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Taylee McEntyre

Flores

ENG 1201.509

10 July 2020

What Does Life Look Like for Adolescents Diagnosed with ADHD?

Imagine having a conversation with a best friend, but, while speaking, there are

construction workers all around. While the noise of the construction workers may be tolerable

while talking. You begin to have thoughts rushing through and begin to think about other things

you must do, "I wonder what I will eat tomorrow for lunch, I think I forgot to order that amazon

package, oh man and I made a terrible grade on my paper that I need to fix, but I will not have

time because I am here hanging out with my friend instead." Then while having all these

thoughts in your head, you remember you forgot to pick your little brother up from soccer

practice, so your phone starts to ring while he is texting you "where are you?"

You start to feel your heart racing and become anxious over everything happening at

once and begin to shut down, which leads you to become passive-aggressive, physically in pain,

and mentally unfocused. This scenario sounds very stressful and possibly even out of the

ordinary for some. However, this is a common and daily scenario for adults with ADHD. I find

this to be true because, when I was in 2nd grade, I began the diagnostic process, which led to a

long road full of treatment testing, misdiagnosis, and much anxiety throughout college. Being

teased and unnecessarily put into different groups by teachers in elementary school led me to

believe that I would never reach the goals that I had for myself.

Medications made me sick, and doctors gave me different stimulants, thinking that at

least of them would "make me better." Being told by professionals that there was no way to help
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me control my symptoms led to lies about myself that I began to believe. This was a reoccurring

thing in ninth grade when I began to find my coping mechanisms instead of going to doctors.

This was a struggle for years, trying to deal with a disorder that I did not understand and felt

nothing would ever work for me. As I have gotten older, I have felt like I do not fit in with what

society thinks ADHD is, and I have always struggled to see myself as a normal twenty-three-

year-old girl. I wondered If I was alone in this journey of discovering how my life is different or

if others do not understand why they are different? As I ask myself these questions, I began to

wonder how everyday activities and decisions affect those going into adulthood and what life

looks like for those individuals? ADHD is a mental disorder that controls every aspect of an

individual's daily life and looks different for adulthood. Though ADHD has several myths and

stereotypes, when an individual can decipher between what is fact and what is an opinion, it will

allow an individual with the disorder to pursue mechanisms and treatment that will help them

cope with everyday responsibilities and be successful throughout life. Therefore, through

research I will show that when an individual starts to believe in themselves and discover what

works best for them in their journey with ADHD, It will allow them to defy the odds and reach

their goals in life.

According to “How Do Adolescents with ADHD Perceive and Experience Stress?:An

Interview Study.” by Nordic Journal of Psychiatry, ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity

disorder) is a “neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and

impulsiveness” (Öster et al. 123). Those with the disorder can be forgetful, impulsive, and

moody (Mayo Clinic). The disorder can lead to an individual having constant overwhelming

thoughts and being overwhelmed by everything going on around them, which leads them to

mood swings. These common characteristics in individuals with ADHD can make school,
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family, and social relationships difficult. Being unable to control emotions and impulsivity could

influence every aspect of an individual’s life, which can cause daily tasks to be complicated

without the resources to help.

An ongoing theme is displayed throughout each resource discovered, and that is,

individuals with ADHD are all characterized by hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and impulsiveness

(Öster et al. 123). Also, because of these traits, individuals with ADHD are less likely to have

friends, be successful, and be more likely to be diagnosed with a second mental disorder (Öster

et al. 123). Although this could be true for individuals on the higher levels of ADHD and

experience comorbidity (having two disorders/conditions), This is also a stereotype put on kids

diagnosed at a younger age. Therefore, it could cause an individual to believe that those things

must be real for every individual with ADHD. However, according to "Twice Exceptional:

Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative Students with Learning Difficulties," Scott Barry

Kaufman explains that those stereotypes and being misdiagnosed can cause an individual to

become those things if not supported and having the right resources (Kaufman 1). Kaufman also

backs up this thought with "behaviors such as inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity are

common in gifted children, and therefore, due to their behaviors, they are often being

misdiagnosed as having attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (Kaufman 1). This

shows that children are indeed being misdiagnosed because professionals are only looking at

those specific traits that are also commonly seen in children that do not have ADHD.

