of people associated with him or her. It is quite likely that an ADHD person will not approach a doctor, psychiatrist or psychologist to get self-treatment, but these health personnel might be approached by people who are associated with the person suffering from ADHD.
Nevertheless, if one's life is continuously disrupted by hyperactivity, impulsive behavior, hyperactivity or inattention, it is better to consult a doctor for suggestions and help.
Doctor may find out the triggering causes that worsens or alleviates the ADHD (e.g. stress, any particular diet or environment), suggest
supplements, medications, or alternate treatment so that the ADHD
patient can live a better life, with more peaceful social interactions with other people.
MAKING A DIAGNOSIS OF ADULT ADHD
Diagnosis of ADHD in adults can be difficult because its symptoms
may also be similar to other conditions. The mental health care
provider attempts to diagnose ADHD in adults by ruling out other
similar conditions.
CONDITIONS SIMILAR TO ADHD
There can be conditions or illnesses that might have caused symptoms similar to ADHD to arise.
1.
Medications and drugs. Drugs, alcohol or medications can
cause neurological changes in brain can make a person exhibit
ADHD-like symptoms.
2.
Similar mental disorders. ADHD symptoms can resemble
symptoms of other mental health issues such as psychotic disorders
like mood, anxiety and adjustment disorders (unable to cope with
stress), and language and learning deficits.
3.
Additional health issues. Symptoms similar to that of ADHD
can arise with developmental disorders, seizures, sleep apnea, low
blood sugar, thyroid disorder, lead poisoning, and vision or hearing problems. In such cases, the doctor usually directs the patient to the appropriate specialist or suggests adequate diagnosis for the condition.
EVALUATING CHILDHOOD ADHD SYMPTOMS
Signs and symptoms of ADHD typically arise before the age of 7 that
may continue to adulthood in the same or indefinable form. The
doctor diagnosing ADHD in an adult would go over his or her
childhood experiences, and analyze the old school records, and get
information from teachers, spouse, siblings, parents and friends.
DIAGNOSTIC CRITERION FOR ADHD
There is no one-symptom that can explicitly distinguish a person
affected with ADHD. Doctors follow the standards outlined in the
DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical manual of Mental Disorders)
published by the American psychiatric Association. The assessment
criteria was originally intended for diagnosis of ADHD in children,
but later on, the same was also followed for adults.
At least 6 of following symptoms need to be present to consider an adult of ADHD:
•
Hyperactivity and/or impulsiveness
•
Forgetfulness
•
Easily distracted or improper attention
•
Inattentiveness
•
Frequent mistakes
•
Lack of concentration or focus
•
Inattentiveness towards a person in direct conversation
•
Cannot properly or timely complete tasks
•
Cannot follow instructions
•
Cannot properly organize activities or tasks
•
Avoid tasks requiring substantial thought
•
Misplace important things
•
Tendency to fidget with the hands or feet, or squirm while
seated
•
Leave room when expected to sit
•
Act inappropriately in certain situations
•
Problems doing activities silently
•
Seems to be full of energy, and tends to be moving all the
time.
•
Speaks excessively
•
Tendency to utter answers before a question is complete
•
Cannot wait patiently in relaxed manner, tends to show
irritation
•
Tendency to interfere or interrupt in other people's
conversations
Besides the 6 symptoms from the above list, an individual adult with ADHD can show additional characteristics or symptoms that include:
•
Hyperactive, impulsive or inattentive symptoms present
before the age of seven that might have caused injury in the past
•
Different behavior at childhood compared to other children of
the same age without ADHD
•
Have had the symptoms for at least 6 months
•
Symptoms may have jeopardized relationships, life at school,
home and/or work
The doctor may look carefully about relationships with family and
performance at school or work, and may consider other symptoms,
that are best visualized by the doctor's experience.
DRUGS AND TREATMENTS
There is no single treatment that can cure a person of ADHD.
Treatments commonly administered include psychological counseling
and/or medication. Depending upon the patient, therapy and
medication are usually provided together to get the best outcome.
MEDICATIONS
Psycho-stimulants are the most typical medications prescribed for
ADHD. These stimulant medications appear to balance and boost the
neurotransmitters levels in the brain.