Do You Have Adult ADHD?
Consider 4 possible causes of your ADD/ADHD symptoms with simple steps to help you take your brain back!
By Audrey Hardin, MS LPC
If you’re an apple iphone user, you may have seen the recent headline, “Adult ADHD Diagnoses are surging. America isn’t Prepared.”
The article goes onto say that in a single year (2020 to 2021) the CDC reported over a 10 percent increase on stimulant prescriptions. From 2007 to 2016, adult-ADHD diagnoses shot up by 123 percent in the U.S., and adults replaced children as the primary consumers of the medications typically prescribed to treat the condition.
As a mental health professional, the timing of this progression immediately caused me to question other possibilities for such an increase. …Technology use and a global pandemic which spiked fear, anxiety, isolation, boredom, and screen time perhaps?
Shortly after this article posted, a friend asked me if she should get tested for Adult ADHD after seeing a description of symptoms on Instagram:
Unorganized
Hyperfocus on a new hobby
Forgetful
Impulsive
Rereads paragraph 3 times, no clue what it says.
Zones out in conversations.
Procrastination
Can’t sit still.
Overshares in conversations.
Experiences sensory overload.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD symptoms include trouble focusing, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. “People may experience: fidgeting, irritability, risk taking behaviors or lack of restraint, forgetfulness, lack of problem solving, paying attention, racing thoughts, short attention span, anxiety, mood swings, depression, learning disability, or sleep deprivation.”
Is Adderall over-prescribed?
If you go to a psychiatrist or your primary care physician with the Instagram list or the Mayo Clinic list, you’ll probably walk out with a prescription for Adderall or other stimulant drug.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommend a pharmacological treatment for only the most severe form of ADHD (i.e., HKD), while prescription rates of ADHD medications indicate the number is far higher than the worldwide prevalence of the diagnosis via the DSM.
From working with clients to being surrounded by peers prescribed some type of stimulant, I see Adderall and other similar stimulant drugs handed out for all kinds of complaints. Doctors prescribed Adderall for depression, autoimmune disorders like chronic fatigue, brain fog after pregnancy, difficulty staying awake during the day, feeling overwhelmed and stressed; and the list goes on.
As someone prescribed Adderall throughout college and graduate school, (a total of 10 years) I can personally attest to the damaging effects of the drug. It contributed to autoimmune issues as my body failed to tell me when I was tired and needed rest or nutrition due to the false energy the drug gave me. When I began to ween myself off, I felt exhausted and mentally foggy at best. It took a solid year for my body to begin to increase its dopamine and norepinephrine levels on its own. It was rough!
Are You an Adult with ADHD?
I’m sure as you consider your personal struggle to complete tasks, sit still, or stay motivated you also may question if you meet the diagnostic criteria.
That’s the kicker –there are currently not clear clinical guidelines for Adults with these symptoms or a long-term treatment deemed safe.* Clinicians simply do not have a comprehensive understanding of how these symptoms could point to a number of other contributing factors.
*A number of studies have linked prolonged Adderall use to addiction, heart problems, slowed growth in children, and mental health issues, including Bipolar Disorder in adulthood.
So, before you run to your local doctor to treat your ADHD, check out 4 possible causes that match your symptoms:
1. Overstimulation From Screen Use
Symptoms:
Chronic insomnia
Difficulty concentrating on or remembering to complete tasks off the screen
Anxiety
Brain-fog
Short term memory problems
Vision strain
Headaches
If you stare at a screen the majority of the day (phone, tablet or computer), your brain is directly affected. Excessive screen use literally can rewire your brain and even change its structure.
Top neuroscientists have called this combination of symptoms "digital dementia," which harms important right-brain functions including short-term memory, attention, and concentration in ways that may or may not be reversible.
Most people are checking their phones at least 150 times a day and sending upward of 100-plus texts. The average American spends 7 hours a day on their phone, some over 11 hours. Yikes!
The Solution?
