Do you know someone who has been diagnosed with adult ADHD? Or, do you wonder if perhaps you or a loved one may be showing symptoms of this disorder? You are not alone — there are increasing numbers of adults who are being diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder every single day. If any of the above describes your situation, you may have asked at one time or another — “What is it like to have adult ADHD?”
If it is not diagnosed and treated, adult ADHD can play havoc with your life, affecting everything from your work and career, relationships, financial responsibilities and social life.
Contrary to the myths that adult ADHD is not really anything serious and that if the person really wanted to, they could overcome the condition on their own, it is in reality a very disruptive condition that affects their whole lives.
Since some of the main problems associated with ADHD are disorganization and inattention, the person’s work life and career will suffer. Some of the problems they may run into which will affect their job performance includes:
Repeatedly being late for work
Not making deadlines
Missing meetings
Not being able to organize tasks
Spending a lot of time at work, but not getting much completed
Easily getting distracted by other things happening around them
Difficulty paying attention when important information is being discussed
Obviously, relationships will suffer as well due to the symptoms of this condition. Since life can be seemingly chaotic when around someone with ADHD, it can put strains on relationships. There may be resentment when one partner feels they are always doing the organizing, cleaning, planning and other responsibilities, while in turn the person suffering with ADHD may end up feeling that the other person is constantly nagging them to take care of things.
Good money management skills are difficult for people with ADHD. The symptoms of disorganization, procrastination and impulsiveness all lead to poor financial decisions. Some of the problems they may run into include:
Not paying bills because they have forgotten
Large credit card balances
Impulsive spending
Inability to focus on record keeping
All areas of the person’s life will suffer, including their every day interactions with other people, and their ability to function socially will often be difficult. Friends and associates will find it difficult to understand the disorganization and may not be able to deal with it on a regular basis. Some people will get annoyed with the person, and may even go so far as to not believe that what they are dealing with is real. Sadly, there are many people who think that those who suffer with adult ADHD are only trying to find excuses for their problems, which makes it even harder for the person to cope.
“What is it like to have adult ADHD?” For those of us without this condition it may be impossible to fully understand. But adult ADHD is a serious condition and should be treated by a medical professional.
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