Adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is most commonly associated with kids and teenagers, but now scientists are reporting a rise in adults being diagnosed with the disorder.
According to a recent report in the journal JAMA Psychiatry, ADHD is more common in adults than previously reported, and researchers in 2006 estimated that between 2-5 per cent of the population in the US struggles is affected.
Due to greater awareness of the disorder and an increase in diagnosis, a new study even suggests that is even more common that 5 per cent.
Part of the new way to screen, recognise and diagnose adults with ADHD is to have doctors ask patients six specific questions, curated by researchers an based on the renowned Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
These are the questions to ask to see if you have ADHD
Here are the questions that researchers say can reliably and easily find adult ADHD cases:
1. How often do you have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?
2. How often do you leave your seat in meetings or other situations in which you are expected to remain seated?
3. How often do you have difficulty unwinding and relaxing when you have time to yourself?
4. When you’re in a conversation, how often do you find yourself finishing the sentences of the people you are talking to before they can finish them themselves?
5. How often do you put things off until the last minute?
6. How often do you depend on others to keep your life in order and attend to details?
Each question is answered on a scale:
never
rarely
sometimes
often
very often
Answers are then converted into a numerical score, and then interpreted by your doctor.
Beyond ADHD, two of the questions focus on procrastination rather than ADHD specifically. Researchers say that these conditions are linked, and that the traits help predict the disorder in adults better than some of the defined symptoms of ADHD.
Speak to your trusted GP or doctor for more information on ADHD.
