1. Adult ADHD
Del Larkin, LCSW, CAADC, MBA
Director of Quality Assurance and Strategic Planning
The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center
Chicago, IL
2. How common is ADHD?
A 2013 report estimated that 11% of
children 4-17 have been diagnosed with
ADHD at some point in their lives.
Boys are nearly three times more likely
to have been diagnosed with ADHD
(13.2%) than girls (5.6%)
The estimated adult rate of ADHD is
4.4%, but experts caution that adults
not diagnosed in childhood are more
likely to remain undiagnosed, so the
true prevalence of adult ADHD may be
significantly higher than reported
3. Myth #1: ADHD is not a real
disorder
FACT: Brain imaging research has
revealed differences in the brains
of people with ADHD
Russell A. Barkley, PhD, a leading
ADHD expert has stated:
“ ADHD is a chronic disorder
that has a negative impact on
virtually every aspect of daily social,
emotional, academic and work
functioning”
4. Myth #2: Most children with
ADHD outgrow it
FACT:
At least 60% of children diagnosed with ADHD as
children will continue to have ADHD symptoms as
adults
Adult ADHD seems to affect men and women
equally
This does not include all adults who are diagnosed
with ADHD as adults and were not diagnosed as
children
5. Myth #3 Adults with ADHD don’t need
treatment – they just need to try harder
and get organized
FACT:
Effort and some behavioral strategies
can help with some ADHD obstacles
but Air Tuckerman, PsyD, ADHD expert
explains
“ Telling someone with ADHD to
work harder is like telling someone
with bad vision to try harder to see
well”
6. Myth #4: All adults with ADHD are
hyperactive
FACT:
Only some people with ADHD have hyperactivity.
While it can be the most visible symptom, it
often declines in adolescence and adulthood.
People with inattentive type of ADHD do not
struggle with hyperactivity but do struggle with
distractibility, forgetfulness, poor time
management, disorganization and other
symptoms.
7. Myth #5: Everyone has ADHD
these days
FACT:
While everyone can have periods of
distractibility and feeling overwhelmed, adults
with ADHD have these problems daily
Adults with ADHD have a complex disorder
that involves impairments with focus,
organization, motivation, emotional
modulation, memory and other functions of
the brain’s management system that interferes
with many areas of their lives on a daily basis.
8. Myth #6 : Too much sugar causes
ADHD or makes symptoms worse
FACT:
There is no evidence that sweets cause ADHD or make its
symptoms worse. Research in children indicates switching
to a sugar substitute, such as aspartame, does not reduce
symptoms of ADHD.
Some experts believe foods that provide quality brain fuel
could reduce symptoms of ADHD. High-protein foods,
including nuts, meat, beans, and eggs, may improve
concentration. Replacing simple carbs with complex carbs,
like whole-grain pasta or brown rice, can help ward off
mood swings and stabilize energy levels.
9. Myth #7: ADHD medication does not
work and causes substance abuse
problems
FACT:
Adults with mild ADHD may be able to manage without
medication
80-90% of adults diagnosed with ADHD will benefit from
treatment with medication
If you have a problem with poor eyesight, glasses will make
your life easier
Having untreated ADHD puts a person at greater risk of
having a drug or alcohol problem. People with ADHD who
take stimulant medication tend to have LOWER rates of
substance abuse than people with ADHD who do not take
medication
10. What Causes ADHD?
In people with ADHD, brain
chemicals called
neurotransmitters are less
active in areas of the brain that
control attention.
Researchers don't know exactly
what causes this chemical
imbalance, but they think
genes may play a role, because
ADHD often runs in families.
Studies have also linked ADHD
to prenatal exposure to
cigarettes and alcohol
11. There are Three Types of ADHD
1. Inattentive type (DSM requires 6 of the 9 in children and
5 of the 9 in adults)
• Not paying attention to details
• Making careless mistakes
• Failing to pay attention and keep on task
• Not listening
• Being unable to follow or understand directions
• Avoiding tasks that require sustained effort
• Being distracted
• Being forgetful
• Losing thing that are needed to complete tasks
12. There are Three Types of ADHD
2. Hyperactive-Impulsive Type (6 of 9 or 5 of 9 for adults)
• Fidgeting
• Squirming
• Getting up often when seated
• Running or climbing at inappropriate times ( maybe limited to
restlessness in adults)
• Having trouble playing quietly ( quiet leisure activities)
• Talking excessively
• Talking out of turn or blurting out (completes other’s
sentences)
• Interrupting (in adults may intrude or take over what others are
doing)
• Often “on the go” as if “driven by a motor” (in adults can be
difficulty sitting still)
13. There are Three Types of ADHD
3. Combined Type
• Criterion are met for both Inattentive Type and Hyperactive-Impulsive type
for the past 6 months (DSM-5)
• Suggested that this is most common of three types.
