'A phrase that comes up a lot for people with ADHD is 'consistent inconsistency,'' says Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., co-director of the University of Pennsylvania's Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program. Many people with ADHD start their day determined to be productive and organized, only to end up feeling defeated. What's incredibly important to understand, however, is that ADHD doesn't mean you lack the intelligence, skills, or desire to succeed or change. With poor executive functioning, things like focusing, meeting deadlines, following directions, and regulating emotions can be extremely difficult-and, unsurprisingly, this can take a real toll on self-esteem, especially when those around you appear to have no problem juggling equivalent responsibilities. Meaning, many adults who have it tend to struggle with the cognitive processes that allow you to organize thoughts and activities, manage time, prioritize tasks, and make decisions. Some prominent experts in the field including Russell Barkley, Ph.D., also consider ADHD to be an executive function deficit disorder. Excessive fidgeting, chronically interrupting friends and colleagues, daydreaming, forgetting to pay bills, misplacing items, abusing drugs or alcohol, feeling inadequate, constantly having to pull all-nighters to finish work, losing your cool at the drop of a hat, not being able to focus on some things while hyperfocusing on others-these are all ways ADHD can manifest in adults. These core elements of ADHD (inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity) encompass a range of different behaviors, experiences, and symptoms depending on the individual.

It's also highly heritable, meaning it often runs in families and you're much more likely to have it 4 if a parent or sibling has also been diagnosed.īut there are no hard-and-fast rules for what ADHD looks like in every case. Whether you know you have ADHD or you're just exploring the possibility, mbg has gathered valuable insights on how it can manifest in adults and women, what lifestyle factors exacerbate symptoms, and how both natural approaches and medication can play a role in treatment.īy definition, ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder 3 that develops in childhood or adolescence-but may not be diagnosed until adulthood-and people with ADHD show a persistent pattern of poor attention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily life.

That's why it's so important to educate yourself and seek out a qualified practitioner before you self-diagnose.

For example, around 50% of adults 2 with ADHD also have an anxiety disorder, so getting relief may involve some different strategies. Of course, not everyone who's highly distractible has ADHD-and not everyone with ADHD responds to the same treatment. Thanks in part to Instagram and TikTok influencers educating the masses on ADHD symptoms (helping to de-stigmatize it in the process) and the emergence of startups that pair people with practitioners for ADHD evaluations, many women are finally realizing that their ongoing struggles with organization, productivity, forgetfulness, and self-doubt may not actually be due to laziness or personality flaws after all-and this can be a huge relief.

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