Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Causes ADHD?Treatment and Coping StrategiesHow Common Is ADHD?DiagnosisHow Symptoms Change Over Time

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

What Causes ADHD?

Treatment and Coping Strategies

How Common Is ADHD?

Diagnosis

How Symptoms Change Over Time

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The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) specifies that ADHD symptoms must be (or have been) present before age 12 to meet the criteria forADHD diagnosis.Technically, this meansattention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)is not diagnosed initially in adulthood.

Given the difficulty of diagnosis, however, your childhood healthcare provider might have missed it when you were young, and the increasing demands of adulthood make the symptoms easier to notice as an adult. By most standards, a newly diagnosed adult will have had the condition since childhood.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)is a neurodevelopmental condition thatdevelops in childhood. Key symptoms typically include difficulties with focus, impulse control, organization, attention, and/or hyperactivity.

The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but the condition appears to have a strong genetic component.Environmental factors and home life can worsen (or improve) symptoms but do notcauseADHD. Rather, it’s considered a purely brain-based disorder.

What Are the Causes of ADHD?

ADHD has no cure. However, medications, behavioral therapy, and other supports can help. Some children grow out of ADHD in adulthood, but most do not.

People with ADHD tend to adopt coping behaviors, such as:

These can mask ADHD symptoms, which can cause the condition to be overlooked.

Most research estimates the prevalence of ADHD across all populations at between about 4%and 9%. For most, ADHD is a lifelong condition.

ADHD is the most common behavioral condition diagnosed among children. About 60% of those diagnosed also have a comorbid mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder.

ADHD is difficult to diagnose because symptoms present differently from person to person. Plus, there’s no physical test (such as bloodwork) to diagnose ADHD definitively. Rather, healthcare providers rely on tools such as observation, patient history, questionnaires, and discussion with the adult to uncover the five or more symptoms of inattention and/or five or more of hyperactivity/impulsivity required for diagnosis. These symptoms must occur in at least two different settings (home, school, work, etc.).

Given how difficult ADHD is to spot and measure, it’s possible to be diagnosed as an adult if the disorder was overlooked in childhood.

How Stimulants Work to Reduce ADHD Symptoms

ADHD symptomscan manifest in different ways as a person ages. For example, hyperactivity in a child might present as an inability to sit still, whereas an adult might simply seem restless.

Early Years

Symptoms of ADHD can emerge as early as the preschool years, particularly if a child displays hyperactive and impulsive symptoms.Healthcare providers tend to notice these behaviors in childhood because they are disruptive. They can miss the signs easily, however, if these children are quietly unfocused or are able to do well without paying close attention.

Symptoms of inattention tend to become more noticeable after a child enterselementary school, which requires increasing and sustained focus.

Teenage Years

Adolescence can bring on a new set of challenges as teenagers become more responsible for self-management, even as expectations, responsibilities, and academic and social pressures increase. Issues such as impulsivity, lack of attention, and poor self-esteem can result in negative outcomes such as drug use, teen pregnancy, and reckless driving.

OftenADHD symptoms become more pronouncedwhen teens are expected to organize their own time, complete ever-larger projects and tasks, and become responsible for their own behavior.

Adulthood

Some research points to early-adult-onset ADHD as a discrete disorder from the type diagnosed in adulthood.

Similar treatment options, including medication and behavioral therapy, are available for adults and offer good results for many with ADHD. The key isaccurate diagnosis, which is most likely with a healthcare provider who is experienced in ADHD.

What to Know About Adult ADHD Testing

Takeaways

If you suddenly experience symptoms in adulthood that seem similar to ADHD, consult your healthcare provider. Some conditions of adulthood can look like ADHD, including depression, anxiety, sleep difficulties, and even menopause.

Nevertheless, they might be due to ADHD if your doctor overlooked it when you were a child. This means that, whereas you might be noticing the symptoms for the first time now, they’ve likely been present since you were a child.