14. Proposed Criteria for ADHD in Adults
Russell A. Barkley, et al ADHD in Adults; What the Science Says, 2008
Proposed criteria for DSM-V for adults ( 6 or more for a period of
at least 6 months)
1. Often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli or irrelevant
thoughts
2. Often makes decisions impulsively
3. Often has difficulty stopping activities or behavior when he or
she should do so
4. Often starts a project or task without reading or listening to
directions carefully
5. Often shows poor follow-through on promises or
commitments he or she may make to others
15. Proposed Criteria for ADHD in Adults
Russell A. Barkley, et al ADHD in Adults; What the Science Says, 2008
Proposed criteria for DSM-V for adults
6. Often has trouble doing things in their proper order or
sequence
7. Often is more likely to drive a motor vehicle much faster than
others ( excessive speeding) [ Alternate symptom for those
adults with no driving experience: Often has difficulty engaging
in leisure activities or doing fun things quietly]
8. Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play
activities
9. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
16. Additional Study findings
“ ...items which emphasize distractibility, impulsiveness, poor concentration or
persistence and problems with working memory and organization will be the
best constructs for identifying adults with ADHD. Items reflecting
hyperactivity proved much less useful for doing so in both studies”
“... adults with ADHD are far more likely to complain of difficulties involving EF
[executive functioning] than they are of hyperactivity. Difficulties with
impulsive decision making, stopping, starting and organizing activities,
persistence toward goals and planning for future events will prove to be
among the most significant complaints in identifying these adults with ADHD.”
p. 204 Russell A. Barkley, et al ADHD in Adults; What the Science Says, 2008
17. What Is Executive Function Disorder
(EFD)?
People with executive function disorder exhibit a pattern of problems
with daily tasks, and commonly lack the ability to:
Handle frustration
Start and finish tasks
Recall and follow multi-step directions
Stay on track
Plan, organize and self-monitor
Balance tasks (like sports and academic demands)
It's estimated that as many as 90% of kids with ADHD also have
executive function disorder.
19. Deficient Emotional Self Regulation
(DESR)
• More than half of people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
also have trouble regulating their emotions, and that difficulty may be passed
through families, a new study shows.
• Researchers are calling this cluster of symptoms deficient emotional self-
regulation (DESR). It involves quick bursts of outsized anger, frustration,
impatience, or excitability in response to everyday events.
• Study researcher Craig B. H. Surman, MD. Surman is an instructor in psychiatry
in the Massachusetts General Hospital Pediatric Psychopharmacology and
Adult ADHD Program says
• “Folks who have deficient emotional self-regulation, we feel, don’t have
inhibitory capacity to censor emotional reactions even when they’re not under
these kinds of stresses
•
26. Overview of Adult ADHD Symptoms
What might it look like
Excessive talking - talks “too much”, finishes others
sentences, excessive interruptions, can have trouble
listening to others and verbal instructions
Poor Driving Record – speeding, impatient, road rage
Problems at Work – unproductive, takes more time
to get things do despite working hard, change or lost
jobs, misses deadlines, problems getting along with
coworkers
27. Overview of Adult ADHD Symptoms
What might it look like
Restlessness, Inattentiveness – has difficulty sitting through
(long) meetings, paying attention in lectures or meetings that
are not interesting, may fidget with pen or other objects
Lateness – trouble getting to work on time, trouble
remembering appointments or getting to meetings on time,
problems with time management, procrastination
Organizational problems – misplaces items at work or home
(more than average), trouble organizing files, papers, paying
bills on time
28. Overview of Adult ADHD Symptoms
What might it look like
Difficulty Concentrating – more easily distracted by
noise or other activity, more prone to careless mistakes,
moves from one project to the next, can have trouble
finishing tasks to completion once the “interesting” part
is done
Trouble Relaxing – can report feeling “driven by a
motor”, trouble with solitary, quiet activities (e.g.
reading, fishing, crafts or other hobbies), struggle to
relax and unwind
Bad Moods – tense, stressed, “on edge”, over-react,
quick temper, struggle to stay in a good mood, may have
a history of failed relationships
29. Overview of Adult ADHD Symptoms
Less Obvious or “Soft” Symptoms
Hypersensitivity/ Sensory Overload – Very
emotionally sensitive, take on the feelings of
others
Overwhelm or Overstimulation – Response to
stress, feelings of anxiety
Hyperfocus – Once focused on something, may be
hard to stop or change tasks, especially if task if of
interest, likely related to triggering of dopamine.