Since professionals are only looking at those key components, "This has led to

misconceptions as parents, teachers, and mental health professionals have no way of knowing

what information is based on research and what is opinion" (Kaufman 1). My personal

experience with being diagnosed with ADHD, being misdiagnosed, and professionals lacking
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looking at my other traits have led to taking medication that harmed me rather than helped me.

Being diagnosed at a young age could help extend resources beyond an opinion of professionals

but could also be harmful if not followed up into adulthood to seek the correct treatment.

Professionals and others that believe those myths to be true, when talking about ADHD,

automatically think they take medication. Although this is true to an extent, it is not the only way

to cope. "Antagonism is associated with adherence to ADHD medication, especially intentional

non-adherence to ADHD medication"(Emilsson et al. 8.) This states that some people go against

taking medication for ADHD and some reasons behind that are adverse side effects, forgetting to

take it, or merely being against medication (Emilsson et al. 8.). Therefore meaning that if

consulted by a medical professional first, medication can be effective and non-harmful, but if
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treated poorly/mis-used could cause drastic changes in both physical and mental states.

Fig 1. This chart shows the side effects of stimulants and how it can affect the individuals who

take stimulants to help them cope with ADHD. (ADHD snap)

According to the Mayo Clinic, "Standard treatments for ADHD in adults typically

involve medication, education, skills training, and psychological counseling. A combination of

these is often the more effective treatment. These treatments can help manage many symptoms

of ADHD, but they do not cure it. It may take some time to determine what works best for you.
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For someone that has ADHD, this statement could be harmful. To treat ADHD, you need to

combine those things, but they will never cure you and could take time for something to work for

you. People who are just in the beginning stages of being diagnosed may not want to read that

they will never be cured or have to have those specific treatments to cope.

Although these treatments are highly effective, they may not work for everyone and or

could cause an individual to do more harm to themselves than help. For example, stimulant

medication is the most common treatment for those that are diagnosed with the disorder, which

according to the Alcohol and Drug Foundation, are "a class of drugs that speed up the messages

between the brain and the body. They can make a person feel more awake, alert, confident, or

energetic." (Alcohol and Drug Foundation) The most common stimulants are Ritalin, Vyvanse,

and Adderall, which are all highly addictive drugs. Adderall being the most common and first

medication given to someone with ADHD (depending on age, weight, and tolerance) when

diagnosed, has many harmful side effects that are not often discussed (Kathryn, Harkenrider,

FNP-C). Harmful Side effects include depression, mood swings, paranoia, heart disease, and

suicide (Lautieri). The stimulant can be deathly and could lead to significant heart issues because

of hypertension (high blood pressure) and tachycardia (irregular heart rate). People that take

Adderall can quickly become addicted and dependent upon it because it is a stimulant and can

make an individual feel as if they are "on top of the world." According to American Addiction

centers, Adderall is abused and called a "smart drug," especially college campuses (Lautieri).

This is why it is so dire for an individual to do their research and self-evaluation before accepting

the first treatment that goes into effect. Individuals are going to doctors’ appointments,

expressing their symptoms, and quickly being treated/medicated for ADHD merely because they

match the characteristics of those that have the disorder. I find this to be true because my oldest
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sister went to her doctor last year, expressing signs of anxiety/depression, which are symptoms

of ADHD and was immediately given Adderall. She was never medically tested, and I began to

wonder if the doctor assumed she could have ADHD because I have ADHD? Since she does not

have ADHD (which later discovered it was an anxiety disorder), it caused her to have even

worse anxiety with physical effects such as heart palpitations.

About 8.1 % of U.S adults have been diagnosed with ADHD (brain and behavior).

However, one hundred twenty-nine million children worldwide have also been diagnosed, which

leads me to question if individuals are going into adulthood that was diagnosed as children and

never followed up with it into adulthood? Therefore, so many adults live every day, not

understanding why they act the way they do or know why but do not want to seek medical help

due to being stereotyped and feeling as though it is not worth it. Also, because my sister being so

quickly diagnosed, I began to think about all of the other adults in the world that are given

medication that they do not need or are not seeking their way of coping because a doctor just

gives them medication to help symptoms that they may not realize are influencing daily tasks

and decisions.

