How to Monitor Symptoms of ADHD

ADHD, or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, affects millions of people worldwide. Children and adults alike suffer from symptoms of ADHD, and many don't even know that they are victims of the disorder. Behavior common with ADHD includes an inability to pay attention, trouble with impulse control, and being overly active. ADHD is a serious condition that may cause an inability to function properly at school, work, or in social situations. Fortunately, there are great ways to monitor symptoms of ADHD.

Things You'll Need

• Pen
• Notebook

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Instructions

How to Monitor Symptoms of ADHD

• 1

  Pay attention to inattention. According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD causes the mind to wander during tasks and intense mental endeavors---see reference 1. Keep a log of situations that mark when your mind starts to wander---if you fail to pay attention to particulars, or when you make careless mistakes, for instance. You may also lose common items, become easily distracted, be forgetful, or avoid activities that require heavy mental effort. Track the frequency of these occurrences and their type in your log. Mark them as "inattention." This includes when your mind wanders while at work, or forgetting a daily task such as turning in a report.

• 2

  Pay attention to your level of activity. One of the clearest signs of hyperactivity as a symptom of ADHD is the inability to sit still---see reference 2. You may notice that you often fidget, feel edgy, always need to be doing something, interrupt conversations, or have trouble controlling basic impulses. Keep a separate log of these behaviors and how often they occur to monitor symptoms of ADHD. Mark the situation, and the hyperactive behavior that occurs, as "hyperactive." This includes discomfort during a lecture or meeting, and any compulsive need to stand up and walk around.

• 3

  Monitor impulsivity. Speaking out of turn, interrupting, or becoming overactive during calm situations are all impulse control issues---see reference 2. Make sure to keep a log of impulsivity and the frequency in which such feelings occur. Mark them as "impulsive."

• 4

  Have friends and family help monitor symptoms of ADHD; it's often hard to monitor the frequency of your own ADHD symptoms. Share with friends and family all of the behaviors they should look for while monitoring your symptoms. Ask them to log the behavior and its frequency, or write their comments in your log.

• 5

  Decide whether your behavior is normal or abnormal. Most people are inattentive, hyperactive, or impulsive at times. However, symptoms of ADHD should not be occurring on a daily basis---see references 1.

• 6

  See a trained professional. If you're worried that you have many of the symptoms of ADHD, a trained professional can provide tests and a correct diagnosis. Ask a friend, family member, or family physician for a referral to a mental health professional. Show your mental health professional your log of symptoms to help with the diagnosis.