Had a history of poorer educational performance and were
underachievers.
Had more frequent school disciplinary actions.
Had to repeat a grade.
Dropped out of school more often.
Work-Related Impairments Linked to Adult ADHD
Adults with ADHD are more likely to:
Change employers frequently and perform poorly.
Have had fewer occupational achievements, independent of psychiatric
status.
Social-Related Impairments Linked to Adult ADHD
Adults with ADHD are more likely to:
Have a lower socioeconomic status.
Have driving violations such as: be cited for speeding; have their licenses
suspended; be involved in more crashes; rate themselves and others as using
poorer driving habits.
Self-report psychological maladjustment more often.
Relationship-Related Impairments Linked to
Adult ADHD
Adults with ADHD are more likely to:
Have more marital problems and multiple marriages.
Have higher incidence of separation and divorce.
Much of this functional impairment diminishes with remission of the disorder
and can be mitigated by appropriate treatment.
How Is Adult ADHD Diagnosed?
While researchers may disagree about age of childhood onset in diagnosing
adult ADHD, all agree that ADHD is not an adult-onset disorder and must be
verified from childhood. An assessment of ADHD symptoms and behavior from
childhood may include any or all of the following:
A questionnaire to determine if the adult had ADHD in childhood.
School report cards, if available, to look for comments about behavior
problems, poor focus, lack of effort or underachievement relative to the
student's potential.
Discussion with the parents to determine any symptoms during
childhood.
A complete history from the adult with the symptoms. He or she may self
report symptoms in childhood.
The developmental history would be consistent with ADHD, including evidence
of problems with peers, other delays such as bed wetting, school failure,
suspensions, or special interventions such as sitting in front of the class,
etc.
A strong family history of ADHD may also be informative, given the strong
genetic component of the disorder.
Other examinations may also be performed, including:
A physical exam to rule out medical or neurological illness.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Stress occurs when forces from the outside world impinge on the individual. Stress is a normal part of life. However, over-stress, can be harmful. There is now speculation, as well as some evidence, that points to the abnormal stress responses as being involved in causing various diseases or conditions.
Depression is an illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and affects the way a person eats and sleeps, the way one feels about oneself, and the way one thinks about things. The principal types of depression are major depression, dysthymia, and bipolar disease (also called manic-depressive disease).
Bipolar disorder (or manic depression) is a mental illness characterized by depression, mania, and severe mood swings. Treatment may incorporate mood stabilizer medications, antidepressants, and psychotherapy.
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that causes a person to suffer repeated obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms include irresistible impulses despite a person's realization that the thoughts are irrational, excessive hand washing, skin picking, lock checking, or repeatedly rearranging items. People with OCD are more likely to develop trichotillomania, muscle or vocal tics, or an eating disorder. Treatment for OCD includes psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, and medication.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a behavioral disorder characterized by the symptoms hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. Treatment for ADHD may involve behavioral therapy and psychostimulant or antidepressant medication.
Learning disabilities can cause an individual to have trouble learning and using skills such as reading, listening, writing, reading, speaking, reasoning, and performing mathematics. There is no cure for learning disabilities. Parents and teachers working together to properly diagnose learning disabilities can properly plan a course of education. For some, medication may be appropriate as complimentary treatment.
Stress may be considered as any physical, chemical, or emotional factor that causes bodily or mental unrest and that may be a factor in disease causation. An important goal for those under stress is the management of stress in our lives. Elimination of stress is unrealistic, since stress is a part of normal life. We can however, learn to manage stress through techniques such as exercise, relaxation, meditation, time management, and support systems so that we have control over our stress and its effects on our physical and mental health.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be challenging for a parent or caregiver with a child with this disorder. There are steps, routines, and help for parents and caregivers of children with ADHD to help guide the family toward a productive and healthy life.
Early warning signs of job stress include headache, sleep disturbance, difficulty in concentrating, short temper, upset stomach, job dissatisfaction, and low morale. Stress on the job can be damaging to your health in that job stress is the outcome when job demands cannot be met.
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