Furthermore, the diagnosing process and treatment options go hand in hand. As

mentioned earlier, diagnosing adults with ADHD is a lot harder than diagnosing children. Often,

adults show high levels of stress and anxiety, which are the main variables of ADHD in

adults/adolescents (Öster et al. 123). Therefore, some individuals go about their whole life

without understanding why they have such high levels of anxiety and stress. "ADHD looks a bit

different in adults. It may present as restlessness, disorganization, and trouble focusing. ADHD

may also come with some unique strengths" (Healthline). This shows that although adults do

experience ADHD differently, it can still be something that can be positive to the world if
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correctly treated and recognized. There is ASRS-A, which is "an 18-term widely used diagnostic

tool to measure ADHD symptoms," which can allow individuals to document their symptoms

and seek professional help. A test such as ASRA-A can help a person who has suspicions of

having ADHD for themselves, explore their traits before going to a professional that may only

look at the surface-level characteristics of ADHD.

Having ADHD can mean rapid thoughts and the inability to complete specific tasks due

to being overwhelmed by the world around you (Öster et al. 127). For adults, this could be

putting off daily chores, being overwhelmed, and then becoming careless. Since adults are put

under so much more stress, anxiety disorders, and depression are often associated with ADHD in

adults, which is why there are traits found in ADHD (Öster et al. 128). This is why it becomes so

hard for professionals to accurately identify ADHD in adults because it could be an anxiety

disorder instead. An interview study " How do adolescents with ADHD perceive and experience

stress?", It became known that stress and anxiety are the number one trait found in adults. They

become overwhelmed by essential life decisions and become overwhelmed by how they feel are

being viewed, which causes them to shut down (Öster et al. 123-128.). This is why it is crucial

to have a secure support system and stay positive while finding the right treatment.

Adolescents going into adulthood face so many stressful life events and become even

more overwhelmed for an individual with ADHD going into adulthood because of the symptoms.

Having to make an important decision can be so much more stressful because of all of the other

thoughts going on in their head, impulsivity, and inability to focus. Since stress and anxiety are

the most common symptoms in adults with ADHD, finding other treatments other than

medication can be so important, seeming that the stimulants can make anxiety worse (Öster et al.

.124). This is why adults must seek treatment that will work best for them. A common technique
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is DBT which is dialectical behavior therapy, "adult patients with ADHD are trained in elements

such as mindfulness, acceptance and behavioral analysis and are also informed about the

relationship between stress and performance and trained in stress management techniques. (Öster

et al. .124)" This will allow an individual to discover what will work best for them when making

daily decisions and life-altering choices.

Stress and anxiety are what differentiates diagnosing an adult and a child. It is harder to

diagnose an older person because being stressed and worried about life may be a different

disorder or considered reasonable. Whereas when diagnosing children, testing is a full step-by-

step process that evaluates every aspect of the child’s life and looks at every characteristic that

differentiates them from other children. ADHD is different for those in the adolescent stage

because they began to face more adult-life responsibilities, which causes them to shut down.

However, if individuals can find a guaranteed way to cope, they will succeed in anything. Those

with the condition think differently than those without ADHD, which I do not believe makes

them less of a person; they just have different strengths.

This is why it is essential to understand the misconceptions and stereotypes that go

alongside adults with ADHD. There are so many myths, but people believe what is said about

them, especially when it comes from your peers if one friend makes a joke and says, "Oh, you

must have done terribly on that test because you have ADHD and forget everything." Trust me

when I say that you will begin to believe those things about yourself. What others say and

believe about you; you begin to believe about yourself.

Myths

According to psych central, there are a few myths that go along with ADHD. The first

one is "ADHD is not a real disorder," which is already explained at the beginning of my
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research. ADHD is a term that is commonly thrown around for people that seem just to forget

things, and they forget that it is indeed an actual mental disorder that has strong biological

components (psych central). When the term is used so lightly, it causes those that have ADHD

to feel as though it is not real or maybe even that they have a second disorder because the

disorder is more than just forgetfulness.

