Adult
Attention Deficit Disorder - Adult ADD ADHD.
Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD tends to
focus predominately on children, leaving the ADD adult largely
under served. Most of the information presented about Attention
Deficit Disorder focuses on children, parenting and school
issues. All but one ADHD medication currently on the market
achieved FDA approval for adult Attention Deficit Disorder
treatment.
Attention Deficit Disorder simply was not in
vogue when the ADD adult of today was a child decades ago. While
today many express concerns of over diagnosis of Attention Deficit
Disorder in children, many also acknowledge the under diagnosing
of adults with Attention Deficit Disorder.
Adults with ADD often realize that they have
Attention Deficit Disorder when their own child is diagnosed with
Attention Deficit ADD. Looking through the diagnostic test symptom
list, the parent often sees similarities in their own present or
past behavior.
Yet, the symptom hurdles of Attention
Deficit are often the same, whether in a child or an adult. The
ADD adult might have trouble with staying on task, staying
organized and procrastinating, just as the Attention Deficit
Disorder child does. The Attention Deficit Disorder adult might
have trouble maintaining relationships and controlling their mood,
just like an ADD or ADHD child. The main difference between the
ADD adult and child is that the adult with Attention Deficit
typically has more sophisticated coping mechanisms.
For the better part, the Attention Deficit
Disorder ADD ADHD symptom test outlined for children is about the
same for the adult, with the word "work" substituted for "school."
You can also look at the Attention Deficit Disorder test for
children and ask yourself if, as a child, you had such symptoms or
currently have such Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms.
Below is an
adult symptom test with a
symptom list unique to the Attention Deficit Disorder adult. Test
yourself with this self symptom test, along with the
Attention Deficit Disorder symptom test
for children. This self symptom test is not a diagnostic test but
a source of information for the adult trying to determine if
Attention Deficit Disorder might be present in their adult life.
Adult ADD Symptom Test:
If you experience 10 or more points on this
adult ADD self symptom test, Attention Deficit Disorder is likely
present.
- An internal sense of anxiety.
- Impulsive spending habits.
- Frequent distractions during sex.
- Lack of attention to detail.
- Family history of ADD, learning
problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems.
- An attitude of "read the directions when
all else fails."
- Frequent traffic violations. Impulsive job changes.
- Trouble maintaining an organized work
and/or home environment.
- Chronically late or always in a hurry.
- Frequently overwhelmed by tasks of daily
living.
- Poor financial management and frequent
late bills.
- Procrastination.
- Spending excessive time at work due to
inefficiencies.
- Inconsistent work performance.
- Nagging sense of underachievement.
- Frequent mood swings.
- Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate
relationships.
- A need to seek high stimulation activities.
- Tendency toward exaggerated outbursts.
- Transposing numbers, letters, words.
- Tendency toward being argumentative.
- Addictive personality toward food,
alcohol, drugs, work and/or gambling.
- Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly.
- "Thin-skinned" - having quick or
exaggerated responses to real or imagined slights.
- Frequently misplace the car keys,
your purse or wallet or other day-to-day items.
- Trouble following the proper channels or
chain of commands.
So you hit a number of points on the
adult ADD self symptom test, now what?
First, it is important that a physician rule
out conditions like anxiety, depression, hypothyroidism,
manic-depression or obsessive compulsive disorder, which mimic
adult Attention Deficit Disorder symptoms. Hormonal imbalances in
perimenopause and menopause can produce foggy thinking, anxiety
and exaggerated outbursts. Women should rule out perimenopause if
the Attention Deficit symptoms appear in their late 30s or 40s.
Physicians typically first prescribe
antidepressants like Prozac for an adult with ADD, since
depression issues often go hand-in-hand with adult ADD. Physicians
usually move to stimulant medication like Adderall, Concerta or
Ritalin medication treatment if antidepressants do not work.
The Adderall, Concerta and Ritalin
medication treatment route is not recommended for people with a
history of drug or alcohol use or abuse since these are controlled
substances with a fairly high degree of addiction potential in
adults. And, adults experience prescription medication side
effects at the same rate as their younger counterparts and some of
the side effects of Adderall, Concerta or Ritalin medication
treatment can be potentially serious. The Attention Deficit Disorder adult can
find help naturally without the side effects of Adderall, Concerta
or Ritalin medication treatment by incorporate diet, exercise and
lifestyle modifications.
Release the Steam, Quiet the Mind:
Regular and vigorous exercise can be very
helpful for the Attention Deficit Disorder adult. Attention
Deficit Disorder adults tend to have addictive personalities.
Exercise is a good addiction. Aside from the obvious health
benefits, regular exercise is also a great way to release steam
and quiet the mind. Some studies also link regular exercise to
decreased depression - a condition common with Attention Deficit
Disorder adults.
Diet:
The brain is a hungry organ that cannot
function at optimal levels without the proper fuels. To keep the
brain functioning at top performance, an
ADHD diet packed with brain
boosting essential fatty acids and amino acids is a must. A diet
high in protein provides amino acids necessary for brain
functioning.
The ADD adult can also meet these crucial
dietary requirements for Attention Deficit Disorder by taking a
high-quality
nutritional supplement to ensure that they are giving
the brain the fuel it needs to function properly. The Attend line
of nutritional support for Attention Deficit Disorder is an
excellent choice for addressing the
causes of Attention Deficit Disorder.
Restructuring the ADD Adult Environment:
The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should
get into the habit of making lists. The list should include any
and all tasks required for the day, from "Mop the kitchen floor"
to "Finish the sales proposal." Write your list with the tasks of highest
priority first. Once the first task is completed, mark it off and
go to the next. Warding off the urge to skip around on the list
will take some discipline but the sense of accomplishment at
completed tasks is well worth the effort.
The Attention Deficit Disorder adult should
also keep a notepad in their car, purse, coat and on their bed
stand. Thoughts come and go quickly. Jotting the good ideas down
will ensure that they don’t go away quickly - assuming the notepad
does not get lost in the process...
The alarm clock or a wristwatch with an
alarm can be a great tool for the Attention Deficit Disorder
adult. If you need to pick your child up from soccer practice at a
certain time, set the alarm. If you have food cooking on the stove
and you leave the kitchen, set the alarm. If you have an important
appointment, set the alarm.
Large tasks tend to overwhelm the Attention
Deficit Disorder adult and they often put off large task as long
as possible. It is not uncommon for the Attention Deficit Disorder
adult to procrastinate until the "11th Hour" and then
pull an all-night jam session trying to meet a deadline.
For large tasks, the Attention Deficit
Disorder adult will do well to break the task into smaller, more
manageable tasks and attach deadlines to the smaller tasks. If you
need to finish a large project in one week, for instance, schedule
specific time each day to work on a specific aspect of the
project.
An adult with Attention Deficit Disorder
might find it beneficial to enlist the help of a coach. A coach is
a close and trusted friend, co-worker or therapist whose specific
function is to help the Attention Deficit Disorder adult stay
organized, on track and focused while providing encouragement.
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