30. Overview of Adult ADHD Symptoms
Less Obvious or “Soft” Symptoms
OCD-like coping skills –coping skills to manage the
chronic disorganization and feelings of overwhelm,
rigidness, perfectionism
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria – Not in DSM-V, a term
coined by William Dodson, MD, one of the top experts in
the field of ADHD. Similar to atypical depression, which
means not truly depression but dysphoria or “difficult to
bear”. Not and adulthood reaction stemming from
earlier experiences, but Dodson attributes it to “ hard-
wiring”, and that about half of his patients have shown
improvement with medication.
31. Co-Morbid Disorders
As many as 50% of adults with ADHD also
report problems with depression and/or
anxiety
About 20% of the people with ADHD also have
a mood disorder on the bipolar spectrum
32. Co-Morbid Disorders
Commonly reported co-morbid disorders of adults with
ADHD:
Depression
Anxiety
Bipolar II – more often than bipolar I
Drug abuse or dependence
Antisocial or borderline personality disorders
Learning disabilities
Sleep Problems
Health problems related to behavior associated with
ADHD, such as smoking
33. Girls and Women with ADHD
Boys are three time more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls
In a Harris Interactive survey, nearly 50% of moms of tween girls with
ADHD first considered their daughter’s behavior to be a part of
adolescence and 59% hesitated to consult a doctor because they
thought their daughter would outgrow the behavior.
In a survey by the University of California at Irvine of the general
public, parents of children with ADHD, teachers and children with
ADHD – 85% of the teachers and more than half of the general public
believed that girls are more likely to be undiagnosed with ADHD
Girls often do not fit the stereotype of: out of control, defiant,
unorganized, fidgety, unfocused and aggressive.
Girls tend to have the Inattentive type of ADHD
Common symptoms of girls/women with ADHD - disorganized, day
dreaming, low self-esteem, talkativeness, forgetfulness, feeling
anxious and/or depressed, seem to fade into the background
34. Substance Abuse and ADHD
Research has shown that children with ADHD have an elevated risk of
becoming abusers of drugs and alcohol
11% of the boys and 3% of the girls without ADHD report drinking alcohol
21 % of the boys and 13% of the girls with ADHD report abusing alcohol
Children who were medicated for their ADHD were less likely to become
substance abusers during a 4 year follow up than children with ADHD who
were not medicated
Administering ADHD medication to adults with ADHD who were cocaine
users reduced their cocaine use
Why does medication reduce the risk? Not clear – but may decrease
impulsivity that results in risky behavior
Cocaine users may start using as a way of “self-medicating” ADHD
symptoms
ADHD is 5 to 10 times more common in adult alcoholics than it is in adults
without ADHD
Up to 45% of adults with ADHD have a history of alcohol use or dependence
and about 33% have a history of illegal drug abuse or dependence.
35. Treatment – Use of Screening tools
(self report) WRAADDS
good for adults, deals with emotional as well as
attention/hyperactivity
ASRS-vI.I
was developed in conjunction with the World Health
Organization (WHO) ; does not deal with emotional
component, easy to complete and score
Wender Utah Rating Scale
has questions regarding emotions, focuses on “when I
was a child”
Copeland Symptoms list
has questions regarding emotions, wording of questions
can be overly negative sounding “Immaturity” “Bosses
other people” “Lacking in leadership”
All are available for free on the internet
36. Treatment
Stimulant Medication is usually the first line medication ( Ritalin,
Adderall etc.) prescribed
Non-stimulant medication (Strattera) can be effective, especially if
stimulant medication needs to be avoided.
CBT can be effective in helping with improving thinking and behavior
patterns
DBT and mindfulness exercises are also increasingly being used to
help with ADHD symptoms
ADHD Coaching can help with time management and organizational
issues related to ADHD which can affect work performance
Psychotherapy can assist in issues related to fluctuations and
management of emotions, low self-esteem and relationship issues
and addressing issues related to co-morbid disorders or substance
abuse.