7 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed. Washington D.C.: 2013.Franke B, Faraone SV, Asherson P, et al.The genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, a review.Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(10):960-987. doi:10.1038/mp.2011.138Mohammadi MR, Zarafshan H, Khaleghi A, et al.Prevalence of adhd and its comorbidities in a population-based sample.J Atten Disord. 2021;25(8):1058-1067. doi:10.1177/1087054719886372Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics about ADHD.O’Neill S, Rajendran K, Mahbubani SM, Halperin JM.Preschool Predictors of ADHD Symptoms and Impairment During Childhood and Adolescence.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(12):95. doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0853-zBanaschewski T, Becker K, Döpfner M, Holtmann M, Rösler M, Romanos M.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A current overview.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(9):149-159. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0149Agnew-Blais JC, Polanczyk GV, Danese A, Wertz J, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.Evaluation of the persistence, remission, and emergence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adulthood.JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(7):713-720. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0465Additional ReadingDiagnosis of ADHD in Adults. CHADD. Updated 2019.Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 4, 2019.Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated November 1, 2019.Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington. American Psychiatric Association. 2013.

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed. Washington D.C.: 2013.Franke B, Faraone SV, Asherson P, et al.The genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, a review.Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(10):960-987. doi:10.1038/mp.2011.138Mohammadi MR, Zarafshan H, Khaleghi A, et al.Prevalence of adhd and its comorbidities in a population-based sample.J Atten Disord. 2021;25(8):1058-1067. doi:10.1177/1087054719886372Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics about ADHD.O’Neill S, Rajendran K, Mahbubani SM, Halperin JM.Preschool Predictors of ADHD Symptoms and Impairment During Childhood and Adolescence.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(12):95. doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0853-zBanaschewski T, Becker K, Döpfner M, Holtmann M, Rösler M, Romanos M.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A current overview.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(9):149-159. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0149Agnew-Blais JC, Polanczyk GV, Danese A, Wertz J, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.Evaluation of the persistence, remission, and emergence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adulthood.JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(7):713-720. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0465Additional ReadingDiagnosis of ADHD in Adults. CHADD. Updated 2019.Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 4, 2019.Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated November 1, 2019.Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington. American Psychiatric Association. 2013.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed. Washington D.C.: 2013.Franke B, Faraone SV, Asherson P, et al.The genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, a review.Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(10):960-987. doi:10.1038/mp.2011.138Mohammadi MR, Zarafshan H, Khaleghi A, et al.Prevalence of adhd and its comorbidities in a population-based sample.J Atten Disord. 2021;25(8):1058-1067. doi:10.1177/1087054719886372Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics about ADHD.O’Neill S, Rajendran K, Mahbubani SM, Halperin JM.Preschool Predictors of ADHD Symptoms and Impairment During Childhood and Adolescence.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(12):95. doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0853-zBanaschewski T, Becker K, Döpfner M, Holtmann M, Rösler M, Romanos M.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A current overview.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(9):149-159. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0149Agnew-Blais JC, Polanczyk GV, Danese A, Wertz J, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.Evaluation of the persistence, remission, and emergence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adulthood.JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(7):713-720. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0465

American Psychiatric Association.Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.5th ed. Washington D.C.: 2013.

Franke B, Faraone SV, Asherson P, et al.The genetics of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults, a review.Mol Psychiatry. 2012;17(10):960-987. doi:10.1038/mp.2011.138

Mohammadi MR, Zarafshan H, Khaleghi A, et al.Prevalence of adhd and its comorbidities in a population-based sample.J Atten Disord. 2021;25(8):1058-1067. doi:10.1177/1087054719886372

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Data and statistics about ADHD.

O’Neill S, Rajendran K, Mahbubani SM, Halperin JM.Preschool Predictors of ADHD Symptoms and Impairment During Childhood and Adolescence.Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2017;19(12):95. doi:10.1007/s11920-017-0853-z

Banaschewski T, Becker K, Döpfner M, Holtmann M, Rösler M, Romanos M.Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A current overview.Dtsch Arztebl Int.2017;114(9):149-159. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0149

Agnew-Blais JC, Polanczyk GV, Danese A, Wertz J, Moffitt TE, Arseneault L.Evaluation of the persistence, remission, and emergence of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in young adulthood.JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(7):713-720. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.0465

Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults. CHADD. Updated 2019.Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 4, 2019.Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated November 1, 2019.Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington. American Psychiatric Association. 2013.

Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults. CHADD. Updated 2019.

Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated October 4, 2019.

Symptoms and Diagnosis of ADHD. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Updated November 1, 2019.

Diagnostic And Statistical Manual Of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington. American Psychiatric Association. 2013.

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