ADHD Symptoms

Keep in mind that many of these symptoms are things anyone can experience in daily life. Who hasn’t forgotten an appointment, procrastinated on an annoying task, or made a hasty decision? One missed deadline does not mean you have ADHD.

As you read this list, jot down which ADHD symptoms describe you most of the time to get a better sense of whether or not you might be struggling with ADHD.

Difficulty paying attention

This was easier to pinpoint back in your school days. But here’s what to look for in your adult life:

• Friends and family often note that they don’t feel like they have your attention when they are talking with you
• You sit down to answer an email but then the dryer beeps so you get up to empty it and then a new idea strikes as you walk down the hall and… well you never did reply to that email
• In conversations, you frequently interrupt the person speaking
• Your desk/to-do list/inbox/etc. are littered with unfinished tasks
• Keys, socks, glasses of water, remote controls, phones, and more go ‘missing’ daily

Mood Swings

Everyone’s emotions have the potential to take them on a little roller coaster ride. But yours do much more regularly. This ADHD Symptom may look something like this:

• Friends and family have noted that you have a quick temper
• You get frustrated easily – whether by your kiddo who can’t find their shoes, the person in front of you at the drive thru taking forever, or your own inability to finish a task
• In daily life, you often feel like your emotions are not within your control
• Sleep – or, rather, lack of sleep – feels tied to your mood swings but you can’t seem to get enough zzz’s

Disorganization

That one junk drawer you dig through to find a pen doesn’t count. Here we’re talking about an overall struggle to keep things orderly. Look for these ADHD symptoms:

• Friends and family lovingly joke that your room/house/car is a mess as they watch you search for things
• You struggle to prioritize your work which leaves you feeling flustered and behind most of the time
• More than a few missed deadlines haunt you at any given moment

Hyperactivity

Doodling during a less-than-thrilling meeting? We’ve all been there. But if your hands, feet, or entire body must always be in some sort of motion, that might be something to look into. Specifically, look for these:

• Friends and family regularly ask you to stop tapping your foot, shaking a table, or making an annoying sound with your fingers
• You find yourself standing up and walking around during meetings, or that you focus better when you keep your hands busy with a fidget toy

Hyperfocus

Where did the time go? You find yourself swept up in the flow of an activity, a book, or a task and losing hours at a time regularly.

Impulsivity and Creativity

You take risks. You don’t always think through the consequences. But that freedom also leaves people telling you that you’re the most creative person they know.