When it comes to Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), many children, teens, and adults may wonder if ADHD challenges will subside with age. Typically, ADHD is associated with children and teens who struggle with focus, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. For more information, read our blog “Parenting A Child With ADHD.” But did you know that ADHD can impact adults as well? To learn more information on this topic, check out our blog “CBT for Adult ADHD.”
ADHD is a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition which means that symptoms can persist into adulthood; however, ADHD symptoms may manifest differently over time. As you grow older, you will often develop healthy coping strategies and skills which can help you manage your ADHD symptoms more effectively.
For example, as an adult with ADHD you may face less issues surrounding hyperactivity and more concern over focus and organization. Life transitions, career paths, and other environmental factors can influence how ADHD symptoms present over time. That is to say, while ADHD never fully goes away, it can look different and feel more manageable as you get older.
Anchor Therapy is a counseling center in Hoboken, NJ with mental health therapists specialized in helping children, teens, adults, couples, and families with anxiety, depression, relationship issues, trauma, life transitions, and more. Anchor Therapy is accepting new clients and is now providing in-person sessions and teletherapy sessions to residents of New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
How can I tell if I have ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts your ability to focus, control impulses, and regulate activity levels. Typically, ADHD is diagnosed in childhood; however, it may not be recognized until adolescence or adulthood.
There are three main types of ADHD based on the primary symptoms you may exhibit:
Predominantly inattentive presentation - People with this presentation have difficulty focusing, following directions, and/or completing tasks, but they do not showcase a high level of hyperactivity.
Predominantly hyperactive-impulsive presentation - People with this presentation have high levels of hyperactive and impulsive behaviors but do not have major problems regarding focus.
Combined presentation - This is the most common type of ADHD, according to research released by the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. This presentation is when individuals experience a mix of inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive symptoms.
ADHD can impact various facets of your life, from academic and occupational functioning to social functioning.
To help you determine what type of ADHD you may have, it is suggested to meet with an ADHD therapist at Anchor Therapy for professional guidance. However, there are some questions you can ask yourself that focus on specific symptoms, situations, and how they impact your daily functioning.
Here are some questions to guide your self-reflection regarding which type of ADHD you may be experiencing…
Inattention Symptoms
Do I struggle with keeping track of details or making careless mistakes at school or at work?
Is it hard for me to stay organized, keep track of tasks, or manage time effectively?
Do I often miss important deadlines, appointments, or lose things (e.g., my keys, paperwork, etc.)?
Do I lose focus when I am trying to complete tasks, even if it is important or timely?
Do I avoid tasks that mandate sustained mental effort (e.g., reading, studying, etc.)?
If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, you may have a predominantly inattentive ADHD presentation.
2. Hyperactivity and Impulsivity Symptoms
Do I have a hard time waiting in lines or for my turn?
Do I often find it difficult to sit still (e.g., frequently tapping or fidgeting with my hands and feet)?
Do I interrupt others frequently in conversation or jump into activities?
Do I find it hard to remain quiet in situations that require a certain level of calmness?
Do you feel like you have to be “on the go” all the time?
If you answered “yes” to several of these questions, you may have a predominantly hyperactive-impulsive ADHD presentation.
3. Combination of Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity Symptoms
Do I resonate with the above questions in both the inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity symptom categories?
Do I struggle with focus and organization but also find it hard to stay calm and/or act impulsively?
Do my symptoms impact several areas of my life (e..g, work, school, personal relationships, and so on)?
If you resonate with questions in both categories, you may have a combined ADHD presentation.
4. Situational or Contextual Symptoms
Can I hyper-focus some tasks I find interesting but lose focus easily when engaging in other tasks?
Do my symptoms worsen in specific situations (e.g., high-stress settings, unstructured settings, etc.)? Do I experience less symptoms in calm and/or more familiar settings?
Is it hard to follow through on tasks where I do not have external structure?
If your symptoms vary in context, you can discuss situational ADHD with your ADHD counselor.
5. Severity and Functional Impact
Do I often feel overwhelmed by my symptoms or have I found ways to manage them effectively?
Do my symptoms cause significant challenges in different areas of my life, such as school or work, relationships, and self-care?
Do I struggle with day-to-day tasks due to my ADHD symptoms?
Assessing the severity and functional impact of ADHD is important to assess if your ADHD is mild, moderate, or severe which can provide guidance for treatment options.
People with ADHD commonly struggle with:
Time management
Organization
Emotional regulation
Sustaining attention
The exact cause of ADHD is unknown, but it is believed to be caused from a combination of factors, including genetic, environmental, and neurological factors.
What can untreated ADHD lead to?
Untreated ADHD can lead to many challenges across different areas of your life. Without treatment or professional support, ADHD symptoms can persist and become more problematic over time. These symptoms can interfere with your performance at school or work, relationships, mental health, and overall life satisfaction.
One of the first life arenas where people really notice the impact and severity of ADHD symptoms is academic or work performance. People with ADHD often have a hard time staying organized with tasks, meeting deadlines, and completing detail-oriented work.
In a school setting, untreated ADHD can lead to poor grades, frequent underachievement, or a lack of homework/assignment completion. As a child or teen with untreated ADHD, you may experience social difficulties. This can lead to isolation, bullying, and/or struggles in forming long-lasting friendships. For more information on how ADHD can impact young adults, check out our blog “Understanding and Managing Symptoms of ADHD in College Students.”