37. Take Aways
Medication, while effective, does not solve or is not the total
treatment for adults with ADHD
Adult ADHD often interferes with multiple areas of an individual’s
life
Adults diagnosed with ADHD are often relieved to learn they are
just not “stupid” or “lazy” or just need to “try harder”
Unlike bipolar disorder, symptoms of ADHD are continual, they do
not “come and go”
The symptoms of girls and women with ADHD can be different from
the symptoms of boys and men with ADHD
There is often an Emotional/Self Regulation or Executive
Functioning problem with adults with ADHD that should not be
ignored.
Adult ADHD may not “look” like childhood ADHD and many adults
with undiagnosed ADHD have developed ways to “work around”
their symptoms and can have success in work and/or family life,
but can struggle in some situations or environments
38. Books for learning about and
coping with Adult ADHD
• By Edward M. Hallowell MD and John J Ratey MD
Driven to Distraction
Delivered from Distraction
• By Kate Kelly and Peggy Ramundo
You Mean I’m Not Lazy, Stupid or Crazy
• By Ari Tuckman
More Attention, Less Deficit
39. Thank You
Del Larkin, LCSW, CAADC, MBA
Director of Quality Assurance and Strategic
Planning
The Salvation Army Harbor Light Center
Chicago, IL 60607
del_larkin@usc.salvationarmy.org
Notes de l'éditeur
Overview of Adult ADHD.
- What adhd is and isn’t
- Problems related to adult ADHD that may make diagnosis and tx more difficult
- how to approach tx with adults with ADHD
This is up from the estimated rate in 2003 of 7.8%
No single test will confirm that a person has ADHD and ADHD in adults can look different in children and well as the common incidence of a co-occuring problems of anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder.
BY ADULTHOOD, SOME PEOPLE HAVE DEVELOPED SOME GOOD COPING SKILLS OR STATEGIES TO DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THEIR ADHD CREATES
BUT IT IS NOT A MINOR INCONVENIENCE OR MINOR DISCORDER
- ADHD IS STILL CONSIDERED MY MANY DOCTORS AND CLINICIANS TO THE A CHILDHOOD DISORDER AND THAT PEOPLE “OUTGROW IT”, MUCH OF THE LITERATURE STILL FOCUSES PRIMIARLY OF TREATMENT OF ADHD IN CHILDREN AND WHAT ADHD LOOKS LIKE IN ADULTS AND HOW TO BEST TREAT IT IS A RELATIVELY NEW FIELD IN COMPARISON
DEPENDING ON A NUMBER OF FACTORS, AGE AND SEX BEING TWO OF THEM, THERE ARE MANY ADULTS WHO WERE NOT DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD AS CHILDREN WHO WILL HAVE PROBLEMS IN AREAS LIKE WORK, RELATIONSHIPS, EMOITIONS MANAGEMENT AND ALCOHOL OR SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS ADULTS.
WHILE THE MAJORITY OF PRACTIONERS ACCEPT THAT THERE IS A NEUROCHEMICAL ASPECT TO MOOD OR OTHER DISORDERS, ADHD IS OFTEN VIEWED AS ONLY A BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT DISORDER.
-UNLESS YOU ARE LATE FOR YOUR APPT, TALK NON-STOP AND CAN’T SIT STILL, THERE ARE CLINICIANS THAT WILL NOT CONSIDER THEIR CLIENT HAVE ADHD
-IF YOU ARE ONLY OR PRIMARILY LOOKING FOR HYPERACTIVITY BEFORE DIAGNOSING ADHD, YOU WILL MISS THE DIAGNOSIS IN ADULTS AND ESPECIALLY IN WOMEN
EMPHASIZE THE COMPLEXITY OF ADHD IN TERMS OF SYMPTOMS, AS WELL AS THE STRONG POSSIBILITY OF A CO-MORBID DISORDER LIKE DEPRESSION
ADULTS WITH ADHD CAN HAVE SYMPTOMS THAT LOOK LIKE OTHER DISORDERS, EG. BI POLAR OR AS JUST POOR COPING OR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS
SUGAR CAN CAUSE MOOD SWINGS WITH ANYONE AND ADULTS, OR CHILDREN, WITH ADHD ARE NO DIFFERENT
THERE MAY BE TIMES, EG WHEN A PERSON IS STRESSED, WHEN A SMALL – EMPHASIZE SMALL -AMOUNT OF SUGAR, MAY IN FACT IMPROVE THEIR FUNCTIONING
THERE IS A RISK OF ABUSE, BUT NON-TREATMENT CAN SET A PERSON UP TO ABUSE OTHER SUBSTANCES
THERE ARE NON-STIMULANT MEDICATIONS AVAILABLE AS ALTERNATIVE MEDICATIONS
