Interesting Psychology Team
Do you have trouble focusing?
Do you forget appointments and easily lose track of time? Then, you may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, otherwise known as ADHD.
Adult ADHD, like its childhood counterpart, can take on many forms. As a result, some signs and symptoms might seem counterintuitive or completely random. For example, did you know that things like overspending or paying bills late can be signs of ADHD?
Each of these signs by themselves isn’t necessarily a reason for panic, but combined with other symptoms, they could be an indicator of a deeper issue.
To make things even more complicated, ADHD can occur with other conditions that have similar symptoms, so it can be difficult to diagnose. Keep reading so you can recognize the signs and symptoms of ADHD.
1 β Lack of Focus and Hyperfocus
The most well-known sign of ADHD is a lack of focus, but this can look different for everyone. It’s not just having a hard time paying attention. It can also include being easily distracted, difficulty concentrating during conversations, overlooking details, and not completing tasks or projects.
On the other hand, there’s also hyperfocus. This is when someone with ADHD becomes so consumed with what they’re doing that the rest of the world just seems to fade away. This may seem like a good thing, but usually, whatever they’re locked in on isn’t what they should be focused on.
As you can imagine, this makes it easy to lose track of time and forget about those around you. And this can lead to relationship issues.
2 – Difficulty with Organization and Task Completion
No matter how hard they try, adults with ADHD just can’t seem to get organized enough to get things done. They’ve got to-do lists on paper, on their phones, and on their laptops. They use reminders and calendar notifications, but things still seem to get missed.
It’s exhausting, and they feel defeated each time they forget something. Difficulties with organization and completing tasks are related to a problem with executive functioning in the brain (this is essentially the process of prioritizing work that needs to be done) and can result in more than just poor organizational skills.
It can include chronic procrastination and difficulty getting projects started, as well as working on multiple things, but not doing any of them particularly well.
Socially, this also impacts relationships since people with ADHD have trouble fulfilling promises, commitments, or deadlines because they’re frequently and abruptly changing plans.
3 β Time Management Concerns
Just like they find it difficult to organize tasks and projects, adults with ADHD struggle to manage their time effectively. Additionally, people with ADHD can have what’s known as time blindness. This means they’re chronically late to things.
Sure, it might sound like an excuse; and no, they’re not actually blind to time, but they do have difficulty prioritizing or anticipating how much time a task will take.
4 β Forgetfulness
Everyone forgets things, but for those with ADHD, it can affect their responsibilities such as a career or academics and their relationships.
This can include constantly misplacing things or forgetting important dates and deadlines. If not familiar with the signs and symptoms of ADHD, it could easily be mistaken for carelessness or lack of intelligence.
However, it’s more likely a short-term memory deficit, and people with ADHD can really struggle with this. They often forget things quickly or only remember them when it’s already too late.
5 β Impulsivity
Impulsivity can take on many forms, including interrupting others during conversations, being socially inappropriate, rushing through tasks, and acting without considering the consequences.
Another common example of impulsivity in adults with ADHD is impulse buying. Even though they might not need it or be able to afford it, they may buy something without a second thought.
