Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a significant mental health condition, despite the common misconception that it is a result of insufficient effort, poor organizational skills, or low IQ.
ADHD impacts five percent of Canadian adults. This means that within every group of 20 individuals, at least one person likely lives with the challenges presented by ADHD. ADHD is a legitimate medical concern with far-reaching consequences for those living with ADHD.
Aside from the more well-known symptoms of decreased attention and hyperactivity, the effects of Adult ADHD extend broadly into the daily struggles of individuals in their academic pursuits, professional endeavours, and interpersonal relationships. The Canadian economic implications of ADHD are significant, with an estimated cost of $11 billion.
People living with ADHD may encounter challenges with employment, education, relationships and driving infractions. They are also at higher risk for developing other health conditions such as substance use disorders, cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, depression and anxiety.
With increased advocacy and societal understanding of ADHD, there is a greater opportunity to offer support to individuals navigating life with this condition. While ADHD may pose notable challenges, it can also be viewed as an asset in shaping how individuals engage with the world. With support and education, people struggling with ADHD have the potential for successful contributions to society.
Recent years have witnessed considerable progress in the management of Adult ADHD, applying non-medication and medication-based approaches. Current research findings and understanding of ADHD are being shared in mental health and wellness discussions. Individuals, workplaces, and healthcare providers are increasingly recognizing the importance of implementing strategies to help support individuals living with ADHD.
Uncovering ADHD in Adulthood
As an adult, ADHD may be revealed during major life events such as:
- Starting post-secondary
- Career advancement
- Changes to family dynamic
- Menopause
- Retirement
Women living with ADHD are often missed
Historically, women have been under-researched in clinical trials. Adult women are equally affected by ADHD. Often, they have not been diagnosed in childhood due to inherent gender biases, misunderstandings, and ADHD misconceptions. ADHD may be revealed during major life events, and for women it may be during career advancement, beginning or separating from a family, or during menses and menopause.
How ADHD presents in life
The underlying symptoms of ADHD are similar; however, the impairments may present differently in everyday life. Adults with ADHD can experience academic failure, occupational difficulties, numerous job changes, relationship problems, financial difficulties, and substance use. In most adults, ADHD often is accompanied by a co-existing condition such as anxiety or depression.
Some examples of how ADHD may appear in a person’s life:
- Having difficulty with focus during conversations; mind is elsewhere
- Feeling like you are not working to your potential or underachieving
- Working significantly harder than your peers to achieve the same results
- Feeling frustrated and impatient, having emotional outbursts
- Not being able to finish reading an article or book
- Being easily distracted by the sights and sounds in the environment
- Over or under-estimating time required to complete tasks
- Hyper-focusing on a task while ignoring the surroundings
- Procrastinating or delaying the start of tasks
- Frequent driving accidents or traffic tickets
- Poor organization
- Forgetful in daily activities
- Consistently losing or misplacing items such as keys, wallet, or glasses
More adults with ADHD are recognizing that they can lead better lives
At the Adult ADHD Centre, we find that 70% of people accessing our services are 20-40 years of age. This highlights the critical need for accessible assessments for this age group and for the medical community to continue to advance our understanding of Adult ADHD leading to improvements in patient care.
In Canada, those qualified to diagnose ADHD in adults include family practitioners, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, and psychologists. Recognizing the financial and access challenges faced by adults seeking ADHD assessments, Dr. Parhar, co-founder of the Adult ADHD Centre, developed a care model that benefits individuals struggling with ADHD and supports healthcare providers.
The Centre’s focus includes adult ADHD assessments, education, and research. Dr. Parhar is actively involved in community education, healthcare practitioner training, and workplace Diversity and Inclusion ADHD training.
If you are seeking to learn more about adult ADHD assessments or if your corporation is exploring educational opportunities, we invite you to explore the Adult ADHD Centre website. Discover valuable information on adult ADHD and inquire about educational resources.
By Dr. Gurdeep Parhar, MD, co-founder Adult ADHD Centre
The Adult ADHD Centre is a leading adult ADHD medical centre dedicated to providing comprehensive assessments across Canada. Dr. Gurdeep Parhar, the Medical Director at the Adult ADHD Centre and International speaker, provides educational programs to communities and healthcare practitioners while raising awareness and promoting best practices in the field of ADHD diagnosis and management.