ADHD symptoms in adults
Losing focus, losing things, feeling restless. Most adults with ADHD have some of each. But poor sleep, worry or a slow thyroid can feel similar. The clue is when it started.
On this page
What are the symptoms of ADHD in adults?
Three kinds of sign. The NHS lists trouble paying attention, lots of energy, and acting on impulse.
Most people with ADHD have signs of both the attention type and the energy-and-impulse type. Some only have one.
| Group | Signs |
|---|---|
| Inattentive (attention) | Easily distracted or forgetful. Hard to organise your time. Hard to follow instructions or finish tasks. Often losing your wallet, mobile or keys. |
| Hyperactive (energy) | Lots of energy or feeling restless. |
| Impulsive (acting fast) | Very talkative or interrupting. Quick decisions without thinking about what happens next. |
Source: NHS
The Royal College of Psychiatrists adds mistakes at work, blurting out answers and avoiding tasks that need long mental effort.
Everyone does these things sometimes. After a bad night, anyone can struggle to concentrate. With ADHD, the signs usually start in childhood and, for most people, carry on into adult life.
For a diagnosis, they must cause real difficulties in at least two areas of daily life, such as home and work.
Tick the signs that fit you. Write one real example for each.
What is ADHD, and is ADD the same?
ADHD stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It’s a difference in how the brain develops, which starts in childhood and for many people lasts for life.
It affects about 3 to 4 in every 100 adults.
ADD is the same condition under an older name.
How ADD became ADHD
- 1
1968
Called a hyperkinetic reaction of childhood. The focus was too much movement.
- 2
1980
Renamed attention deficit disorder (ADD), with or without hyperactivity.
- 3
Later
Renamed ADHD. ADD without hyperactivity was dropped as a label.
- 4
Now
Three types: inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive and combined.
Source: Epstein 2013
Signs mostly about attention, without the restlessness? Today that’s called the inattentive type. See types of ADHD for all three.
What do signs of ADHD look like in everyday adult life?
Often not like the restless child people picture. Restless signs tend to ease for some people, while attention signs become more of an issue in the teens and adult life.
| Area of life | What others may notice |
|---|---|
| Time | Missed appointments, running late, unfinished projects. |
| Work or study | Up-and-down performance, or cutting back work to cope. |
| Money | Trouble managing money. |
| Habits | Poor sleep patterns. Drink or drug use, compulsive shopping or gambling. |
| Driving and safety | Frequent accidents, speeding tickets. |
| Self-image | Low self-esteem, or never reaching your potential. |
Source: RCPsych (from CADDRA)
Many adults learn to hide their signs. The Royal College of Psychiatrists says that can be very exhausting.
Some people only struggle once life gets busier, such as after leaving home or becoming a parent. So ADHD can go unnoticed until adult life.
It’s spotted less often in women, which the NHS says may be because inattentive signs are harder to recognise. See ADHD symptoms in women.
Ask someone who knew you as a child what they remember.
What else can mimic ADHD symptoms?
Poor focus and restlessness turn up in lots of common conditions. Each one below has its own clues.
| Condition | What overlaps | Other clues |
|---|---|---|
| Anxiety (GAD) | Restless, irritable, hard to concentrate, tired easily. | Worry that’s hard to control and affects daily life. |
| Depression | No motivation, hard to make decisions, low energy. | Low mood or sadness lasting weeks or months. |
| Sleep apnoea | Very tired, hard to concentrate, mood swings. | Loud snoring, gasping or choking noises at night. |
| Underactive thyroid | Hard to concentrate or think clearly, very tired. | Feeling cold, weight gain. Usually comes on slowly. |
| Low vitamin B12 | Problems with memory, understanding and judgement. | Weak or tired, pins and needles, numbness. |
| Perimenopause | Problems with memory or concentration. | Changes to your periods, often one of the first signs. |
Sources: NHS anxiety; NHS depression; NHS sleep apnoea; NHS thyroid; NHS B12; NHS menopause
So how do you tell them apart? That clue is your childhood.
ADHD signs usually start before age 12. NICE says to refer an adult when signs began in childhood and have lasted through life. They must also not be explained by another mental health condition, and must cause moderate or severe problems in daily life.
You can have both. The NHS says people with ADHD often have other conditions too, such as anxiety or depression.
A blood test can check your thyroid and B12. Focus problems that started recently? See blood tests for brain fog, underactive thyroid symptoms and sleep apnoea.
How do I get checked for ADHD as an adult?
How an adult gets checked for ADHD
- 1
GP
Asks how your symptoms affect your life. May check whether something else, such as autism, Tourette’s (a condition that causes tics) or anxiety, could explain them.
- 2
Referral
To an ADHD specialist. You may wait several months or years.
- 3
Assessment
Your history since childhood, work, family and health. They may talk to someone who knows you.
- 4
Diagnosis
Made by a trained specialist, not on a questionnaire alone.
Done an online quiz? Questionnaires can help, but the Royal College of Psychiatrists says ADHD can only be accurately diagnosed with a full interview and assessment.
What to take to your GP appointment
- Write the signs that fit you, with one real example for each.
- Note how they affect your work, study, home and relationships.
- Note what you remember from childhood, and what family remember.
- Mention any snoring, low mood, worry or tiredness.
- Ask whether another condition, such as anxiety, poor sleep or a slow thyroid, could explain your symptoms.
- In England, ask your GP about Right to Choose. It may help you find a clinic with a shorter wait.
Struggling with sleep as well? See ADHD and sleep.
When to speak to a GP
Book an appointment if:
- Your symptoms are affecting your studies, work or relationships.
- You were diagnosed as a child and need help for your symptoms now. Ask about a referral.
- You feel anxious or low. People with ADHD may be more likely to have anxiety and depression.
- Your breathing stops and starts in your sleep, you gasp, snort or choke at night, or you’re always very tired in the day.
- You have memory problems with pins and needles or numbness. Some damage from low B12 can be permanent if untreated.
People with ADHD are also at higher risk of suicide. Feel like ending your life? Call Samaritans on 116 123, text SHOUT to 85258 or call NHS 111.
If you’ve seriously harmed yourself, or feel you may be about to, call 999 or go to A&E.