Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is not as rare as you think. A study in the US estimates that there are roughly 8.8 million cases of adult ADHD in America – and nearly 75% of them are undiagnosed.
Adult ADHD can cause a lot of problems when left untreated. It has been shown that they are more likely to take dangerous risks, abuse drugs and alcohol and get into traffic accidents. A Harvard study even found that people with ADHD earn $15,000 lesser a year compared to others of the same education.
Don't let undetected ADHD limit you from achieving your fullest. Here are 5 ways to know if you are actually struggling with ADHD.
1. Struggling in school
One key way to identify if you have an underlying condition of ADHD is to see your performance in school. Children with ADHD usually suffer in school because of their hyperactivity and inattention.
"Adults with ADHD may have a history of failing at school, even though they are quite intelligent," explains Sheela Raja, PhD, a licensed clinical psychologist and director of clinical behavioral sciences at the Colleges of Dentistry and Medicine at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "They often were the kids who just couldn't sit still."
2. Frequent Job Loss
ADHD is characterised by a lack of focus, acting compulsively and not paying attention to details. This can be detrimental damaging to job performance, leading to constant job loss.
If you find yourself constant job hopping, you should try to find the root cause of it and see if its due to the symptoms of ADHD.
3. Rocky relationships
"Research shows that adults with ADHD have a divorce rate twice as high as that of adults without ADHD," says Raja. Being reckless and daring may make you an exciting person to be around, but ADHD traits are not a winning formula for maintaining a stable romantic relationship or marriage. Being constantly brash and compulsive may wear your partner down, leading to many conflicts in relationships.
4. Substance Abuse
People with ADHD tend to look for outlets to releave their frustrations and anxiety. Not surprisingly, a lot of them turn to substance abuse to try to help them calm down. Several studies have shown that children diagnosed with ADHD have higher rates of alcholism and drug abuse as adolescents and adults. "Substance abuse is very common among adults with ADHD," notes Raja
5. Family History
Like most diseases, ADHD is a genetic disease that tends to run in families. People with relatives diagnosed with ADHD have a higher risk of having ADHD as well. Recent studies have found that adult and childhood ADHD are more likely caused by genes rather than environmental factors alone.
