10 Signs and Symptoms of ADHD in Adults (And When to Get Help)
Signs of ADHD aren’t as easy to spot in adults as in children. Adult ADHD can be more subtle and misinterpreted as another mental health condition, complicating its diagnosis.
Whether or not ADHD was diagnosed during childhood, it can pose different challenges during adulthood. Symptoms affect more aspects of your life, such as personal relationships, work, and emotions.
Without treatment and support, ADHD can cause people to struggle with career goals, memory loss, prioritizing, and daily tasks at work and home.
Recognizing signs of ADHD is the first step toward real change. Knowing the facts empowers you to seek the professional help you may need to overcome challenges and thrive.
Read on to discover some of the main signs and symptoms of ADHD in adults.
While many people will experience these issues at some point, ADHD means a persistent pattern (at least six months) of behavior that interferes with your ability to function.
Types of ADHD
The symptoms of ADHD can look different from person to person, depending on the type of ADHD they have – or their subtype.
In general, there are three main subtypes of ADHD:
- Predominantly inattentive ADHD
- Predominantly hyperactive or impulsive ADHD
- Combined type ADHD
Adults with inattentive type ADHD have more difficulty with their focus, attention, and memory.
This is the second most common subtype in adults. Around one in three adult ADHDers have it.[1]
These individuals are more likely to notice the following:[2]
- Having trouble organizing their documents or belongings
- Losing focus quickly when working on boring tasks
- Having many distracting and unrelated thoughts
- Avoiding tasks that require them to stay focused
- Getting distracted in conversations
- Struggling with time management
- Forgetting to do an errand or task
- Overlooking important details
- Making careless mistakes
- Misplacing important items
On the other hand, someone with hyperactive or impulsive type ADHD is more likely to struggle with symptoms linked to restlessness and poorer impulse control.
This is the least common type of ADHD in adults. That’s because symptoms of inattention are more likely to persist into adulthood compared to symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity.[1]
Individuals with this form of ADHD may notice the following:[2]
- Constantly leaving their seat when expected to stay seated
- Blurting out answers before the question is completed
- Fidgeting and moving about when seated
- Cutting into other people’s conversations
- Having trouble waiting their turn in line
- Taking over other people’s activities
- Often feeling restless
- Interrupting others
- Talking excessively
- Always on the go
Finally, a person who persistently struggles with both symptoms of inattention and symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsivity has combined type ADHD.
This is the most common kind of ADHD in adults and accounts for over 60% of ADHD cases.[1]
Of course, people with the same type of ADHD may not necessarily have the same challenges or struggles. This is why it’s important to personalize your treatment, therapy, and coping strategies based on the symptoms you have.
10 Signs of Adult ADHD
1. Difficulty Focusing
People with ADHD may lack control over what they focus on and have difficulty concentrating.
You may notice the following: [3]
- Easily distracted
- Daydreaming
- Zoning out during conversations
- Overlooking instructions and details
- Unable to finish projects or tasks on time
Another symptom of ADHD is a tendency to hyperfocus on projects you find exciting and interesting. In this state, you may be unable to turn your attention toward other important tasks or people in your life.[4]
2. Misplacing Items
Storing, organizing, or keeping track of belongings can be troublesome for those with ADHD.
This can involve:
- Misplacing everyday items (i.e., car keys or wallet) while the brain is on autopilot
- Losing track of where an item is placed after a moment of inattention
- Constantly retracing steps to find lost items
- Storing things in the wrong places (i.e., work papers in your car, dirty dishes in the bedroom).
3. Always Running Late
Due to poor time management, adults with ADHD often run late for meetings, appointments, or social plans.
Reasons include:
- Unable to find required items (car keys, wallet, meeting notes, etc.)
- Forgetting dates and times
- Underestimating time needed to complete tasks
- Getting distracted while preparing for an appointment or event
4. Risky Behaviors
Research shows that adults with ADHD are more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior (RTB).[5] These behaviors may involve the following:
- Starting arguments or fights
- Overspending
- Reckless driving
- Substance use (alcohol or drugs)
- Risky sex-related decisions (i.e., unprotected sex)
- Gambling
- Impulsive eating
By seeking help and support, you can proactively reduce your chances of involvement in these activities.
5. Lack of Listening
Social interactions may feel like a challenge if you have ADHD. You may struggle with: [3]
- Waiting for your turn to speak
- Staying on topic
- Keeping track of the conversation
- Using non-verbal cues to show active listening
- Talking too fast
- Speaking too much
- Blurting out words that make others uncomfortable
- Unable to read other people’s body language
6. Prioritization Perils
Adults with ADHD are almost always occupied. However, deciding which task to prioritize can be a challenge.
You may struggle with prioritization for any of the following reasons:
- Feeling like you have too much to do (which can overwhelm you, even get you into a state of ADHD paralysis)
- All tasks feel equally important
- Difficulty thinking ahead – you underestimate deadlines
- Seeking novelty over familiar tasks that may be more significant and relevant
Adults with ADHD also tend to procrastinate on tasks that require more focus and attention, leading to missed deadlines and workplace issues.
