While symptoms of ADHD often begin early in childhood, adults can continue to have symptoms of ADHD that interfere with their daily functioning, and some adults with ADHD may not even know they have the condition. It is estimated that the prevalence of persistent adult ADHD (with the onset in childhood) is around 2.5% and the prevalence of symptomatic adult ADHD is around 6.7% globally.[1]
The symptoms of ADHD may present differently in adults compared to children. For example, hyperactivity in children may manifest as running, jumping, or making noise while in adults, hyperactivity may take the form of restlessness or scattered thoughts.[2] There are other ADHD symptoms that are more specific to adults including:[3][4]
- Difficulty prioritizing tasks
- Difficulty planning
- Poor time management (e.g., missing or double-booking appointments)
- Difficulty regulating emotions
References
- ^Song P, Zha M, Yang Q, Zhang Y, Li X, Rudan IThe prevalence of adult attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A global systematic review and meta-analysis.J Glob Health.(2021-Feb-11)
- ^Sandra J J Kooij, Susanne Bejerot, Andrew Blackwell, Herve Caci, Miquel Casas-Brugué, Pieter J Carpentier, Dan Edvinsson, John Fayyad, Karin Foeken, Michael Fitzgerald, Veronique Gaillac, Ylva Ginsberg, Chantal Henry, Johanna Krause, Michael B Lensing, Iris Manor, Helmut Niederhofer, Carlos Nunes-Filipe, Martin D Ohlmeier, Pierre Oswald, Stefano Pallanti, Artemios Pehlivanidis, Josep A Ramos-Quiroga, Maria Rastam, Doris Ryffel-Rawak, Steven Stes, Philip AshersonEuropean consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHDBMC Psychiatry.(2010 Sep 3)
- ^S Weibel, O Menard, A Ionita, M Boumendjel, C Cabelguen, C Kraemer, J-A Micoulaud-Franchi, S Bioulac, N Perroud, A Sauvaget, L Carton, M Gachet, R LopezPractical considerations for the evaluation and management of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adultsEncephale.(2020 Feb)
- ^Ashkan Beheshti, Mira-Lynn Chavanon, Hanna ChristiansenEmotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysisBMC Psychiatry.(2020 Mar 12)