Could he have Adult ADD?? What are the main symptoms of Adult ADD??

Question

I've been chatting online with a guy i went to highschool with. We've been chatting for a few months now and i'm noticing some behaviours that might suggest he has Adult ADD...He actually joked about it because he mentioned he had learning differences and i asked him what it was and he said dyslexia and maybe a little ADD..He joked about the ADD, but, now i think he really does have it..He seems very impulsive, and i actually got to talk to him on the phone for the first time and its almost as if he was thinking out loud or something. He's forgetful and repeats alot of things in his messages..He goes back and forth in his decisions to do things..He thanked me for being kind and nice to talk to and said he wanted to meet me one day .He said he would call me back to meet up.He sounded very sincere but said he had so many things to do in such a short period of time that day..Well, he never called me and this was like a week ago..Things seem unstable in his life, finances,work,etc..he's 32

Answer 1

Oh yes, an adult can have ADD/ADHD. It can be difficult to diagnose though. Here's some more info:

The Hallowell Center identifies the following indicators to consider when ADHD is suspected and recommends that individuals with at least twelve of the following behaviours since childhood—provided these symptoms are not associated with any other medical or psychiatric conditions—consider professional diagnosis]:

   1. A sense of underachievement, of not meeting one’s goals (regardless of how much one has actually accomplished).

   2. Difficulty getting organized.

   3. Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started.

   4. Many projects going simultaneously; trouble with follow through.

   5. A tendency to say what comes to mind without necessarily considering the timing or appropriateness of the remark.

   6. A frequent search for high stimulation.

   7. An intolerance of boredom.

   8. Easy distractibility; trouble focusing attention, tendency to tune out or drift away in the middle of a page or conversation, often coupled with an inability to focus at times.

   9. Often creative, intuitive, highly intelligent

  10. Trouble in going through established channels and following proper procedure.

  11. Impatient; low tolerance of frustration.

  12. Impulsive, either verbally or in action, as an impulsive spending of money.

  13. Changing plans, enacting new schemes or career plans and the like; hot-tempered.

  14. A tendency to worry needlessly, endlessly; a tendency to scan the horizon looking for something to worry about, alternating with attention to or disregard for actual dangers.

  15. A sense of insecurity.

  16. Mood swings, mood lability, especially when disengaged from a person or a project.

  17. Physical or cognitive restlessness.

  18. A tendency toward addictive behavior.

  19. Chronic problems with self-esteem.

  20. Inaccurate self-observation.

  21. Family history of AD/HD or manic depressive illness or depression or substance abuse or other disorders of impulse control or mood.

Answer 2

I would say hard time focusing on a tasks. Easily distracted, very short attention span, things are unorganized, no structure, and doesn't stay focused on one discussion. They are scattered brained in a way.

I have had the problem in College. I have to work in a very quiet environment and things have to be structured. It is difficult for me to concentrate on one thing when there are noises and other things going in the background. Structure is very important to me also. Sometimes an accomplishment can never be met when things are in array.

Answer 3

It might be, but you shouldn't think of him differently, everyone who is a little different in ways of learning just want to be treated the same, I know i do. I would have give anything up just to be treated like a normal child in school. I hate it when ppl start treating me differently, or just being nice, cause I have a problem. It bothers me.

Answer 4

Adults with ADD / ADHD struggle daily with self-regulation: regulating their attention, regulating their impulses in talking and action, and regulating their emotions. If you have trouble staying focused, getting organized, starting and completing your work, managing your time and money, and remembering all the little things in your daily life, you may very well be one of these people.