Ajax Harwood Clinic
ADHD in adults
Adult ADHD is the same difference in regulating attention, activity and impulse, presenting as it does in an adult life — difficulty starting and finishing things, time that slips, a mind that will not settle, and often a great deal of effort spent compensating in ways nobody else sees.
Contact us promptly if
Not an emergency, but worth being seen sooner rather than waiting it out.
- Chest pain, fainting, or a racing irregular heartbeat while taking stimulant medicationContact us rather than continuing.
- Thoughts of self-harm or suicideCall 911, or call or text 988 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline.
What usually happens
Not having been diagnosed as a child means very little. The criteria, the awareness and the willingness to look were all different twenty and thirty years ago, and the inattentive presentation was missed almost entirely — particularly in girls, who are now being recognised in adulthood in large numbers.
It does not look like a hyperactive child grown up. In adults the hyperactivity is more often internal — restlessness, a mind that will not stop, an inability to sit through things — and the visible part is unfinished projects, missed deadlines and lateness that persist despite genuine effort.
Coping is not evidence against it. Many adults with ADHD have built elaborate systems, chosen jobs that suit them, or relied on deadlines and adrenaline. What usually brings people in is that a change — a promotion, a child, a loss of structure — removed whatever was holding it together.
Anxiety and depression frequently sit on top, are usually treated first, and often only partly respond. That pattern is a common route to recognising ADHD underneath rather than a reason to look no further.
Assessment takes time and a proper history, including from childhood. Online questionnaires can suggest it is worth pursuing; they cannot make the diagnosis, and the ones attached to a service selling treatment are worth reading with that in mind.
At your appointment
A detailed history covering childhood as well as now, since the condition has to have been present from early on. School reports and the recollections of family are genuinely useful if you can get them.
Questions about mood, anxiety, sleep and alcohol or substance use — because they can mimic ADHD, coexist with it, and change what should be treated first.
Blood pressure, pulse and a cardiac history before any stimulant medication is considered.
An honest conversation about waiting times and referral routes, including what can usefully be started in the meantime.
Worth asking
- Does what I have described fit ADHD, or something else?
- What is the referral route and the realistic wait?
- What can I do in the meantime that would help?
- If I am diagnosed, what are the treatment options besides medication?
Alcohol and ADHD
Adults with ADHD are more likely to find drinking hard to keep in check. If that sounds familiar, it's worth raising — it's common, and it's treatable.
If you’d like to drink less, or stop, there’s help that doesn’t ask you to call yourself anything.
If you drink every day, please don’t stop suddenly on your own — stopping all at once can be dangerous. Talk to us first.
Curious what your doctor is weighing up? The clinical tool we use for adult ADHD is open to anyone — it is detailed and written for clinicians, and you are welcome to read it.
Open the clinician reference →General health information for Ajax Harwood Clinic patients and the public — not medical advice, and not a substitute for seeing your own doctor. In an emergency call 911.