Struggling to focus? Feeling restless, impulsive, or compelled to move constantly? You might have adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder with or without Hyperactivity). This isn't just a childhood condition: 2 to 4% of adults(1) are affected. Learn the causes, self-assessment tips, and proven ways to thrive.
The term "hyperactivity" only captures part of ADHD. In adults, key symptoms include inattention—easily distracted and struggling to sustain focus—and impulsivity, like difficulty managing emotions, blurting out, or acting without thinking.
Adult ADHD is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder, as common as depression and twice as common as schizophrenia. About 50-80% of children with ADHD carry symptoms into adolescence, with 30-50% persisting into adulthood. Yet, it's often undiagnosed, leading to personal and professional challenges.
Dr. François Bange, psychiatrist and co-author of Understanding and Treating Hyperactivity in Adults (Dunod), explains ADHD as neurodevelopmental disorders starting in childhood and continuing into adulthood, varying in severity. Key brain areas involved are the frontal lobe (planning, decision-making, language) and striatum (motor skills, motivation, pain response).
Research points to a strong genetic basis, involving dopamine-regulating genes. Dopamine, the 'pleasure hormone,' drives motivation, reward, and attention via the brain's hedonic system.
But people with ADHD have...
