“Do I Have ADHD?”

If you have ever asked yourself this question, you are not alone. In the digital age, where distractions are everywhere we turn, it has become increasingly difficult to focus. From smartphones, to social media apps, to push notifications, to the increasingly short news cycle, technology and the media have shortened our attention spans, and we now crave stimulation more than ever. Because of this, simply paying attention (it sounds so easy!) has never been so hard. That being said, ADHD is a unique set of challenges related to focusing, sitting still, and impulse-control that only affects 5-10% of the general population.

However, since virtually everyone has trouble paying attention, sitting still, and can be impulsive from time to time, it’s only natural to wonder whether you might have ADHD. Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding whether an ADHD evaluation might make sense for you:

1.) How long have you been experiencing difficulties with focusing, organization, sitting still, and/or impulse-control?

• If you’ve been dealing with these things for your entire life (e.g., if your teachers in elementary school and middle school often commented on the fact that you had trouble following directions, were disruptive during class, etc.), then you might want to consider an ADHD evaluation. ADHD is considered a lifelong condition, meaning that it begins in childhood. One of the most reliable ways to distinguish ADHD from other mental health conditions, temporary stress, etc., is determining when the ADHD symptoms began.

2.) Did my difficulties with focusing, organization, sitting still, etc., begin in response to a stressful event?

• We all experience stress sometimes. And some periods of life are more stressful than others (think- career transitions, moving, illnesses/deaths in the family, etc.). If your issues with focusing, organization, sitting still, and/or impulsivity began after a stressful life event (again- think career transitions, moving, illnesses/deaths in the family, etc.), then ADHD probably isn’t the issue. Stress, anxiety, mood changes, and even hormones can affect your ability to focus, stay organized, etc.

3.) Have my difficulties with focusing, organization, sitting still, etc., always “kind of been there,” but I’ve been able to compensate for these issues in various ways?

• Many individuals with ADHD- particularly those who are highly intelligent and/or received high levels of support from their parents and at school when they were younger- are not significantly impacted by their ADHD symptoms until their 20s or 30s (or sometimes, even later). Often times, these individuals are able to compensate for their difficulties with focusing, organization, siting still, etc. by using problem-solving strategies, utilizing help from their parents/teachers/tutors, etc. These factors can “mask” symptoms of ADHD during childhood and adolescence, until the demands of school, work, or home life exceed one’s capacity to focus and stay organized on their own. If you’ve always had some trouble focusing, never been the most organized person, or have always been somewhat of a procrastinator, and these things have recently started to catch up with you, then you might want to consider an ADHD evaluation. Common life phases when later-diagnosed individuals tend to hit the “ADHD wall” (when all of a sudden, their issues with focusing, organization, and sitting still begin to significantly interfere with their life) include college, starting a job (particularly, once someone begins their first 9-5 job), and having children.

When it comes to deciding whether an ADHD evaluation makes sense for you, here’s the bottom line: if you’ve always had trouble focusing, staying organized, and/or sitting still, then you might want to pursue an evaluation. If these things have only been problematic for you recently (especially if they began after a stressful life event, a “life transition,” etc.), then you’re better off waiting to see if these issues go away on their own. There are many factors that can mimic symptoms of ADHD, such as experiencing stressful life events, anxiety, depression, and hormones.

So I still think that I might ADHD… What should I do next?

The most accurate way to get assessed for ADHD is to undergo a neuropsychological or ADHD-specific evaluation. Typically, these evaluations involve 2-3 appointments and require that you complete a testing session in-person, in which you will be asked to complete problem-solving tasks, memory tasks, and certain questionnaires. Primary care providers and psychiatrists can also diagnose ADHD, and while these diagnoses are accurate in many cases, there tends to be a higher rate of misdiagnosis when individuals are assessed in this manner.

The good news is that whether you have ADHD or not, there are certain day-to-day strategies that have been shown to improve focus and alertness (for everyone). Here are a few of them:

1. Sleep. Make sure you are going to bed at a reasonable hour, and that you try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Lack of sleep can lead to concentration difficulties.
2. Eat regular meals. Make sure that you’re eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Foods high in protein (e.g., nuts, meat, eggs, yogurt, etc.) are particularly helpful for cognitive functioning, and can make you feel more alert. More than anything, though, a healthy, balanced diet will put you in the best position to stay focused and alert.
3. Exercise. Yes- it’s hard to find the energy or the motivation to exercise when you’re working full-time, have children, and so forth. Even so, aerobic exercise (e.g., running, biking, playing certain sports, etc.) can help with focus and can have a “calming effect” on the mind and body after you exercise. If you’re having trouble finding the energy or motivation to exercise, try to exercise at times of the day where you have the most energy (for many people, this in the morning- and can even be before work). And remember, just a little bit of exercise is better than no exercise at all!
4. Unplug (at least a little bit). We’ve all heard this one before, but it can really make a difference. Putting your phone on silent, disabling push notifications, or even just limiting your social media use (e.g., spending 20 minutes on social media per day, as opposed to 45) can help to reset your neurotransmitters (the substances in your brain that regulate attention, pleasure, and so forth). This, in turn, can make it easier to focus and leaves you feeling more alert.

Remember- always consult a clinician first before jumping to conclusions about whether or not you have ADHD. While it can be tempting to diagnose yourself based on what you see online, undergoing a formal assessment by a trained professional is the only surefire way to answer the question: “Do I have ADHD?”