Symptoms of Adult Hyperactivity

When people hear the term attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, they may assume that this problem only affects children. However, Medicinenet claims that nearly 60 percent of children affected by ADHD carry the disorder into adulthood, but only a few adults are treated for ADHD.

Impulsiveness

• Impulsiveness is a symptom commonly associated with adult ADHD, which is an inability to control behavior. The adult behaves with no concern for logic or regard for others. These impulsive behaviors can evolve into shopping addiction or alcohol abuse.

Anxiety

• Anxiety can manifest itself in both mental and physical symptoms including heart palpitations, irritability, agitation and feeling overly stressed. These symptoms can disrupt normal daily activities and can worsen if the anxiety goes untreated.

Distraction

• An adult with ADHD also is easily distracted. It is considered to be the cause of hyperactivity and impulsiveness, according to Adult-ADHD.com. A person may seem to be bored or uninterested in something when he is simply just distracted by something else. He may have difficulty keeping up with a conversation or concentrating on a task.

Other Symptoms

• Other ADHD symptoms can include restlessness, disorganization, a short temper, mood swings and a history of being in unstable relationships, according to the Mayo Clinic. Adults suffering from this disorder may find it difficult to focus their attention on one thing or prioritizing things in their lives. They may also have a history of having trouble in school and/or maintaining a job.

  Many people may possess some of the symptoms of ADHD; however, it does not mean they have it. ADHD is diagnosed when the symptoms are severe enough that they interfere with multiple areas of the person's everyday life including work and personal relationships, and these symptoms can typically be traced back to the person's childhood or teenage years of life.