ADHD Symptoms in Adulthood

A study on ADHD in adulthood has been conducted at the Georg Elias Müller Institute of Psychology at the University of Göttingen since 2005. This is because ADHD can have a significant impact on private and professional life: “Those affected often find it difficult to organize their daily lives. They tend to get bogged down and jump from one activity to another without finishing anything. Careless mistakes and ineffective work are the result. In many cases, difficulties arise with superiors and colleagues,” says the study’s director, Halina Lackschewitz.

ADHD symptoms in adulthood not clear-cut

Even though hyperactivity is no longer as pronounced in many adults as it is in children and adolescents, many sufferers feel driven and restless, she said. “By their own admission, people with ADHD find it difficult to cope with everyday stress. Therefore, we want our study to investigate how they cope with stressful situations and how they can learn to manage stress better.”

Especially in adults, symptoms vary and are not exactly clear-cut: there is a gradual transition from mild to severe symptoms. Almost always, sufferers have trouble managing tasks that require a prolonged period of attention.

In addition, they cannot control and manage their emotions well – it is not always easy to work with them. They also suffer from constant inner tension, which on the one hand again restricts concentration on a subject in everyday professional life and on the other hand can bring employees to the brink of despair.

Typical complaints and symptoms of ADHD

According to a brochure published by the pharmaceutical manufacturer Lilly-Pharma, “When symptoms of attention deficit disorder occur alone, ADHD of the inattentive type is diagnosed; when hyperactivity and impulsivity are added, it is referred to as the combined type. As children age, the core symptoms change in severity; the attention disorder usually persists, while the hyperactivity and impulsivity often diminish.” I

he brochure goes on to say that 50 to 60 percent of ADHD adults experience difficulties in the areas of

  • Attention,

  • motor hyperactivity,

  • impulsivity and

  • in social interactions

have, which can lead to problems not only at work, but also in partner relationships. A small proportion of adults (10 to 15 percent) with severe hyperactivity have other psychological problems and may have major problems with other people – dissociality is a technical term for this.

ADHD individuals may develop other mental illnesses as a result of frequent conflict and failure. Studies show that there is an increased risk of developing another psychiatric disorder such as depression, anxiety, or a personality disorder such as borderline, or developing a drug and/or alcohol addiction.