ADHD in Adults
(Attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder)
ADHD -- attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder -- is not just for kids.
This is Dr. Steven Andrew Davis, Speaking of Health. An estimated 3 to 7% of
school-aged children have ADHD, whose best known symptoms include squirming and
not sitting still; being impulsive; and inability to concentrate. But a report
in the Journal of the AMA notes that ADHD can be a chronic condition persisting
into adulthood and frequently undiagnosed.
You don't see that many adults who squirm or can't concentrate? That's
because adults with ADHD usually show different symptoms than they did as
children. Instead of being physically hyperactive, adults with ADHD "may
experience" (what some experts call) "subjective inner
restlessness", becoming "workaholics and (having) trouble relaxing."
While children with ADHD may interrupt others, adults with ADHD can also talk
incessantly but may also display impatient adult behavior -- changing jobs
often, getting speeding tickets, having more car wrecks. Adults with ADHD have
higher divorce rates, are more likely to smoke, overeat, and have substance
abuse problems. And their lack of attention span can translate into not paying
their bills or losing things.
Diagnosing ADHD in adults is of more than academic interest; because
increasingly, "medication combined with behavioral therapies often can
provide dramatic benefits to those who struggled with ADHD-related work, family
and social issues for years." Speaking of Health, I'm Dr. Steven Andrew
Davis, for CBS News.
Lamberg, L. JAMA 2003; 290:1565-1567.
E-Mail
drdavis@davishealth.com
Dr. Steve Davis
7810 Louis Pasteur #200
210/614-3355
