Modern life is busy! Most of us are juggling careers, family commitments, relationships, friendships and the never-ending burden of “life admin” that often threatens to overwhelm us.
And now more than ever we find ourselves distracted by the very things that we use to keep us organised….our tablets and phones that ping and vibrate with every notification, comment or message, interrupting our work, our focus, and our connections with others; indeed our connection to the present moment.
So it is any wonder that many of us struggle with focus and concentration, and zone out from time to time, misplacing items, losing track of thoughts or conversations?
However, for about 1 in 20 Australians, these issues are bigger than mere inconveniences, and cause real difficultly in relationships, emotional regulation, organisation and excelling in school or work. If this is the case, it’s possible ADHD might be underlying and causing the issues.
For women and girls in particular, and some boys and men who experience the “inattentive form” of ADHD (formally referred to as ADD) are more likely to have been overlooked or misdiagnosed. Perhaps they we were told they weren’t listening in class or at home, were always “away with the fairies” or were messy and disorganised. Reports may often have said “could do better” or “needs to concentrate more in class.” And over many years, this negative slant on what is going on, what is actually not under their control, a person with undiagnosed ADHD soon learns that they are different, not good enough at things others seem to find easy, and sadly often come to believe themselves stupid and incapable.
That’s when recognising that you might have ADHD can be of enormous benefit; giving someone an explanation for all these struggles, and a huge sense of relief that they are not to blame for what’s been going on.
Here are 10 signs that you might have ADHD, bearing in mind that for an ADHD diagnosis, symptoms must have started before the age of 12 and be present in at least 2 different settings, i.e. school, home, or work.
1. Difficult concentrating and staying focused, easily distracted
2. Difficulty organising tasks and activities
3. Trouble waiting for your turn, especially in conversations
4. Forgetfulness
5. Tendency to lose things
6. Fidgeting and restlessness (if hyperactivity is present)
7. Impulsiveness (acting or speaking without thinking things over)
8. Messy room, difficulty keeping things tidy
9. Easily overwhelmed
10. Difficulty in regulating emotions (irritable, easily angered)
“The thing about ADHD is that it’s actually great. I love the way my brain works. I’m funny and flexible and creative and adventurous. My frustrations mostly stem from trying to force my ADHD brain to function in a non-ADHD world.” - Britney Bush Bollay
With so many symptoms that make it so hard to get on in life and do the things we need and want to achieve, it’s easy to see why people with ADHD, particularly if it is undiagnosed, also experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
If you suspect you may have been struggling with ADHD, you might like to seek a professional opinion and assessment from a psychologist or psychiatrist who specialises in treating adults with ADHD. Many people benefit from taking medication. However, there are many other ways that ADHD symptoms can be managed and improved besides medication, and there are lots of ways you can help yourself to feel better, become more organised, and increase your focus, mood and self-esteem. These include regular exercise, ideally including some balance work, dietary changes and modifications, a meditation practice, and even therapy, specifically EMDR, which can help target and eliminate the negative beliefs that develop from not understanding the true cause of challenges.
And don't forget, that although those with ADHD experience many negative symptoms, ADHD can also give us positive attributes too. Those with ADHD can often be quick thinking, energetic, creative and if able to harness these alongside their ability to hyper focus on tasks they feel passion and enjoyment for, this can make for a force to be reckoned with!
So while it is really important to find out if you have ADHD, please don’t think of it as something entirely negative. For once you know that you have been dealing with, and struggling with, and can name it and see that it was never your fault or because you weren’t good or smart enough, it can become a superpower and help you to achieve all that you dream of!
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