5 benefits of an ADHD diagnosis as an adult
You suspect you may have ADHD. But you’re an adult. Is getting a diagnosis even worth it? Read on to learn why it may be.
It’s easier than ever to see examples of people living with ADHD. You might watch a video highlighting the “hidden signs” of ADHD in adults. Or you may have a friend who was recently diagnosed. You might even recognize your experience in other people’s stories, and wonder if you should get tested.
But you’re an adult. You’ve made it this far in life without an ADHD diagnosis. ADHD testing can be time-consuming and even expensive. Why bother getting tested now?
Well, there are some benefits to getting a diagnosis as an adult that you should consider. Here are five reasons why getting tested may be worth the effort.
1. You’ll better understand yourself and your challenges.
When you get a diagnosis, you’ll learn about the different ways ADHD can affect your life. You might finally understand why you’ve had trouble with things like planning, organization, or time management.
Executive function challenges are “probably the biggest piece of the ADHD puzzle that can really have a significant impact on undiagnosed adults,” said clinical psychologist Roberto Olivardia, PhD, on theUnderstood Explains podcast.
So, what exactly is executive function? It’s a set of mental skills that includes , flexible thinking, and self-control. “Executive functions include everything from our ability to manage time and make decisions, to how we plan and prioritize, to how we physically organize our stuff,” Olivarida explained. “It involves how we remember information, how we regulate emotions.” We use these skills every day to learn, work, and manage daily life.
Understanding how ADHD affects your executive function can lead to better supports and strategies — and more self-compassion. You can stop beating yourself up for being late or having a messy kitchen.
Many adults who get an ADHD diagnosis feel a sense of relief. As Tamsin, a woman diagnosed at 48 years old, said on an episode of Climbing the Walls, “So much of my life now makes sense, like decisions I’ve made, friendships I’ve had, careers I’ve chosen, laundry piles, like so much makes sense.”
2. You’ll better understand your childhood.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental disorder. That means it’s something people are born with. Getting diagnosed can help you look back on your childhood and finally understand why certain things were always a struggle.
This is especially true for newly diagnosed women, because ADHD symptoms in girls are often overlooked by the adults around them. Girls with ADHD aren’t as likely as boys to show hyperactivity or impulsivity symptoms. Their challenges are usually related to inattention, which can be harder to notice or see as a symptom.1 When girls are quiet but inattentive, the teacher may overlook them since their behavior isn’t distracting to others.
“I look back at all those habits thinking I was just like a messy kid who couldn’t figure anything out and clearly wasn’t very smart,” said ADHD coach Caren Magill on Understood’s ADHD Aha! podcast. “And now that I had this knowledge, I could mentally go back in my mind and in my heart and have a world of compassion for that kid who was doing the best she could with what she had, not knowing, you know, what she was dealing with.”
When we look back at childhood, it’s tempting to focus on our struggles and judge ourselves harshly. Getting an ADHD diagnosis can help put things in perspective, and give you compassion for your younger self.
3. You can learn how to improve your friendships.
It’s already tough to keep up with close friends as an adult. ADHD can make it even harder.1 People with ADHD might struggle with the skills needed to follow through with plans, show up on time, or even remember to return phone calls or text messages.
They also might miss social cues1 or have trouble focusing on conversations. This can make maintaining friendships, socializing, and even casual chatting more difficult.
Elizabeth Kilmer, PhD, a clinical psychologist, explained this on the Sorry, I Missed This podcast. She described how being a friend involves paying attention to conversations, whether they interest you or not. That can be hard for people with ADHD.
Impulsivity can be a trouble spot, too. “We also know that individuals who have ADHD are impulsive, so we can make poor decisions around the things that we are saying,” Kilmer said. “We can have this space where we start talking before our brain has really thought about what we are going to say, and sometimes that can get us into trouble.”
Getting a diagnosis can help you understand any friendship challenges you might have, and find ways to manage them. You can even consider sharing your diagnosis with close friends. Opening up about your challenges can help your friends better understand. Together, you can find ways to strengthen your friendship.
4. You can ask for accommodations at work.
The symptoms of ADHD can cause trouble at work, and struggles with executive function are often at the core. Adults with ADHD might procrastinate on tasks and fall behind on projects. ADHD can also lead to trouble managing emotions and feelings of low self-esteem.2
Before getting your ADHD diagnosis, you may have viewed your workplace challenges as shortcomings or questioned your work ethic. But as Caroline Miller from the Child Mind Institute said on the Hyperfocus podcast, “If you’re struggling at work, there’s a reason why you’re struggling. There’s something in the way you’re doing it that’s not working.”
Knowing you have ADHD can help you find the right support and strategies to help you with workplace challenges. Plus, you’ll have documentation you can use to talk to your manager about getting accommodations at work. Here are some examples of workplace accommodations that can help:
Taking short breaks throughout the day to help with focus
Having large projects broken down into smaller steps with shorter deadlines
Being given notes, recordings, or action items following a meeting
Working in quiet workspaces or the use of noise-canceling headphones
Changing the environment you work in throughout the day, moving inside, outside, or to different rooms
Even small things, like having more time to complete certain tasks, can make a big difference.
5. You can get the support you need — and hopefully avoid burnout.
Constantly masking and managing your ADHD symptoms can be exhausting, especially when you’re not getting proper treatment. This can eventually cause you to feel burned out.3 In fact, adults living with ADHD are more likely to experience job burnout.4
“Burnout is more than just feeling tired after a long week. It’s intense emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress,” explained Monica Johnson, PsyD, on an episode of the podcast ADHD and…. “ADHD symptoms can contribute to the formation of burnout, and burnout can, in turn, make ADHD symptoms worse.”
Having a diagnosis puts you in a better position to get the support you need to avoid ADHD burnout. You can work with a health care professional to create a treatment plan that may include medication, therapy, or both. Plus, small changes like getting enough sleep and exercise can make a big difference.
Remember, you won’t magically fix all your problems by getting an ADHD diagnosis. And getting diagnosed can be time-consuming and often expensive. But when you understand how ADHD affects every part of your life, you can find helpful tips and strategies. Plus, you can learn to be kinder and more patient with yourself. And let’s be real — we could all use a bit more of that.