Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is commonly thought of as a childhood condition. However, more adults are discovering that their issues with attention, focus, and restlessness may be the result of undiagnosed ADHD, thanks in large part to viral social media videos with millions of views.
A recent national poll of 1,000 American people commissioned by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center and College of Medicine reveals that 25% of adults believe they have undiagnosed ADHD. However, mental health professionals are concerned that only 13% of survey respondents had discussed their fears with their doctor.
That’s raising concerns about the consequences of self-diagnosis leading to incorrect treatment.
“Anxiety, depression and ADHD all these things can look a lot alike, but the wrong treatment can make things worse instead of helping that person feel better and improving their functioning,” said psychologist Justin Barterian, PhD, clinical assistant professor in Ohio State’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health.
Anxiety, depression and ADHD all these things can look a lot alike, but the wrong treatment can make things worse instead of helping that person feel better and improving their functioning.
Justin Barterian
According to Barterian, ADHD affects an estimated 4.4% of people aged 18 to 44, and some people are not diagnosed until later in life.
“There’s definitely more awareness of how it can continue to affect folks into adulthood and a lot of people who are realizing, once their kids have been diagnosed, that they fit these symptoms as well, given that it’s a genetic disorder,” Barterian told me.
According to the survey, younger persons are more likely than older generations to feel they have undiagnosed ADHD and to take action to address it.
According to Barterian, this should entail seeing a medical practitioner, usually their primary care physician, to be referred to a mental health expert who will thoroughly evaluate, precisely diagnose, and effectively treat them.
“If you’re watching videos on social media and it makes you think that you may meet criteria for the disorder, I would encourage you to seek an evaluation from a psychologist or a psychiatrist or a physician to get it checked out,” Barterian said.
What is Adult ADHD? Adults struggling with ADHD will have problems with paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsivity that are severe enough to cause ongoing challenges at school, work and home. These symptoms are persistent and disruptive and can often be traced back to childhood.
Adult ADHD occurs in:
- Adults who were diagnosed as children, but symptoms continue into adulthood.
- Adults who are diagnosed for the first time, despite experiencing symptoms since they were younger that had been ignored or misdiagnosed.
Hyperactivity as a symptom is typically less present in adults than in children. Many adults with ADHD struggle with memory and concentration issues. Symptoms of ADHD often worsen with stress, conflict or increased demands in life.
What are common types of ADHD? The three types of ADHD are:
- Inattentive ADHD – Inability to pay attention and distractibility. This also is known as attention-deficit disorder (ADD).
- Hyperactive and impulsive ADHD — Hyperactivity and impulsivity.
- Combined ADHD — This type causes inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity.
ADHD can be difficult to diagnose in adults, because some of the symptoms are similar to those in other mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety.
“Symptoms of ADHD can look different between different people,” Barterian said. “Some people might have more difficulty focusing on lectures or with organization, while others may have more social difficulties with impulsivity and trouble following along in conversations.”
Survey Methodology This study was conducted by SSRS on its Opinion Panel Omnibus platform. The SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus is a national, twice-per-month, probability-based survey. Data collection was conducted from August 16 — August 18, 2024, among a sample of 1,006 respondents. The survey was conducted via web (n=975) and telephone (n=31) and administered in English. The margin of error for total respondents is +/-3.8 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. All SSRS Opinion Panel Omnibus data are weighted to represent the target population of U.S. adults ages 18 or older.
