Condition
ADHD
Difficulty with attention, organisation or impulse control that has been there a long time.
ADHD is a difference in how attention and self-regulation work. It is not a matter of effort, and it does not disappear at eighteen — many adults are diagnosed for the first time after their own child is.
Because anxiety, depression and poor sleep can look similar, a careful evaluation matters more here than a quick questionnaire.
Signs people often notice
- Difficulty sustaining attention on tasks that aren't interesting
- Losing track of time, deadlines or belongings
- Starting more than you finish
- Restlessness or difficulty sitting through things
- Acting or speaking before thinking it through
- A pattern that goes back to childhood
This list is descriptive, not diagnostic. Recognising yourself in it does not mean you have adhd, and not recognising yourself does not mean you don't. Only a proper evaluation can tell you that.