Adult ADHD causes serious impairment across all the domains of adult life, from education to work to family. Compensating behavior is necessary to get through life. ADHD is defined by a lack of compensation during childhood years.
From Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A. Barkley, PhD
Nine criteria for adult ADHD:
1. get distracted easily by extraneous stimuli or irrelevant thoughts?
2. make decisions impulsively?
3. difficulty stopping activities or behavior when you should do so?
4. start a project or task without reading or listening to directions carefully?
5. fail to follow through on promises or commitments you make to others?
6. have trouble doing things in their proper order or sequence?
7. drive much faster than others–or, if you don’t drive, have difficulty engaging in leisure activities or doing fun things quietly?
8. have difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or recreational activities?
9. have difficulty organizing tasks and activities?
Checking off four of the first seven symptoms on the list, or six of all nine could indicate the existence of adult ADHD.
Hyperactivity does not have to be a symptom of Adult ADHD. Often the adults have restlessness and busyness that reflects their level of activity.
It is probable that two-thirds of children with ADHD will still have it when they grow up. This means that of in the USA 4-5% of the adults have ADHD, approximately 11 million adults. From Taking Charge of Adult ADHD by Russell A Barkley, PhD., p. 2.
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