^[5]Nordby ES, Guribye F, Nordgreen T, Lundervold AJ. Silver linings of ADHD: a thematic analysis of adults’ positive experiences with living with ADHD. BMJ Open. 2023;13(10):e072052. .

To find a qualified mental health professional who can evaluate you for ADHD, you can start by asking your primary care doctor for a referral. You can also visit CHADD’s professional directory to find the right local specialist for you.