Adult ADD/ADHD

Originally, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) were thought of as strictly 'childhood disorders'. It's not really difficult to understand why; some of the telltale signs of the disorders are seen in someone's performance and behavior in school, so people who are past that stage in their lives don't have that frame of reference. College professors don't exactly have parent-teacher conferences. However, it is very possible for someone who had ADD or ADHD as a child to continue to have symptoms in adulthood. Furthermore, it's not entirely uncommon for someone to get their first diagnosis when they are already an adult. This is how it happened for me. The only problem is that it manifests itself differently in adults, so the signs are often dismissed as simply bad parenting or bad personality traits. Either that, or they're not noticed at all.

Some of the signs of ADD or ADHD in adults include:

• Poor time management skills (constantly being late, not getting work done on time, etc), excessive procrastination
• Inability to follow through on what they start due to distractibility or lack of focus
• Being easily distracted by random, irrelevant thoughts
• Seeming as though they are not paying attention or 'registering' what someone says to them due to a sort of 'daydreamy' expression
• Saying or doing things without thinking; making impulsive decisions
• Constantly interrupting others or being overly talkative
• Making careless mistakes due to lack of attention to detail
• Inability to sit still, wait or do any sort of 'quiet' task
• Being disorganized
• Not keeping commitments or promises made to others

You'll see that many of these symptoms are also present in children. Like I said before, however, they look different in adults. They are also things that most people do from time to time. The only difference is that they go on almost constantly and are to a higher degree than your average person.

The good news is that ADD/ADHD in adults is very treatable. The same medications often used for children-Ritalin, Concerta, Adderall-also work for adults. Even though they are basically amphetamines, they have the opposite effect on people with these disorders; they actually slow us down rather than speeding us up. Even without medication, there are ways to work around the disorders or even use them to your advantage. Restaurant jobs such as chefs and bartenders, for instance, are good for people with ADD/ADHD because you are constantly moving and doing things with your hands. I've worked in the restaurant industry enough to know that many of the best workers have ADD/ADHD. Jobs such as photography or public relations that require you to think on your feet make good use of the impulsivity and 'jumping around' of thoughts. Finally, creative and high-tech jobs such as computer science take advantage of the high energy level and the speed at which their minds work. Contrary to what some people believe, it's not that people with ADD/ADHD don't think. It's just that we often think faster than others, which can cause us to miss certain details. This isn't as much of a problem if we are in a job that is flexible in that way.

As you can see, ADD and ADHD are not strictly 'childhood disorders'. It can appear that we are 'unmotivated', 'flighty', 'never thinking', etc, but the truth is that our brains just work differently. Once you get a handle on the situation, however, it is very possible to live a highly productive life. If you think you might have ADD/ADHD, check with your doctor. Trust me, it's worth the time and effort.