Experts recommend first a digital detox. It takes two weeks of zero screen time to reverse damaging effects and 30 days to begin rewiring the brain.
Long term: Do as much as you can off your phone. Make lists on a notepad, call instead of text, only check your emails on your computer, delete social media on the weekends, read physical books and put the phone away completely at least an hour before you go to sleep and wait an hour after you wake up to use it.
2. Unresolved Hurts, Losses, Trauma, And PTSD
Symptoms:
Avoidance and distractibility.
Poor concentration
Anxiety.
Depression.
Anger.
Problems with trust.
Self-destructive or risky behaviors.
Withdrawal.
Unpredictable emotions.
Poor academic achievement/learning disability
Low self-esteem
Inability to cope with stress
Hyperactive or constantly on edge
A great assessment you can take to identify the impact of your past on your present is the ACE. Acknowledging past traumas is the first step towards healing your mind and body. Living in a broken world guarantees none of us will come out unscathed. However, learning how to process, heal, and face the pain keeps the past from negatively impacting your present.
Solution?
Consider these resources:
Attend one of our Hardwired to Heal Workshops
Find a therapist
THE BODY KEEPS THE SCORE BY BESSEL VAN DER KOLK M.D.
Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving: A GUIDE AND MAP FOR RECOVERING FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma by Peter A. Levine
When the Past Is Present: Healing the Emotional Wounds that Sabotage our Relationships
3. Adult Boredom
Symptoms?
Lack of interest in activities.
Unable to stay interested for more than brief periods.
Unable to rest or relax.
No feeling of excitement.
Difficulty staying motivated.
If you find yourself feeling bored, it’s important to consider the types of boredom that could be at play, as boredom is only a symptom that points to a deeper root that needs healing (parents, remember this for your kids as well!)
Boredom That Defends Against Emotional Pain (disconnecting from emotions to not get “overtaken” by pain –falling into a hole and never finding a way out).
Boredom That Protects Us from Confronting Our Wants and Needs (we shut our desires down so we stop feeling disappointed or perhaps to make us more “easy going” in our relationships.)
Boredom That Tells Us We Are Under-Stimulated (we’ve stopped dreaming, imagining, and playing.)
Solution?
Consider this article by NAMI and the way your brain works!
Our right brains (imagination, creativity, personality, emotions, dreaming) needs to be stirred and stimulated before we ever follow through with a task in our left brain. We may be avoiding tapping into our right brain which ultimately impacts our motivation and follow through.
4. Environmental Factors
According to the Amen Clinic, the increase in people being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD is also related to numerous unhealthy influences in our world today that negatively affect brain function, including:
Limited Physical activity/exercise
Diets filled with processed foods, artificial coloring, and synthetic preservatives
Exposure to environmental toxins (i.e. pesticides in food; chemical ridden cleaning products and detergents; beauty products including sunscreen, makeup, perfume and haircare; heavy metals in water, cookware, candles, and other drugs).
Solution?
Begin a “clean detox” of your home.
The Toxin Solution: How Hidden Poisons in the Air, Water, Food, and Products We Use Are Destroying Our Health--AND WHAT WE CAN DO TO FIX IT
Detox Your Home: A simple guide to remove the toxins from home. Cleaning, laundry, bath, body, beauty and food products. Includes shopping lists, 80+ ... & all the tools you need! (Detox Your Life).
Final Thoughts:
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when you look at a few of the reasons why we display ADD/ADHD symptoms as adults. It’s tempting to throw your hands up and say, I’ll take the pill!
Consider this instead: Pick the biggest leak in your fuel tank. What is wreaking the most havoc in your life right now? Tackle that. A small change will increase your energy to tackle another small change and before you know it, ADHD will be a thing of the past!
Start taking your brain back and kiss ADHD goodbye!
Audrey Hardin is a Therapist, Speaker, and Workshop Leader at Hardin Life Resources in Dallas and McKinney, TX.
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