Awareness about Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD has recently increased. According to a new survey by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center conducted on 1,000 American adults, 25% believe they have undiagnosed ADHD. It was once associated mostly with childhood but is increasingly diagnosed in adults.
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The “boom” is largely due to trending social media content about ADHD symptoms and experiences. Mental health experts, though, are worried about the risks associated with self-diagnosis. Out of those who suspected that they might have ADHD, only 13% consulted a mental health professional. This increases the chances of misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment.
According to Dr. Justin Barterian, a psychologist and clinical assistant professor at Ohio State, self-diagnosis may have negative consequences because the general population is not aware of the wide range of symptoms that may constitute ADHD. These symptoms overlap with those of some other mental health conditions like anxiety and depression thus leading to misdiagnosis.
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ADHD is seen as a condition that occurs mostly during childhood, although it may indeed exist in adults. ADHD is found in almost 4.4% of the age range of 18 to 44 years. Most parents only realize their children have ADHD when they are diagnosed. The survey demonstrated that younger adults believe they have undiagnosed ADHD and are, therefore, more proactive about seeking help.
Dr Barterian advises that individuals who suspect they might have ADHD should go to a professional for evaluation. This usually involves a preliminary consultation with a primary care provider who can further refer patients to mental health specialists for a thorough evaluation.
Adult ADHD presents itself with problems of inattention, hyperactivity or impulsivity that significantly interfere with daily functioning and interpersonal relationships. In contrast to children, adults tend to have less overt hyperactivity but often have greater difficulty with aspects related to memory, concentration and organisational skills, especially when exposed to some kind of stressor.
The three forms of ADHD are Inattentive ADHD, which is characterized by distractibility; Hyperactive and Impulsive ADHD, which is predominantly characterized by hyperactivity; and Combined ADHD, which brings together symptoms of the other categories. Diagnosis of ADHD among adults is considered one of the most challenging ones, especially due to the overlap in its symptoms with other mental health disorders.
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This survey methodology used by SSRS was national, probability-based and through both web and telephone surveys. Survey results have been weighted to reflect the demographic distribution of adults in the United States aged 18 or older. The margin of error waa of ±3.8 percentage points.
As news about adult ADHD spreads across social media, experts not only immediately caution against basing diagnosis on such discussions but instead urge seeking professional advice for the right diagnosis and treatment. They perceive this as a proactive way to help patients manage their condition well and derive good benefits from it.
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