Secondly, ADHD only occurs in children is also a common misconception, and I believe

that to be true because, as adults, we do not go around openly asking for help with ADHD. Also,

ADHD is different for those in adulthood. Symptoms are different when an individual with the

disorder gets older, hyperactivity seems to diminish, which it is usually the first indicator when

looking at symptoms in children. An adult with ADHD shows more symptoms of anxiety and

depression, which is usually common for those going into adulthood because more

responsibilities are put on them (Öster et al.). Therefore, sometimes adults are getting diagnosed

with anxiety disorders rather than ADHD, can put their other symptoms aside, and believe they

only have anxiety.

Third, “people with ADHD just need to try harder.” This myth is possibly the one that is

most upsetting because it immediately puts a label on anyone with ADHD, saying that they do

not work hard enough and that they are not capable. Yes, it is harder for an individual with the

condition to overcome obstacles and reach their full protentional but, does not make them less

capable or dumb (psych central). "People with ADHD have been trying harder their entire lives,

but do not have too much to show for their efforts. This is why it is important to address ADHD

with appropriate treatment and ADHD-friendly strategies that consider how the ADHD brain

processes information"(psych central). Therefore, it may look like an individual with ADHD is

not trying hard enough, but they are doing all they know what to do. Like the statement before,
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with appropriate treatment and mechanisms that work best for the individual with ADHD will

able them to work even harder. There is no limit for those with ADHD once they understand

themselves and can define precisely how they want to reach their success, whether that be going

to college to build up their own business or wanting to be a stay at home mom.

The last myth I will mention is, "ADHD is not a big deal." This is not true at all because

ADHD not only affects a person’s mental health but, physical (alcohol and drug foundation).

Without the correct treatment, an individual with ADHD could develop heart disease with the

amount of pressure they feel from having the condition (alcohol and drug foundation). "People

with ADHD typically struggle in all areas of their lives, from the big responsibilities like job

performance to simple tasks like paying bills on time"(psych central). Therefore, the individual

may seem to be struggling but does not make them less valid or less regular.

Characteristics

Those with ADHD have specific characteristics that allow them to stand out from those

that do not. Adults with ADHD are passion-field, high intensity, ultra-structured, lightning pace,

hands-on-creative, and independent risk-takers (Penny Williams 2019). According to Anxiety

and Depression Association of America, sixty percent of kids continue to have ADHD symptoms

into adulthood, which does not include those who have not been diagnosed with ADHD but

continue to manage themselves (ADAA). If an adult with ADHD can use the unique gifts that

they have through having ADHD, it will allow them to find jobs that will make them happy and

reach their goals/view of success. A few common jobs for those with ADHD are fitness trainer,

individual education teacher, firefighters, nurse, and artists. "The key is to view your ADHD

traits as assets and seek jobs or fields that capitalize on your unique strengths, quirks, and

interests.
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Conclusion

When making jokes or taking ADHD lightly, it influences an individual that has the

condition to view themselves as less of a person. This is true because ever since I was diagnosed

in elementary school with ADHD, I have allowed others’ options and thoughts on ADHD to

affect how I lived my life. Losing the willingness to try and settling for what others thought

success became natural. However, As I have gotten older, I have become more comfortable with

talking about ADHD and trying to make more conversations about the condition so that others

can reach their potential while creating a reliable support system around them. Through doing

this, I decided to take what I was good/passionate about and turn it into something worth making

a difference. Being a special education teacher has always been a dream, but I never thought it

would be a reality because I allowed how others viewed me to control my success.

Through my testimony, I can show how important it is for those with ADHD or those

who find that they have symptoms; to seek help, discover what works, and find support. Though

there are many misdiagnoses in adults per the research found on ADHD, going alongside

professionals while also doing your research is dire to getting a correct diagnosis and learning to

cope. Lastly, ADHD has several myths and stereotypes and when an individual starts to believe

in themselves and discover what works best for them in their journey with ADHD, It will allow

them to defy the odds and reach their goals in life.

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Works Cited

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Adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Mayo Clinic.

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Ellen Braaten, Ph.D. "5 Things Parents and Teachers Need to Know about ADHD." Harvard

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Kaufman, Scott Barry. Twice Exceptional: Supporting and Educating Bright and Creative

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