ADD Isn’t Just for Children!

When we hear something about ADD, most of us think of easily distractible children struggling to pay attention in school.  There are, however, many adults who struggle to organize their lives because they suffer from adult ADD.

While attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a highly publicized disorder that affects approximately 3 to 5% of all children, the number of adults with ADD is unknown.   Some estimate that 30-70% of children with ADD will continue to have symptoms into adulthood.  Because ADD was not a common diagnosis decades ago when today’s adults were children, their struggles may have been mis-labeled as discipline or behavioral problems.

An adult may never have considered that they have ADD until their own child is being evaluated.  In reviewing a list of symptoms they may recognize themselves either at present or as they remember themselves as children.  Recent research suggests that ADD does run in families and children diagnosed with the condition have on average, at least one close relative with ADD.  Most scientists do agree that ADD, whether in adults or children, is a biologically based disorder of the nervous system.  Brain imaging research has shown that differences exist between the brains of children with and without this condition.

Since adults are generally not still in school, what does ADD look like in adults?
Just as with children, the ADD adult may have trouble staying on task, staying organized and not procrastinating.  Performing tasks may be so hard for them that it interferes with their ability to function at work, home, school and in social settings.  Unlike children, however, adults typically have more sophisticated coping mechanisms. 

ADD can also have serious consequences. Compared with adults who don’t have it, adults with ADD are more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, low self-esteem, be fired from jobs or get divorced.  Teens and adults with ADD have two to three times more auto accidents and twice the number of severe accidents resulting in vehicle damage and bodily injury as those without. They have coordination deficits, less skill in maneuvering vehicles in traffic, slower reaction time, and inattention.

At times many of us tease about being ADD because we feel scattered.  If you are really wondering if ADD might explain many of your experiences now or in childhood, there are diagnostic tests are available to answer that question. 

[Much of this material is from http://mental-health.emedtv.com/adult-add/adult-add.html]

If you want help understanding your own experience,
Call 336-896-0065, ext. 203, and make an appointment to talk about it.

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