The general perception of ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is a condition that is reserved for children. But millions of people are learning the hard way, often through devastating circumstances, that this is not the case. In fact, the most recent estimate has the number of cases of adult ADHD in the United States at around nine million, with seventy five percent of those with adult ADHD not knowing why they act the way they do. That would mean at least 6,750,000 men in women in the United States alone are trying to do their jobs, keep their home-life stable and happy, and preserve some sort of a social life, all the while trying to manage such symptoms as inattention, impulsivity, anger, and restlessness.
For those with adult ADHD it is like having twenty movies showing in the brain all at once producing lack of focus. In addition to lack of focus other symptoms include impulsivity, lack of patience, disorganization, and difficulty finishing tasks. This cast of characters is commonplace for adult with this condition, impeding work performance, getting in the way of a happy home life, and making it hard to meet new friendships and hang on to old acquaintances.
Those with adult ADHD may also sabotage their relationships and marriages through what is seen as promiscuous behavior, perhaps stretching back decades to their early teen or even adolescent years. Just as they tend to not be able to finish projects, starting a new marriage or relationship always seems much more appealing that trying to make an old one work.
Attention deficit disorder is a developmental brain disorder affecting the area of the brain associated with impulse control, planning, and organization known as the prefrontal cortex. This area of the brain is also known to be responsible for motivation, meaning, and significance.
Adult ADHD doesn’t just appear, though it may change form. In fact those with adult ADHD have had the condition since early in life (prior to the age of 6). About half of the children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder outgrow the condition, while the other 50 percent do not. Statistically it ranks second, only behind depression, on the list of most common psychological problems.
Self destructive behavior
If left to run amuck, adult ADHD can wreak havoc on a person life. Those with the condition are a walking billboard for disaster according to recent statistics, with the ADHD adult being twice as likely to be involved in an automobile accident and eight times more likely than the general population to take dangerous risks. They also are much more likely to fall prey to drug and alcohol abuse, and are 50 percent more likely to be unemployed. If the ADHD adult is able to hold on to a job they typically earn $15,000 dollars a year less than others with similar vocational and/or educational backgrounds.
One man described his self destructive behavior like this “If I missed a work deadline due to surfing the internet or daydreaming I would just lie about the reasons why and become angry and defensive. If my boss didn’t like it I would just quit. This has lead to many hardships on my family having to move from state to state no less than five different times. I’d spend money without thinking and break promises. I was always screaming at my son. The slightest little thing that failed to go my way would cause me to have a mental meltdown. My wife felt like she didn’t have a partner feeling more like she was trying to take care of an additional child.”