Alcohol BiPolar Disorder ADD ADHD

Adult ADHD

This article is intended to focus on the condition in adults. See also main article, Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

Adult attention-deficit disorder (Adult ADD, Adult ADHD, or AADD) is informal terminology commonly used to describe the neurological condition "attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder" (ADHD) when it occurs in adults. Prior to 1987, ADHD (with or without a hyperactivity component) was formally known as ADD under the DSM-III. It has been estimated that about eight million adults have ADHD in the United States.

Although the exact prevalence of ADHD is unknown, studies thus far reveal that the condition, marked by inattentiveness, difficulty getting work done, procrastination, and/or organization problems, according to epidemiological data, involves approximately 3% to 5% of the U.S. population. It usually persists throughout a person's lifetime; approximately one-half to two-thirds of children with ADHD will continue to have significant problems with ADHD symptoms and behaviors as adults, which impacts their lives on the job, within the family, and in social relationships.

Untreated adults with ADHD often have chaotic life-styles, may appear to be disorganized, and may rely on non-prescribed drugs and alcohol to get by. They often have such associated psychiatric comorbidities as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, or a learning disability. In 2004, noted researchers estimated the yearly income loss for adults with ADHD in the United States as $77 billion. This may be partially because it is also estimated that only 15% of adults in the U.S. with ADHD are aware that they have the disorder, although many adults struggle with it.

A diagnosis of ADHD may offer an adult insight into their behaviors and allow the patient to become more aware and seek help with coping and treatment strategies. Studies show that adult ADHD is treated successfully with a combination of medication and behavior therapy.

Some clinical professionals believe Adult ADHD should be categorized as a separate condition, even though it may have arisen from a childhood ADHD diagnosis. However, under the DSM-IV, the diagnostic criteria for ADHD in adults follow the same as in children. Although the disorder may not have been diagnosed in an individual during childhood, for adults to be diagnosed, the criteria require that they must have had symptoms in childhood. The neurological basis of ADHD is a lifelong condition. Some adults prefer to designate the condition as ADD or AADD (as opposed to the ADHD) because often the symptoms associated with a hyperactivity component, when present at all, are generally less pronounced. In fact, the prevalence of ADHD in adults as a clinical disorder is difficult to determine because individuals differ in their level of affliction. Those who seek treatment as children, and others, over time, may develop coping skills which make the disorder less noticeable; indeed, if the underlying conditions do not cause functional problems in their lives, they may no longer meet the diagnostic criteria at all. However, those whose symptoms continue to significantly negatively affect their functioning in adulthood in multiple settings (i.e., academic, relationship, and occupational) can be labeled as having the adult version of ADHD.

ADHD in adults (as with children) is recognized as a disability under U.S. federal legislation including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Appropriate and reasonable accommodations are sometimes made in the workplace for adults with ADHD, which help the individual to work more efficiently and productively.