7. Relationship Roadblocks
Problems in relationships with friends, colleagues, family, or partners is another common issue for adults with ADHD.
There are several reasons why symptoms of ADHD can cause tension, anger, and frustration.
Some ADHD traits that may lead to relationship strains include:
- Speaking over the other person
- Not actively listening to the other person
- Forgetting important events and dates (like birthdays)
- Blurting out hurtful statements
- Failing to fulfill responsibilities, commitments, or promises
- Trouble regulating emotions
Despite these challenges, adults with ADHD can have happy relationships and fulfilling marriages. Seeking professional counseling and support is one of the best ways to work toward this.
8. Nervous Energy
Another sign of ADHD in adults is restlessness. This may present in a variety of ways:
- Flight of thoughts
- Constant fidgeting
- Tics and impulsive behaviors
- Overthinking and catastrophizing
- Trouble sitting still
Fidgeting is often misinterpreted as inattention in adults with ADHD. However, fidgeting and stimming can signify attempts to stay focused when a task isn’t providing enough stimulation for the brain.
Interestingly, fidgeting may help increase the ability to focus and concentrate in adults.[6]
9. Memory Issues
ADHD may impact two different kinds of memory.
Working memory is your brain’s short-term storage space, and it’s where adults with ADHD are more likely to experience problems.[7]
Here are some examples of how ADHD can impact working memory:
- Forgetting things on grocery lists
- Leaving essential items at home
- Losing track of belongings
- Difficulty following instructions to complete tasks
- Re-reading sections of text due to not retaining information
ADHD’s impact on long-term memory isn’t well understood. Some research shows that adults with ADHD may experience problems with long-term memory.
The ADHD brain tends to encode information in a disorganized manner, interfering with the storage of new information.[8]
10. Easy to Anger
An estimated 70% of adults with ADHD experience mood swings (emotional dysregulation).[9]
Adults with ADHD may notice the following signs of emotional turbulence:
- Impatience when under stress
- Explosive outbursts of anger
- Persistent irritability
- Surges of anger when met with everyday obstacles
- Frequent and reactive mood changes
- Unaware of the other party’s feelings
Professional therapy, medications, and self-care can play a vital role in managing ADHD-related anger.
Adult ADHD Symptoms: It’s Not Too Late to Get Them Diagnosed
If you think you’re experiencing some of the signs and symptoms of ADHD, it’s best to take your concerns to a trusted healthcare provider who can address them effectively.
Try to seek a professional specializing in treating and supporting adults with ADHD.
The ADDA adult ADHD test is a great starting point to screen yourself for signs of ADHD.
Check out ADDA’s online resource hub if you’d like to learn more about adult ADHD. Here, you’ll gain access to support groups, communities, and tips on how to live and thrive with ADHD.
References
[1] Wilens, T. E., Biederman, J., Faraone, S. V., Martelon, M., Westerberg, D., & Spencer, T. J. (2009). Presenting ADHD symptoms, subtypes, and comorbid disorders in clinically referred adults with ADHD. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 70(11), 1557–1562. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.08m04785pur
[2] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 7, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t3/
[3] American Psychiatric Association. (2022, June). What is ADHD? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/adhd/what-is-adhd
[4] Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DSM-5 Changes: Implications for Child Serious Emotional Disturbance [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (US); 2016 Jun. Table 7, DSM-IV to DSM-5 Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Comparison. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t3/
[5] Volkow, N. D., & Swanson, J. M. (2013). Clinical practice: Adult attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder. The New England Journal of Medicine, 369(20), 1935–1944. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1212625
[6] Farley, J., Risko, E. F., & Kingstone, A. (2013). Everyday attention and lecture retention: the effects of time, fidgeting, and mind wandering. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 619. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00619
[7] Kofler, M. J., Singh, L. J., Soto, E. F., Chan, E. S. M., Miller, C. E., Harmon, S. L., & Spiegel, J. A. (2020). Working memory and short-term memory deficits in ADHD: A bifactor modeling approach. Neuropsychology, 34(6), 686–698. https://doi.org/10.1037/neu0000641
[8] Skodzik, T., Holling, H., & Pedersen, A. (2017). Long-Term Memory Performance in Adult ADHD. Journal of Attention Disorders, 21(4), 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054713510561
[9] Beheshti, A., Chavanon, M. L., & Christiansen, H. (2020). Emotion dysregulation in adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: a meta-analysis. BMC Psychiatry, 20(1), 120. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-2442-7
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7 Comments
It’s nice that you pointed out how people with ADHD may lack control over what they focus on and have difficulty concentrating. I was talking with my best friend earlier and he told me about the ADHD diagnosis of his brother. I heard there are adult ADHD counseling nowadays, so maybe he should have his brother try that out too.
