Does ADHD Get Worse With Age?

ADHD is a mental health disorder that can be characterized by challenges in attention span, focus, and self-regulation. Many people regard ADHD as strictly a childhood problem. However, if left untreated, ADHD can move on to adulthood. So the million-dollar question is: Does ADHD get worse with age?

The thing is that ADHD does not simply go away on its own, most of the time. The brain is wired a certain way, which means individuals can still face challenges with focus, organization, and remembering tasks. However, many individuals have learned more effective ways to handle the symptoms of ADHD, thus making it manageable in their lives.

What causes ADHD to feel more severe is not the disorder itself; it is the increase in age-related responsibilities.

Common ADHD Symptoms in Adults

Adult ADHD may look different from childhood ADHD. Some common symptoms are:

• Forgetting about pending tasks
• Losing things often
• Feeling restlessness
• Poor time management skills
• Starting but not being able to finish work
• Poor planning skills
• Getting bored quickly

These symptoms can affect jobs, relationships, and daily life.

Why ADHD Symptoms May Feel Worse in Adulthood?

Adult Responsibilities Increase

Children who suffer from ADHD have parents or teachers to guide them through the difficulties, so they have someone to overcome the problems. But when an adult suffers from ADHD, they rarely have someone by their side to help with the responsibilities like jobs, housework, groceries, appointments, deadlines, social life, and family duties.

Higher Stress Levels

When you suffer from ADHD, your stress levels run higher than others due to the constant problems with attention. Stress can make it harder to think clearly, focus on tasks, control emotions, stay calm, and remember small things.

Lack of Sleep

Adults often miss out on sleep due to late working hours, deadlines, etc. Due to the lack of sleep, your brain can get tired over a span of time, and it can start affecting your memory, attention, patience, and decision-making skills, which ultimately leads to worsening of ADHD.

Hormonal Changes

Your memory and attention are heavily dependent on hormones. Disbalances in hormones can cause or worsen ADHD symptoms. For example, women may see stronger ADHD symptoms during PMS, pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause, while men may experience changes in energy and mood as they age.

How To Manage ADHD Symptoms As You Get Older?

Build a Simple Daily Routine

If you suffer from ADHD, your brain can feel overwhelmed by new happenings or activities. So, it would be beneficial to stick to a regular, simple routine. A consistent routine helps the brain relax because it knows what to expect.

Use Reminders, Planners, and Alarms

If you suffer from ADHD, you are bound to forget small things. Set alarms for things like drinking water, taking medicine, paying bills, or leaving for appointments. It removes stress and prevents last-minute chaos.

Break Big Tasks Into Tiny Steps

Instead of focusing on a task as a whole, break it down into smaller ones. For example, instead of thinking about cleaning your whole room, break the task into picking up clothes, emptying the dustbin, dusting, etc.

Sleep on Time Every Night

ADHD can worsen with a tired brain. Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep per day without any interruptions. With plenty of rest, your attention-power and memory can get better.

Reduce Distractions Around You

You may notice that you get distracted easily. To stop that, try reducing distractions around you. For example, put your phone in another room while working, use noise-cancelling headphones, work in a quiet corner, block distracting websites, and keep only one tab open.