Diagnosed With ADHD At 50
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults is a “hidden” problem that needs better diagnosis, the charity for people with the condition, Addiss, has said.
The symptoms include hyperactivity, a short attention span and impulsive behaviour.
It is the most common behavioural disorder in the UK affecting an estimated 2 to 5% of children and young people but there are no official figures for adults diagnosed.
Not everyone agrees that the symptoms used to diagnose children also apply to those over 18 but a leading ADHD charity is calling for the NHS to speed up that system – by assessing and referring adults quicker.
Nicola Beckford went to meet Helen Rice, from Caversham in Berkshire, who was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago at the age of 50.
She has what she describes as the “classic traits” associated with the condition – disorganisation, procrastination and an impulsive nature.
“My head is like a bucket,” she explains to the Victoria Derbyshire programme.
Same Difference 
The ADHD traits sounds surprisingly similar to Executive Function disorder.
In other words compromise of normal cognitive functions involving difficulties with: memory, attention, concentration, focus, versatility/adaptation, planning, monitoring progress, situational evaluation, problem analysis, multiple simultaneous problem recognition and troubleshooting, being unable to analyse, cope with or to remediate novel situations.
I believe this can arise from compromise of normal brain activity caused by pathology of organic brain deterioration due to brain trauma from: gross physical damage, vascular dementia, drug toxicity, alzheimer’s, parkinson’s, diabeties, etc… for example.
Which also leads to: “…disorganisation, procrastination and an impulsive nature…”.
Comments please.
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