I have tried on two occasions to get a diagnosis from my gp but the forms I filled in, one was for childhood and the same questions for now as an adult. Adhd was never heard of in the 60’s and 70’s and we were under fear of severe punishment if we got up and walked out at school. I have muddled through, some how, to now my 60th year but I fear its coming in too much now. I need direction, instructions and motivation . Feel like I may as well not be here
Hello Rosie, I’m so sorry you’re struggling with this, I can totally relate! I’ll be 55 in April and just learning about all the symptoms ~my life makes a little more sense, kinda😐 I’ve recently stopped drinking alcohol after an extender time of trauma/self medicating & the symptoms (ADHD) have seemed to have taken over or I should say I’m extremely more aware of them! Brought me back to my childhood/early adulthood Feeling anxious and lost! I’m still waiting to see my GP (in office once a week) but I do find that this meditation page helps!! https://www.theepicself.com/meditations/focus/
P.S We need you here & you are loved!! Wishing you an abundance of love & all that you need!! Stay strong!
Big {{HUG}}✌️❤️
Kat
Hi Rosie,
I really understand how you’re feeling! I’m also a child of the 60s and I had no idea I had ADHD until the pandemic hit and I was totally isolated with just my three cats, God bless them! I live alone so no partner to help deal with it all. The result was severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and a total collapse of my former brain functioning capabilities. Typically, I was never diagnosed as a child and was a good student, although always late with things, a procrastinator, and a bit of a day dreamer. Women and girls, especially, learn how to develop coping techniques so that we can make our way through the world without too much trouble. In fact, I’m a university professor, but it was hard to get here, that’s for sure. Still, I did it and was managing to do a good job at everything–until the pandemic caused my brain to implode and nothing worked right any more. It was terrifying, confusing, and I was ashamed! I kept saying to myself, “Barbara!! Get it together, girl!” but the more it went on, the worse it got. Finally, a friend who had been recently diagnosed told me I had ADHD when I was describing what was going on with my brain. I did some research and, geez Louise, he was right! Of the list of 15 common symptoms, I clearly had 12! It was a terrifying realization, but after a few minutes, it became a relief to know that I wasn’t going crazy. I was already seeing a therapist for my depression and I asked her if there was anyone in her practice that dealt with ADHD, and thankfully, there was. It took a while to get in (about a month!) but after several interviews and tests, sure enough, I have a pretty severe case of Combined ADHD. My psychiatrist prescribed Adderal, which helped a bit, but the dosage was too low, so he upped it until we found a level that worked well. It’s amazing what being clear thinking can be like after so long in a daze–just miraculous!! I’m still working hard to find ways to deal with this because it hasn’t abated in this post-pandemic (hopefully) period, so I was excited to see this group and all the assistance it can provide.
The bottom line, Rosie, is that you need to keep looking until you find someone who can help you. If your GP isn’t helping, than move on to a psychological practice that offers ADHD testing and counseling. If you can’t get in right away, call another practice until you find one that can take you. You have to remember that this sudden awareness of psychological disorders like ours has exploded because of the pandemic, so you have to be patient, but it’s worth it–and keep coming here to find ways of coping now as you’re learning to deal with it. It’s not easy, but with a website like this, a community this this one, and a bit of patience and kindness to yourself, you’ll get it under control and keep it managed in such a way that you will do great! I hope this helps you and anyone else who’s just discovered that they are dealing with this condition. It’s hard to accept but we are very lucky that there is so much available to us now that wasn’t available even 10-15 years ago. Be patient with yourself, keep the faith, and remember to breathe. You’ve got this, even if it doesn’t feel like it at the moment. It will!
Take care and know that there are lots of people here who want to help. Bless you, Rosie! Keep your courage up and frustration level down, and you’ll be fine. Barbara
I so relate to you ladies. I just turned 54 and only recently realised I have ADHD. I think its a pretty extreme form. Im yet to be diagnosed.
I am also a high achiever. registered nurse, raised 3 amazing kids and have done multiple businesses over the years.
My latest one . Wearable lights for Healthcare workers. nursechill.com
My point is that I am classic at taking on too much. being very scattered. Severely hyperfocused but not focusing on other important things in my life. Such as paying bills and taxes. (its boring)
Ive noticed a severe increase in my symptoms this past year.
Im not sure if its menopause or the fact that my coping mechanisms over the decades are no longer working. Either way its been tough.
I’ve been feeling a little like Rosie I’m afraid.
I think I’m just exhausted from 54 years of managing this when I didn’t even know I had it.
I’m so tired.
It really helped when you elaborated on ADHD’s types and symptoms commonly found in adults. The past months have been hard because my wife’s experiencing burnout symptoms, and after reading your post, she might have ADHD signs too. I’ll talk to her about getting an appointment with a healthcare provider to evaluate her mental health.
This list of symptoms and traits is like many other ADHD traits lists I’ve found online. Generally I find they are true and correct based on my experience as someone with suspected ADHD (undiagnosed). However, such lists suggests there are no positives at all, positives such as high intelligence and an insatiable desire to help others as part of the pursuit of dopamine. Personally, I’m currently on one of many courses and programs I’ve purchased or registered for. I think it’s ADHD that has made me develop big improvements to that being taught in order to better understand what I’m learning. I think it’s also ADHD that has led to my suggestions for improvements to be ignored and generally to also be invalidated, perhaps because I’m giving them too much feedback in a short time, or perhaps because they only consider the needs of neurotypical people. I am expecting to quit paying for the extra study community since I often don’t feel supported. Oh and why is a website address required to comment here, but not an email address?!