Recognizing ADHD

With awareness on the rise, patients or their guardians often initiate conversations about ADHD based on their observations and experiences.

It’s important to know that ADHD symptoms can vary between adults and children.

Additionally, the diagnosis of ADHD in adults can be complex due to the frequent coexistence of other psychiatric conditions, requiring differentiation of ADHD symptoms from other conditions with overlapping symptoms such as18-20:

  • Social phobias
  • Bipolar disorder
  • Major depressive disorder
  • Generalized anxiety disorder

 

  • Dysthymia
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder
  • Substance use disorders
  • Eating disorders45

Therefore, it's important for health care professionals to accurately diagnose and distinguish ADHD from these other psychiatric disorders. Knowing the varying presentations of people with ADHD may help validate their concerns and provide them with the necessary support to help establish trust and improve patient-provider relationships.

The diagnosis of ADHD in adults might be complex due to the frequent coexistence of other psychiatric conditions.

Explore more

ARTICLE Understanding ADHD

An overview of how ADHD symptoms present in adults.

ARTICLE The ADHD diagnostic process

An overview of the process for diagnosing ADHD and important considerations.

ARTICLE Diagnosis in adults

Clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD in adults, provided by the American Psychiatric Association.

ARTICLE Diagnosis in children

Guidelines for diagnosing ADHD in children.

ARTICLE Challenges in identifying and managing ADHD in adults

A review of the literature on comorbidities in ADHD and how they affect ADHD symptoms.

VIDEO GUIDE Essential learning and knowledge for ADHD medical and health care professionals

An accredited series of short videos. Brought to you by ADHD Learn CADDRA.

References

  • 18. Culpepper L, Mattingly G. Challenges in identifying and managing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in adults in the primary care setting: a literature review. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2010; 12(6): PCC.10r00951.

  • 19. Kooij, S.J., Bejerot, S., Blackwell, A. et al. European consensus statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD: The European Network Adult ADHD. BMC Psychiatry 10, 67 (2010). https://‌doi.org/‌10.1186/‌1471-244X-10-67

  • 20. Levin RL, Rawana JS. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders across the lifespan: A systematic review of the literature. Clin Psychol Rev. 2016;50:22-36. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2016.09.010

  • 45. Salari N, Ghasemi H, Abdoli N, et al. The global prevalence of ADHD in children and adolescents: as systemic review and meta-analysis. Ital J pediatr. 2023;49(1):48.