The ADD Adult

What specific behaviors indicate that an adult might have ADD?

Efficient attention is required for success in all areas of life. As an ever-present filter between the individual’s external and internal worlds, it screens all incoming and outgoing information to and from the brain. In this way, attention has a profound influence on how an individual experiences events and behaves in all life spheres: school, job, home, and neighborhood. It interacts with other skills and abilities to shape the quality of social interactions, school/job performance, and independent functioning. Therefore, behaviors that suggest attentional difficulty can appear in any area of a person’s life. The following behaviors identify some of the more common red flags that might signal ADD in adults ages 18 and over.

Adults with ADD

• Being irresponsible; exhibiting poor follow through
• Changing jobs frequently
• Having trouble with money management, characterized by excessive spending and poor budgeting
• Making repeated careless mistakes on the job
• Exhibiting poor communication skills that result in repeated misunderstandings
• Being late
• Reacting before thinking
• Lacking a healthy daily routine
• Having difficulty managing children
• Being overly dependent on spouse, boss, or co-worker for supervision
• Abusing drugs and alcohol
• Experiencing eating disorders
• Lacking the ability to solve problems effectively
• Lacking the ability to prioritize things
• Taking on projects without thinking about what is involved
• Experiencing depression and/or anxiety

If you just recognized someone you know (maybe yourself?) in this list, go to ADDBasics.org and download Dr. Liden’s free guide, ADD Basics 101. In 10 clear steps, Dr. Liden will guide you to an accurate, trustworthy diagnosis and outline what you should look for in an effective treatment plan.

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Check back next week when Dr. Liden discusses how ADD impacts sexual behaviors…

Catch up on previous posts in the Pay Attention series.

Our current blog series is excerpted from Dr. Liden’s best-selling book, Pay Attention!: Answers to Common Questions About the Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention Deficit Disorder.