AIIMS OPD Registers Increasing Number of Young People Reporting ADHD; What’s Triggering It?

New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences is seeing a concerning trend of young adults between the ages of 20 and 27 years reporting attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD—a developmental disorder that affects a person's ability to focus, control their behaviour, and regulate their impulses.

According to experts, chronic conditions are one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Some of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, but of late, are also being seen in youngsters. Usually, it’s the other way around when parents bring their children for treatment. Even teens are reporting symptoms that had not been diagnosed before, saying they are having problems with academics,” Dr. Rohit Verma, assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS, told Indian Express.

According to Dr. Verma, most adults are reporting increasing impulsive, inattentive behaviour and distraction—without focusing on anything properly. These conditions, he says, are causing a huge dent in their personal and professional lives.

Recent studies have suggested that lifestyle changes—high stress levels and reduced attention to diet and exercise—are one of the key reasons why ADHD cases are occurring in adults. Cambridge-based research said these conditions are pushing youngsters to risky behaviours like substance abuse and self-harm as well.

Experts say even though many adults have ADHD, most are not diagnosed because of a lack of awareness and also that the symptoms resemble other mental health conditions as well. According to the American Psychiatric Association, ADHD affects about 8.4 per cent of children and 2.5 per cent of adults across the world.

Doctors say there are known differences between the brains of children with ADHD and children without the condition, particularly in the frontal lobe. However, some people do not receive a diagnosis of ADHD until later in life.

Untreated ADHD can significantly affect daily functioning, from work to relationships.

The types of ADHD ARE predominantly inattentive type, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, or a combination of the two. That said, people can experience some or all of the following symptoms, which are important to recognize so you can get proper treatment. A few of these traits are:

Those who have traits of ADHD may have more challenging life experiences than someone without ADHD, making it difficult for them to keep everything in the right place. An adult with ADHD has issues with organizational skills.

All of these include problems keeping track of tasks and trouble logically prioritizing them.

Adults with ADHD can often have trouble in relationships, whether they are professional, romantic, or platonic. A few signs of ADHD can feel extremely draining on relationships, like:

• Inattentiveness
• Being bored easily
• Talking over people
• Being insensitive
• Uncaring attitude

Concerns with time management

Those with ADHD experience time management issues and often find it difficult to effectively do anything time-bound. They may mostly procrastinate on tasks, show up late for events, and even ignore deadlines. According to experts, they may even have trouble focusing on the future or the past—the “now” is often more top-of-mind for people with ADHD.

Those with ADHD can have impulsiveness in many ways, including:

• Interrupting others during a conversation
• Being socially inappropriate
• Rushing through tasks
• Acting without much consideration for the consequences
• Lack of motivation and fatigue

While you might be open to ideas and ways to do everything at once, you also may feel unmotivated—a sign that is most common in children with ADHD. However, experts say it can also happen with adults. Coupled with procrastination and difficulty with organizational skills, a lack of motivation can make it hard for an adult with ADHD to finish a project. They may find it hard to focus for long periods of time.

According to experts, to receive a diagnosis of ADHD, you need to exhibit at least five of the symptoms associated with a particular type of ADHD for at least six months. So, if you are experiencing any of the symptoms commonly associated with adult ADHD to the point that it is disruptive to your life, you should seek immediate assistance from your doctor.

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