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Health November 2013

Aid for Age

Hmmm, Could This Be ADHD?

By Tait Trussell

Mayo says all adults with ADHD had ADHD as children, even if it was never diagnosed. “Some people with ADHD have fewer symptoms as they age, while others continue to have significant symptoms as adults.”

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a medically defined condition normally found in children. ADHD is the customary term because it contains the two major elements of the condition.

Although rare, adults can be affected by the condition too, according to Mayo Clinic.

My wife, who has a master’s degree in Special Education, is quite familiar with the ailment, having had students in her classes who were diagnosed as ADHD.

My wife, by no means entirely in humor, has declared that I (her precious husband) am ADD, if not ADHD.

Adult ADHD symptoms may include trouble focusing or concentrating. When I am asked by my wife to do something, say a small chore or to make sure my pajamas are put in the laundry hamper on Saturdays, I will claim I didn’t hear her or I forgot.

Sometimes, I have trouble concentrating in church during the sermon. My mind may wander to a subject I have read which would question or even dispute a position in part of the sermon.

Restlessness is another characteristic named by Mayo in defining traits of adult ADHD. My Essential Tremor, which I have had for 20 years, may well contribute to my restlessness. Waking in the middle of the night to toss and turn while thoughts surge through my brain, sometimes makes me restless.

“Difficulty completing tasks” is another symptom listed by Mayo for adult ADHD.

I am hopelessly incompetent mechanically. My wife can put together a shelf to hold cans of paint without even reading the directions. I would lose an essential screw or nut and think about writing an angry letter to the manufacturer.

Low frustration tolerance. I would think it would be normal to become frustrated with the tangled demonstration of indecision and incompetence shown by the government’s foreign policy positions on Syria.

Hot temper. I recall vividly rising from the couch in the lounge of my fraternity house years ago when another, slightly drunk young man insulted my date. I decked him with an uppercut and followed this with a string of angry words. I have used similar words on occasion in traffic jams in Washington, when I was a Washington correspondent many years ago.

Other characteristics of adult ADHD as listed by Mayo Clinic are unstable relationships, frequent mood swings, and trouble coping with stress. I don’t think I suffer from any of the last three symptoms. Although my mood is more pleasant after a glass or two of Chardonnay.

“Many adults with ADHD,” says Mayo Clinic in its health information report, “aren’t aware they have it – they just know that everyday tasks can be a challenge.” Adults with ADHD may find it difficult to focus and prioritize, leading to missed deadlines (I’ve never missed a deadline in my journalism career) and forgotten meetings.

Mayo says all adults with ADHD had ADHD as children, even if it was never diagnosed. “Some people with ADHD have fewer symptoms as they age, while others continue to have significant symptoms as adults.”

“If inattention, hyperactivity, or impulsive behavior continually disrupts your life. Talk to your doctor about whether you might have ADHD. Because signs of ADHD are similar to those of other mental health conditions, you may not have ADHD, but you may have another condition that needs treatment.”

 

Tait Trussell is an old guy and fourth-generation professional journalist who writes extensively about aging issues among a myriad of diverse topics.

Meet Tait