Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) begins in childhood, may not be diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood, and often lasts a lifetime. People of all ages can manage their challenges with support from the experienced team at Spero Psychiatry and Counseling in Gilbert, Arizona. Their caring team treats ADHD with medication and therapy provided through in-person and telepsychiatry (online) appointments. Call the office today or request an appointment online for an ADHD assessment or comprehensive treatment.
request an appointmentWhat is ADHD?
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that begins with changes in how the brain grows. These changes lead to the three core symptoms of ADHD: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity.
Though ADHD is often diagnosed in childhood, and some symptoms must be evident before age 12, the condition also affects teens and adults.
Some people don’t learn they have the condition until adolescence or adulthood. Additionally, two-thirds of those diagnosed as children struggle with ADHD throughout their adult lives.
What are the symptoms of ADHD?
Everyone occasionally feels hyperactive or has a hard time paying attention. But these problems are a daily, relentless struggle for people with ADHD, causing symptoms severe enough to affect their success at school, home, and work.
Children and adults may be diagnosed with one of three types of ADHD: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined (having some symptoms from both types).
People with inattentive ADHD may:
- Get easily distracted
- Make reckless mistakes
- Overlook important details
- Forget to start or finish tasks
- Struggle to organize tasks
- Have a hard time following directions
- Daydream when they should be paying attention
Children and adults with inattentive ADHD often misplace or lose things, like house keys and homework assignments.
People with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD may:
- Talk excessively
- Interrupt others
- Lack impulse control
- Need immediate rewards
- Fail to take turns
- Need to stay active
- Fidget or move when they shouldn’t (in the classroom or during a business meeting)
Though children and adults have the same core symptoms, some are expressed differently in adults. For example, hyperactive adults may discreetly tap their foot in a meeting instead of the obvious fidgeting seen in children. Adults may also internalize hyperactivity, leading to symptoms like racing thoughts and restlessness.
How is ADHD treated?
Treatment for ADHD typically includes medications combined with talk therapy (counseling). Stimulant medications are the gold standard for improving focus and attention and controlling hyperactivity. However, if you or your child can’t tolerate stimulants, your provider can recommend non-stimulant options.
Therapy provides insight into the effect of ADHD on your behaviors and emotions. Your therapist also teaches the skills children and adults need to function and find success in their daily life. For example, you may need to learn ways to plan tasks, stay organized, manage anger, or build and maintain friendships.
Call Spero Psychiatry and Counseling or request an appointment online today to get help managing ADHD.