ADHD in Adults

Over recent years there is increasing recognition that ADHD is frequently a lifelong condition and that adults could suffer from it in much the same way as do children. The pathway through childhood (see cone), can end up in a number of ways. Untreated many people somehow struggle through school usually underachieving not only academically but in life generally in one way or another and when they get into adulthood they may get themselves into a career pathway that suits them and on which they are able to focus.

However having untreated ADHD as an adult creates significant vulnerabilities. Not only may the person have underachieved academically meaning that they will be unsuited for a job that might have otherwise been appropriate to them resulting in chronic boredom and disillusionment, but they may also have struggled with self-esteem, with social skills issues, with mood swings, anxiety and depression, and impulsive or antisocial behaviour.

This means that many adults with ADHD will struggle in the workplace or in relationships, or the more severe cases may end up with difficulties with antisocial impulsive behaviour, or substance misuse.

There is a much higher incidence – four to six times – of serious car accident in drivers with ADHD. Adults with ADHD frequently also have poor money management skills and will spend recklessly and impulsively without a concept of money. They may also spend excessively to try and get friends and there is a high incidence of gambling in adults with ADHD.

There is a group of adults with ADHD who have longstanding problems with impulsiveness, the early onset of antisocial behaviour, and learning problems. This group, particularly if they come from a low socioeconomic background, are much more likely to have entered the Youth Justice System.

Females with ADHD are more likely to have the inattentive form, ADD, and more likely to have “gone under the radar” at school and particularly if they are bright may have very significantly underachieved and because they were girls, not always adequately addressed. Such women are more prone to depression, anxiety, mood swings and relationship failures.

The LANC therefore considers it essential that adults assessed at the Centre are fully and comprehensively evaluated in a time consuming assessment procedure, so that all the above issues can be addressed as and when appropriate.

The main groups of people with ADHD seen at the Centre are:

1. Adolescents and young adults who have transitioned from our paediatric service. They frequently struggle with the transition into adult life with employment, relationships, organisation, and with normal life skills that most people take for granted. By that age they may have become less hyperactive but frequently are still impulsive and have other complications or coexisting conditions of their ADHD.

2. Young adults who were on treatment when younger but who stopped medication during adolescence only to have further problems as they got older.

3. Adults, frequently parents of children who have been assessed at the Centre, who have discovered that they too probably have ADHD (as it is a highly heritable condition), and have come for an assessment of their difficulties.

Diagnostic criteria for Adult ADHD:

Adults must have six or more of the following symptoms that have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli
often makes decisions impulsively
often has difficulty stopping activities or behaviour when they should do so
often starts a project or task without reading or listening to instructions carefully
often shows poor follow through on promises or commitments they may make to others
often has touble doing things in their proper order or sequence
often more likely to drive a motor vehicle much faster than others
often has difficulty engaging in leisure activities or doing fun things quietly
often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or leisure activities
often has difficulties organising tasks and activities

Some symptoms must have caused some impairment and be present before the age of 16 years.
Some impairment from the symptoms must be present in two or more settings.
There must be clear evidence of clinical significant impairment in social, academic, domestic, community or occupational functioning.
The symptoms do not occur exclusively and are not accounted for by another mental disorder.

Useful Links:

Useful Resources:

Useful Readings:

Taking Charge of Adult ADHD, by Russell Barkley
ADD in Adults, by Dr Lynn Weiss
Is It You, Me, or Adult ADD? by Gina Pera

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