ADHD Behavior In Adults: 8 Signs To Look Out For

A Quick Guide

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is characterized by deficits in attention, or hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. ADHD can have severe negative effects on a person’s daily life functioning. Usually, it is diagnosed during childhood, when a child starts encountering issues in school activities. Approximately 4.4% of the US adult population has ADHD. Though, ADHD behavior in adults can be different from the behavior of children with ADHD. Still, all of it can feel equally overwhelming. But there is good news, with the right education and support system, you can learn to manage your symptoms properly. You may even be able to turn your weaknesses into strengths.

How does ADHD look in adults?

The symptoms of adult ADHD mostly match those of childhood ADHD. However, it is known that for many people, the severity of symptoms, particularly hyperactivity, tends to diminish over time. So ADHD behavior in adults manifests differently and here we have 8 signs you should look out for:

Poor focus and attention

Attention is an issue with ADHD. You can be distracted easily by unrelated sights and sounds, prone to hopping from one task to the next or easily get bored. This might make it difficult to concentrate while working or studying, which makes it harder to fulfill deadlines and set goals.

Hyperfocus

As odd as that may sound, individuals with ADHD do have a propensity to lose themselves in activities that are engaging and satisfying to them, like a new video game or cleaning, etc. When this occurs, you become unconcerned with the passing of time or the presence of others and simply concentrate on the task at hand.

Have trouble prioritizing and managing time

This is due to a variety of factors. The first reason is that you might get easily sidetracked on your way to work or a social gathering and choose to wash the car or finish an urgent chore at home before you leave. Additionally, those who have ADHD frequently underestimate the time needed to complete a task. Hence, if they are preoccupied with something else, they may prioritize work tasks wrongly and miss deadlines.

Poor listening skills

Many adults with ADHD have focus issues that result in poor listening abilities, which frequently cause missed appointments and miscommunication. Having trouble staying organized can make managing adult responsibilities like bills, employment, and appointments more difficult than usual.

Putting off starting difficult tasks

Adults with ADHD frequently delay initiating attention-demanding tasks. Procrastination often worsens already-existing challenges, such as conflict in relationships, troubles at the job, and issues with friends.

Unrest and difficulty relaxing

Individuals with ADHD are more likely to show unrest or find it very hard to relax, in contrast to childhood ADHD, where children are “hyperactive.” If you do have adult ADHD, others may think you’re tense or edgy.

Difficult to control emotions

Adults with ADHD are frequently impatient, impolite, and finish other people’s words. They could react irrationally quickly to little concerns. They frequently lose their fury just as fast as it appeared, often before others who were directly affected by the outburst have recovered.

Relationship problems

Relationship issues are nothing uncommon, but having ADHD may make them even more challenging. Poor listening skills and a failure to keep commitments are frequently seen in relationships of people with undiagnosed ADHD as signs that their partner doesn’t care. If you have ADHD, you could not comprehend your partner’s annoyance and think you’re being harassed or accused of something you didn’t do.

We hope you found this article useful in understanding more about some signs adults with ADHD exhibit.

Learn more about Is It Really Zoning Out Or Dissociation With ADHD?