Undiagnosed adult ADHD can have a serious impact on a person’s life. Many adults describe that they were able to understand themselves and their lives better, as well as begin to manage their difficulties, after getting a diagnosis of ADHD.
Research shows that many people with ADHD are undiagnosed and that ADHD is sometimes mistaken for common mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, or that depression and anxiety are existing alongside ADHD.
Undiagnosed ADHD can lead someone to experience repeated ‘failures’ (a lack of success in relationships, at work, in college) and mood swings.
You might want to learn more about typical ADHD traits, and see if you can recognise a pattern in your own behaviour. Many people experience these symptoms but if you have ADHD and it is necessary to diagnose your ADHD, you will experience them on a frequent basis, and they will have a significant negative impact on a number of aspects of your daily life.
If you suspect you might have ADHD, you might want to hear and learn more information through services, such as ADHD Ireland.
If you think you have ADHD, attending an ADHD Ireland support group as a first step might help you make a decision about whether to seek help.
A first step in seeking help might be to attend the Understanding and Managing Adult ADHD Programme, an ADHD Ireland workshop series on understanding and managing ADHD in adults. Here you will learn more about ADHD and how to cope and thrive with it.
Simple environmental changes as a first step in managing ADHD help many people.
If your ADHD is having much more impact on your life in several areas (like in your relationships and family, your work and education, social life, hobbies and leisure time, and how you view yourself), you may need more specific interventions, such as medication. You may then wish to consider formal assessment by a mental health practitioner skilled in ADHD diagnosis and management.