THERE IS NO DEFINITIVE FINDINGS OF WHAT CAUSES ADHD
STRONG NEUROCHEMICAL COMPONET THAT SHOWS UP OR BRAIN SCANS – SO IT IS FAIRLY ACCURATE TO CONSIDER ADHD A BRAIN DISORDER
GENERAL CRITERIA – DSM v PROVIDES MORE DETAIL, BUT CRITERIA ARE THE SAME
ADD WITHOUT HYPERACTIVITY. CORRECT TERMINOLOGY IS ADHD, WITH ADD BEING A SUBSET
More common in girls
- May present itself in “day dreaming”
- TASKS THAT REQUIRE SUSTAINED EFFORT - DEPENDING ON THE TASKS CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH adhd CAN HYPERFOCUS AND WORK ENDLESSLY ON SOMETHING THEY ARE INTERESTED IN – CANNOT LOOK FOR ONE OR TWO SYMPTOMS, OR LACK OF THAT SYMPTOM, TO BE THE DETERMINANT OF AN ADHD DX
THIS IS WHAT MOST PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY HEAR ADHD
BUT CAN ALSO BE MISTAKEN OR MISDIAGNOSED AS BIPOLAR I IN ADULTS
CRITERIA STILL MORE REFLECTIVE OF SYMPTOMS IN CHILDREN RATHER THAN ADULTS
MOST COMMON
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN AN ADULT MEETS SAY 4 OF THE CRITERIA FOR INATTENTIVE AND 4 CRITERIA FOR THE HYPERACTIVE-IMPLUSIVE TYPE
SOME ADDITIONAL NON-DSM V CRITERIA TO BE CONSIDERED
YOU CAN SEE, THESE CRITERIA MORE CLOSELY ALIGN WITH PROBLEMS AS MANIFESTED IN AN ADULT VERSUS A CHILD
SOME OF THESE WERE ADOPTED IN THE DSM V, BUT THE DSM V CRITERIA AND MUCH OF THE LITERATURE ON ADHD IS STILL FOCUSED ON IT AS A CHILDHOOD DISRODER
FIRST POINT – IF YOU ARE ONLY LOOKING FOR HYPERACTIVITY IN ADULTS, YOU MAY MISS THE BOAT
SECEOND POINT – THE CONNECTION OF ADHD IN ADULTS WITH PROBLEMS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING, AND AS WE WIL ALSO SEE, EMOTIONAL REGULATION
item 4 emotion – not only managing frustration, but including modulating emotions
item 6 – monitoring and self regulation actions – COMBINE WITH THE EMOTIONAL COMPONENT AND AN ADULT WITH ADHD – ESPECIALLY UNDER STRESS – CAN LOOK LIKE SOMEONE TOTALLY OUT OF CONTROL AND THIS CAN SHOW UP IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF THEIR LIFE, WORK, HOME, RELATIONSHIPS
ADULT ADHD STARTS TO LOOK MUCH MORE THAN SOMEONE WHO IS HYPERACTIVE AND UNORGANIZED
Depression can mimic – difficulty concentrating, irritability, low self esteem and sleep problems. Treat depression and look for continuation of symptoms
Anxiety – inattention and restlessness – does ability not to focus or get work done cause stress and anxiety
- Bipolar – misdiagnosed – age onset of Adhd lower than bipolar and high activity and impulsivity may come and go with bipolar, continuous with ADHD.
Substance abuse – untreated adhd resulted in substance use, like bipolar who use substances, misuse of stimulants, treat substance abuse first/stabilize, non-stimulant medications
Personality disorders –stress- related paranoid symptoms, suicidal or self-mutilating behaviors, chronic feelings of emptiness – NOT adhd
Univ of calif survey
girls are more likely to suffer silently
show fewer symptoms
teachers reported more difficulty in recognizing ADHD symptoms in girls than in boys
Girls sometimes compensate academically with symptoms of perfectionism and work extra hard on projects to “make up” for being disorganized and leaving a project to the last minute.
Girls pick up on “social cues” about their behavior and seem to try harder to compensate for them
Problems become more apparent in adolescence and adulthood with increased responsibilities and social expectations
Try to ascertain ADHD symptoms prior to alcohol or drug use
If possible, alcohol or drug use treated first – CBT, DBT until stabilization
However, if relapse is a problem, non-stimulant medication may help
Frequency of people in treatment diagnosed with bipolar disorder based on a one session visit with psychiatrist, may have bi polar or may not and in fact have ADHD