Signs and symptoms of ADHD in adults can be hard to spot. However, core symptoms start early in life β before age 12 β and continue into adulthood, creating major problems.
Some medical conditions or treatments may cause signs and symptoms similar to those of ADHD. Examples include:. Standard treatments for ADHD in adults typically involve medication, education, skills training and psychological counseling. A combination of these is often the most effective treatment. These treatments can help manage many symptoms of ADHD , but they don't cure it.
It may take some time to determine what works best for you. The right medication and the right dose vary among individuals, so it may take time to find out what's right for you.
Tell your doctor about any side effects. Counseling for adult ADHD generally includes psychological counseling psychotherapy , education about the disorder and learning skills to help you be successful. Common types of psychotherapy for ADHD include:. If you're like many adults with ADHD , you may be unpredictable and forget appointments, miss deadlines, and make impulsive or irrational decisions.
These behaviors can strain the patience of the most forgiving co-worker, friend or partner. Therapy that focuses on these issues and ways to better monitor your behavior can be very helpful.
