What Is Adult ADHD?

ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. ADHD is a complex brain disorder; a developmental impairment of the brain’s executive functions. People with ADHD may have trouble with impulse-control, focusing, organization and decision making. People with ADHD may make careless mistakes because they have difficulty sustaining focus or are hyper-focused with projects.

Many adults have ADHD but have never been diagnosed. If you identify with the symptoms below schedule a 15 minute free ADHD therapy consultation to learn more.

About Adult ADHD

How does ADHD feel?

“My mind is a whirl of worries, ‘what ifs,’ and ‘should haves.’” ADHD symptoms in adults are often mistaken for laziness or irresponsibility, it is also isolating and discouraging, because symptoms are often misunderstood and misdiagnosed, causing setbacks in treatments, relationships, and self-esteem.

Neuroscience, brain imaging, and clinical research tell us a few important things: ADHD is not a behavior disorder, not a mental illness and not a learning disability. It is a neurodevelopmental disorder that is usually diagnosed in childhood and often lasts into adulthood.

Prior studies have placed adult ADHD prevalence rates in the U.S. between 2.5% and 4.4%, with a 5.4% diagnosis rate in men compared to 3.2% in women

Symptoms of ADHD in adults can generally manifest in many ways.

• Lack of motivation
• Procrastination
• Difficulty sustaining attention
• Making careless mistakes
• Difficulty with decision making

ADHD symptoms vary by sub-type — inattentive, hyperactive, or combined — and are often more difficult to diagnose in girls and adults.

Inattentive type:
Forgetfulness, distractibility, and emotionality are all manifestations of inattentive ADHD, in adults. People with inattentive ADHD sometimes have difficulty following detailed instructions and organizing tasks and activities.

Hyperactive type:
Often fidgety and squirms when having to stay in one place. Difficulty engaging in leisure activities, often “on the go”, talks excessively, blurts out answers before the question is finished.

Combined presentation:

This includes symptoms from both types.

When ADHD is untreated it can lead to serious adverse effects:

Relationships

• short tempers
• forgetfulness
• irritability
• strained connections

Life Expectancy

• Healthy advice may be ignored
• procrastination in going for annual checkups
• may be reckless with their safety

Job Performance

• difficulty with focus can cause missed deadlines
• inattention to important details

Increase of anxiety and depression

• quick decisions without considering the consequences may result in feeling chronic anxiety for one’s future

Adult ADHD Therapy

Do you expect a comprehensive, sophisticated and thorough approach to figure out what is wrong and how to treat it?

Do you want to work with a psychotherapist who is actively helping you create a clear adult ADHD therapy plan? Dr. Zebel will develop this plan in close collaboration with you, so that you feel confident that your health and emotional well-being are of the utmost importance.

Utilizing psychodynamic ADHD therapy and education, Dr. Zebel will help you work towards a more satisfying and joyful life. Together you will create a clear and collaborative treatment plan that is mutually agreed upon. Dr. Zebel will collaborate with a psychiatrist should medications become necessary for an optimal outcome.