When it comes to concentrating on a task, everyone has a different threshold. However, for some people, this threshold is extremely low and they cannot stay focused on one task for more than a few minutes. This is one of the primary symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Contrary to popular belief, this condition not only affects children, but also continues to affect their lives as they grow into adults. In some cases, this condition may not have been diagnosed when the person was a child and is diagnosed only when they are in their adult years. On an average, 60% of the children diagnosed with ADHD continue to show symptoms in their adult life.

• Difficulty in following directions
• Difficulty in concentrating on a task for long
• Poor memory
• Difficulty in organizing tasks
• Inability to complete tasks within a given time frame
• As you can imagine, this condition causes a number of problems with a person’s personal and professional life. Adults diagnosed with ADHD are at a high risk of suffering from anxiety, depression, mood swings, low self-esteem and substance abuse. Thus, especially for adults, ADHD medication is a must.

No two adults suffering from ADHD present the same symptoms. While some have difficulty only concentrating on tasks they are not interested in, others have trouble focusing on all tasks.

At present, there is no cure for ADHD and adult ADHD medication aims at making daily life more comfortable. Treatment can include medication, therapy and educating the patient and the patient’s family about the condition. ADHD medication can be categorized as stimulants and non-stimulants with the latter being more preferred as stimulants can be addictive and need to be taken at regular intervals. Therapy for ADHD involves:

Cognitive therapy: This helps improve self-esteem and teaches the patient how to recognize triggers of ADHD behavior.

Stress management: Adults suffering from ADHD often have high-stress levels. Part of the treatment involves identifying stress triggers and discovering new ways to deal with it. This can also help deal with anxiety and depression.

Mentoring: By mentoring an ADHD patient, they are taught skills to enable them to have successful personal and professional relationships and improve their performance in the office space.

Life Coaching: One of the key elements of ADHD treatment is to set short-term and long-term goals for the patient and help them organize their lives. The patient is also encouraged to take up new hobbies and pass times to help improve their concentration abilities.