ADHD Becoming More Prevalent Among Adults

ADHD has traditionally been considered a childhood disorder, but over the last two decades, researchers have found that the disorder often persists into adulthood. According to the Los Angeles Times, psychiatrists are in the process of rewriting the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM) textbook and have submitted a proposal to the American Psychiatric Association that could make it easier to identify older teens and adults with the disorder. Prevalence rates are expected to increase as a result. Currently, the DSM describes ADHD as a disorder of children. According to Dr. Steven Cuffe of the University of Florida, the proposed changes to the DSM will describe what ADHD looks like in older teens and adults, the Times reports. Children with ADHD exhibit such symptoms as failing to complete schoolwork and being disruptive in the classroom. Symptoms in adults with ADHD can include trouble meeting deadlines at work and interrupting someone who’s speaking. According to Cuffe, hyperactivity exhibited in children is usually reflected as restless feelings in adults who have ADHD, although problems with attention tend to persist into adulthood. The number of adults expected to be diagnosed after the proposed changes go into effect is not yet known, but it’s likely that number will go up. A few years ago, ADHD was said to affect an estimated three to five percent of children. That figure is now up to six to eight percent.

ADHD Becoming More Prevalent Among Adults