"Although ADHD is defined as a disorder that starts before age 12, many people who had ADHD as children continue to experience symptoms into adulthood," says Michael L. Among children ages 5 to 11, the percentage rose from 2.96 percent in 2007 to 3.74 percent in 2016. The researchers analyzed health records of almost 5.3 million adults between the ages of 25 and 34 and nearly 1 million children who received care at Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, and reported that the percentage of adults with ADHD has more than doubled over the past decade, from 0.43 percent in 2007 to 0.96 percent in 2016. "I once heard an ADHD expert say that having the disorder is like learning to play a very difficult musical instrument: It can take years to master it, and can sound horrible while you are learning, but once you do, you can make some of the most beautiful music in the world." Rising Rates in AdultsĪDHD, which is characterized by distractibility, chronic disorganization, poor time management, getting easily sidetracked, restlessness, impulsive behavior, and talking excessively or interrupting conversations, is a neurobehavioral disorder that affects about 1 percent of young adults in the United States, according to a study published in JAMA Open Network in November 2019. "Not only are my ADHD symptoms under control, but I no longer have issues with depression," he says. He has also joined a support group for lawyers with ADHD and uses timers and scheduling apps to avoid procrastination and stay on task. Lichty meditates every morning and works out regularly. To manage his OSA, he uses a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine to help him breathe evenly and regularly at night, which has improved his sleep (and lessened his snoring) and has made it easier for him to stay alert and focused at work.
"Within an hour of taking it for the first time, I felt a sense of clarity and focus that lasted all day, with essentially no side effects," says Lichty, who takes an extended-release pill every morning. He was prescribed methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta), a central nervous system stimulant drug approved for ADHD by the US Food and Drug Administration. I finally had an answer to my struggles and had someone who could help me get the right treatment." "After a three-day assessment of everything from my medications, sleep, and mental and physical health to tests of my memory, IQ, attention, and mental skills, the doctor-who has also been diagnosed with ADHD-looked me in the eye and said, 'Marshall, you and I have brains that don't do "bored" very well.' After he diagnosed me with ADHD, I felt a flood of relief, gratitude, and empowerment. The child psychologist's question about genetic factors motivated him to schedule an evaluation at the same clinic where Everett had been diagnosed.
If I didn't have attention issues, then I must not be trying or working hard enough." "She took my history, then said, 'You did great in college, got into a top 20 law school, passed the bar, and practiced law, so you don't have ADHD.' I left her office filled with shame and self-doubt. He consulted his therapist, who referred him to a psychologist for evaluation. "I felt it was the only possible explanation for why it had always been so hard for me to pay attention," he says. Before meeting with the child psychologist, Lichty had researched the condition and found that it can also affect adults. "Suddenly everyone in the room was looking at me." "During the assessment, the doctor told us that ADHD has a strong genetic component, then asked if Everett's attention issues resonated with anyone else in our family," recalls Lichty, an attorney, law firm consultant, and executive coach from Minneapolis. At least, not until he and his wife took their 8-year-old son, Everett, to a child psychologist in 2018 to be evaluated for the disorder. And although studies show that OSA may contribute to symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), no one ever suggested that Lichty might also have ADHD. He also has obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a condition marked by brief, repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, loud snoring, and daytime drowsiness. Illustration by Maria Herguetaįor 15 years, Marshall Lichty, 43, saw therapists on and off for depression and anxiety. What Neurologists Are Learning from Treating Adults with ADHD Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder often have sleep apnea, migraine, or autism spectrum disorder as well-and it’s important to treat all coexisting conditions.
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