1. ADHD in Adults Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the ADHD Quiz
3. Concentration Killers: Brain Drains Slideshow

Medical Author:

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Roxanne Dryden-Edwards, MD

Dr. Roxanne Dryden-Edwards is an adult, child, and adolescent psychiatrist. She is a former Chair of the Committee on Developmental Disabilities for the American Psychiatric Association, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, and Medical Director of the National Center for Children and Families in Bethesda, Maryland.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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In this Article

• What is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)?
• What is the impact of ADHD in adults?
• How common is ADHD in adults?
• What are common adult ADHD symptoms, behaviors, and problems?
• What school-related impairments are linked to adult ADHD?
• What work-related impairments are linked to adult ADHD?
• What social-related impairments are linked to adult ADHD?
• What relationship-related impairments are linked to adult ADHD?
• How is adult ADHD diagnosed?
• What medications are used in the treatment of adult ADHD?
• What psychosocial behavior management strategies treat ADHD?
• Are there support groups for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
• Where can people find additional information on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?
• Patient Comments: Adult ADHD - Experiences
• Patient Comments: Adult ADHD - Symptoms
• Find a local Psychiatrist in your town
• ADHD in Adults Index

People with adult ADHD are at risk for a variety of educational challenges. Particularly if untreated, they tend to have lower grades and standardized test scores, higher use of school services, and higher rates of grade retention, school suspensions, and expulsion. They also tend to have higher test anxiety. Individuals with this condition are at risk for ultimately achieving less education than adults who do not have the condition.

Similar to their childhood counterparts at school, adults with ADHD are at risk for having problems within the workplace. Specifically, they often struggle with tardiness, taking days off, making excessive mistakes, and having trouble completing required workloads. They are also more likely to have trouble making decisions and to have accidents at work. Adults with attention deficit disorder tend to have an overall lower employment status compared to adults who do not have the disorder. They are more at risk for being fired from a job, changing jobs more often, or being unemployed. These individuals more often impulsively quit a job, are receiving a disability pension, and have anxiety about their careers.

Some research indicates that more than 15% of adults with ADHD may interact with the juvenile justice system before the 18 years of age. People with ADHD are more prone to getting injured, especially in high-speed accidents like car accidents. Men with a childhood history of ADHD are at higher risk of becoming verbally and physically aggressive with their romantic partners.

Relationship troubles are more likely to afflict adults with ADHD. That includes relationships with friends, family, and romantic partners. They are at risk for divorce and for having trouble maintaining a romantic relationship in general.