There are seven main signs which people should be looking out for when it comes to identifying symptoms of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
The condition involves the brain working differently to most people, as those with ADHD often having trouble with things such as concentrating and sitting still.
ADHD UK estimate that there are 2.5 million people living with ADHD in England, with the number rising to 2.9 million people if you include the entire UK.
Diagnoses are said to be increasing, with it being noted that there has been a 50-fold increase in ADHD prescriptions in men aged 18-29.
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A doctor has suggested that this may be caused by the spike in psychiatric referrals for adult ADHD in the past five years.
Speaking to The Times, GP Gavin Francis said that these referrals have gone from three percent to 25 percent in that period.
Explaining that it's down to the heightened awareness and the wider acceptance of neurodivergence, he suggested that more adults think they might have overlooked symptoms in their childhood.
A recent UCL study lead by Dr Doug McKechnie analysed why more adults are being diagnosed, as he explained: "We do not know exactly why this is happening, but it may be that ADHD has become better recognised and diagnosed."
But, what are the main symptoms of ADHD that you may want to look out for?
Seven ADHD symptoms to look out for
According to the NHS, symptoms may involve your ability to pay attention to things, having high energy, or being unable to control your impulses.
Here are the main signs that people should look out for:
- Finding it hard to organise your time
- Finding it difficult to follow instructions or finish tasks
- Being easily distracted or forgetful
- Losing things often, such as your phone, keys, or wallet
- Being very talkative or interrupting conversations
- Feeling restless or having a lot of energy
- Making snap decisions without thinking about consequences
Symptoms usually start before the age of 12, with the condition recognised less often in women than men, which may be due to women having mostly inattentive symptoms, which are harder to identify than hyperactive symptoms.
Other reasons for the increase of ADHD diagnoses
GP Gavin Francis added that the thresholds for ADHD diagnosis has 'dropped' in the past two to three decades, while prescriptions for ADHD medication have increased.
He added: "I’ve had numerous patients who have not found the drugs very helpful,
"They’ve helped a little bit in the beginning, but then they’ve come off them because ultimately they felt a bit strange on them."
The health professional noted that not everyone with mental health conditions such as ADHD are unable to work, adding that 'there’s a complexity to the messy realities of people’s lives'.
He noted that the UK's benefits system is 'very ill-equipped — and under-resourced', to deal with these realities.
If your ADHD symptoms are affecting your everyday life, it is recommended that you book to see your GP and see what support is available.
From here, you will be asked about your symptoms and they may suggest that other conditions are causing your symptoms.
Topics: ADHD, Health, Mental Health, NHS, UK News
Joshua Nair