In a work setting, ADHD symptoms can lead to lower job satisfaction, decreased productivity, and job instability. If you are someone who has ADHD and does not seek treatment or perhaps you are not 100% sure that you meet the diagnostic criteria for ADHD, it can be hard to pinpoint ADHD symptoms. There will be a cycle created of unmet expectations and perceived failures on your behalf which can lessen your self-esteem and lead to feelings of frustration. You may feel like, no matter how hard you try, you cannot meet your potential. For support, check out our blog “Do You Understand Your Self-Esteem?”.
Untreated ADHD also has the potential to strain personal relationships. ADHD symptoms of impulsivity and inattention can cause communication concerns, including increased forgetfulness and a tendency to act immediately instead of taking other people’s feelings into consideration. Romantic partners, friends, and family members may not be able to recognize your ADHD symptoms and, therefore, view your behavior as carelessness or a lack of respect. Understandably, this can cause much tension and misunderstandings. For support with this issue, check out our blog “4 Communication Tips Couples Need to Know.”
Untreated ADHD can cause a lot of conflict, relationship dissatisfaction, and even high rates of separation or divorce. To learn more about this topic, read our blog “How Does ADHD Affect Relationships?”.
Another major concern of untreated ADHD is the general impact it can have on your mental health. People with ADHD are more likely to experience co-occuring conditions, like low self-esteem, anxiety, and depression. Take our Anxiety Quiz and Depression Quiz for more information and next steps to better your mental health.
The constant setbacks associated with ADHD can lead to:
Feelings of inadequacy
Stress (Check out our blog “Everything You Need to Know About Stress Management Therapy”)
A negative self-image (Read our blog “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Negative Self-Talk” if you resonate with this)
An increase in risky behaviors (e.g., self-medicating with drugs and alcohol to cope with overwhelming emotions or focusing difficulties)
Untreated ADHD can lead to a cycle of frustration and stress. Luckily, with the right interventions, you can learn how to effectively cope with your ADHD to improve your quality of life and build fulfilling relationships and careers.
Can ADHD go away?
ADHD cannot just “go away” in a sense that it can be cured, but the symptoms can shift and change over time. ADHD is generally considered a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder. In other words, it can be present in childhood and persist into adolescence and adulthood. However, the way the disorder presents over time may change.
In childhood, ADHD symptoms may be more obvious, especially the hyperactive and impulsive behaviors. Children may have trouble sitting still and staying focused on the task at hand. However, as they grow older, hyperactivity may lessen and symptoms can become more associated with organization, time management, and inattention. In adulthood, you may struggle with maintaining focus, meeting deadlines, or even managing daily responsibilities. That is to say, hyperactive tendencies or behaviors may begin to decrease during the time period of adulthood.
The severity or impact of ADHD can change based on your environment, the coping strategies available to you, and mental health treatment. For example, children who receive early interventions can develop skills that help them manage their symptoms more effectively. Some people may find that with healthy coping skills and the professional support of an ADHD therapist, they experience a reduction in disruptive ADHD symptoms.
Enhancing daily functioning for people with ADHD requires a combination of strategies that can address inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Here are some daily practices you can add to your life that can make a big difference:
Use of organizational tools (e.g., planners, to-do lists, calendars, smartphone apps, etc.)
Structured routines
Minimizing distractions
Prioritizing tasks
Exercise and physical activity (Read our blog “5 Ways Exercise Benefits Your Mental Health”)
Mindfulness and meditation (View our blog “How Meditation Can Lead to Stress Reduction”)
Time management techniques
Healthy diet (Check out our blog “Cultivating Good Mental Health for Intuitive Eating”)
Good sleep habits (Our blog “Unlocking the Secrets of Quality Sleep: A Therapist’s Perspective on Sleep Hygiene and Insomnia” is a must-read)
Accountability partners or support
ADHD counseling
Developing emotional regulation strategies (Read our blog “How to Regulate Your Emotions”)
Working with an ADHD therapist in Hoboken, New Jersey
Working with a therapist who specializes in ADHD can be a hard resource for you if you are struggling to effectively manage the disorder. ADHD therapy focuses on adding to your toolbox of practical strategies, emotional building, and skill-building to help you lead a more organized, productive, and fulfilling life.
A big component of ADHD therapy is setting clear, actionable goals that are tailored towards your unique needs. Your ADHD counselor will help you identify areas in your life that you want to improve, such as successfully managing your stress or reducing procrastination. Think about the changes you want to see in your life. Do you want to enhance your productivity at work? Strengthen your relationships?
Your ADHD therapist will teach you practical strategies to manage your ADHD symptoms. This can include things like time management tools and ways to improve attention or impulse control. It is likely that you will work on creating routines, and developing coping skills for handling frustration or stress.
Here are several key benefits of working with an ADHD counselor:
Enhanced focus and organization
Better emotional regulation
Personalized coping skills
Better relationships
Increased self-esteem and confidence
Increased accountability and motivation
Support for co-occurring conditions
Strategies for managing stress
Long-term skill development
Behavioral and cognitive changes
Overall, working with an ADHD therapist can be a transformational experience as you will gain personalized support to better manage the challenges of ADHD. From enhancing your self-esteem to navigating complex emotions, ADHD counseling can be a safe and supportive space to work through the challenges of ADHD.
Victoria Scala
is the Social Media Manager, Intake Coordinator, and Community Engagement Director at Anchor Therapy in Hoboken, New Jersey. She is a graduate of the Honors College of Rutgers University-Newark and is currently studying Clinical Mental Health Counseling at the graduate level. In her roles, Victoria is committed to managing the office’s social media/community presence and prioritizing clients' needs.
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