Late Onset ADHD: Can You Develop ADHD Later in Life?

Neurodiversity, generally, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in particular, are the focus of intense interest, research, and debate as we learn to support neurodivergent individuals better. The prevailing consensus is that ADHD is a childhood disorder present from birth. We know that undiagnosed adults with ADHD experience significant challenges without the support a diagnosis unlocks. Many times, neurodiverse behaviors are missed in childhood, leading to a late ADHD diagnosis. But is late-onset ADHD occurring? Can you develop ADHD later in life? Let’s find out.

Understanding Late-Onset ADHD

Although ADHD is a childhood disorder most often diagnosed around age seven, many kids with the disorder get through school and reach adulthood without a diagnosis. Transitioning to adulthood and learning to do for oneself without the structure provided by formal schooling and the parents’ home is challenging for everyone, especially for someone with ADHD. An adult with ADHD who never had access to the special services, education strategies, and additional resources available to K-12 students with ADHD can feel adrift. They may struggle with restlessness, lack of motivation, disorganization, and poorly regulated emotions once the structure of formal education and their parents’ home is removed. Worse, they have no framework for understanding their problems and no support structure to turn to.

Often, a child becomes adept at masking their ADHD symptoms to the point that no one recognizes they have the disorder. However, their ability to compensate may fail under the pressures of life transitions, such as living as an adult, becoming a parent, or losing someone they love. When they seek mental health support, they may be diagnosed with ADHD. As adult ADHD diagnoses grow, questions about late-onset ADHD arise.

Can You Develop ADHD as an Adult?

Research is ongoing, but at this point, it appears that the vast majority of cases can be explained as incidents of late ADHD diagnosis. It appears that genuine cases of late-onset ADHD are either exceedingly rare or simply late. Unfortunately, there are many ways that a childhood diagnosis gets missed, particularly for girls. The repercussions are deeply concerning since early intervention in ADHD is considered crucial in optimizing a child’s ability to succeed in life.

Factors Contributing to the Late Diagnosis of ADHD

As the medical community and our society at large learn more about ADHD, incidents of missed or late ADHD diagnoses should decrease. A lack of training, both for medical professionals and teachers, is a frequent reason kids with ADHD are not diagnosed. Sometimes, the symptoms a child displays are misdiagnosed as anxiety, depression, oppositional defiant disorder, or another learning disability. Other times, ADHD symptoms in very bright children are overlooked. These twice-exceptional children are missed by professionals who often cannot imagine a gifted child having a learning disability.

Children from socioeconomically disadvantaged homes are at greater risk of having ADHD go undiagnosed. Yet girls of any economic background are also significantly underdiagnosed. In most cases, this is because the disorder presents differently in boys and girls, with boys generally more closely reflecting the stereotypical expectations of hyperactivity and impulsiveness. Girls with ADHD are more likely to display internalized symptoms such as inattention and emotional dysregulation.

Some parents resist the suggestion that their child may have ADHD. They may fear a potential stigma, hope the child outgrows it, or even blame the child. Whatever the reasons behind a late diagnosis of ADHD, the results are clear. The individual is left to struggle alone against forces they don’t understand, without a support network or any of the available tools.

Diagnosing ADHD Later in Life

People with ADHD thrive in an environment with structure, routine, and clearly articulated expectations. Major life transitions, such as leaving school or losing a job, eliminate the guardrails that have helped the individual meet their goals and benchmarks. This can exacerbate and spotlight their struggles with organization, restlessness, focus, forgetting things, decision paralysis, and emotional dysregulation. When the individual seeks help, they may be surprised to get a late ADHD diagnosis. They may well ask, “Can you develop ADHD later in life?” But rather than late-onset ADHD, it is likely their symptoms were missed in childhood.

Most often, the diagnosis of adult ADHD comes with a tremendous sense of relief. The individual goes from feeling alone in their struggle with bewildering symptoms they cannot control to discovering an enlightening framework. Not only is there a reason for their struggles, but others share them and have devised successful strategies for handling them. An extensive support network and multiple resources are made available to them.

Navigating Life with Late Onset ADHD

At this time, the research into late-onset ADHD suggests that if it occurs, it is very rare. Experts believe adult ADHD results from childhood ADHD symptoms lingering into adulthood — a common occurrence. Those diagnosed as children have often become quite adept at using available resources. For someone with a late ADHD diagnosis, exploring those resources is often the best place to begin.

Joining an ADHD support group can help you get information about the programs and opportunities available to you. You will also meet others sharing your struggles and sharing their successful strategies with you. You’ll learn helpful tips like:

How to get organized
Using planners, timers, and apps to facilitate your time management
How to build routines
Reducing complex tasks into small, manageable “chunks”
How to recognize and minimize distractions
The importance of respecting your limits
How to prioritize tasks
How to manage money and pay bills
The value of balanced nutrition
How to improve your sleep
Practicing mindfulness
How to manage stress and boost your mood

Brain Balance is a drug-free, holistic program that helps adults with ADHD learn to manage their symptoms. More than that, we help individuals learn to grow and strengthen the connections within their brains to improve their ability to acquire information and to choose their response to it. We help you learn to control and direct your unique capabilities to meet your goals better.

To learn more about how we can help you with your late ADHD diagnosis, please visit your local Brain Balance center or contact us online. We’re here to help.

Sources:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/add-adhd/managing-adult-adhd-attention-deficit-disorder.htm

https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/research.html

https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/adhd/Pages/Early-Warning-Signs-of-ADHD.aspx

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9884156/

https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/facts-statistics-infographic#fast-facts

https://adhdonline.com/articles/why-transitions-are-hard-when-you-have-adhd/

https://www.verywellmind.com/what-does-undiagnosed-adhd-look-like-in-adults-5235254

https://adhdonline.com/articles/why-transitions-are-hard-when-you-have-adhd/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6610733/

https://www.henryford.com/blog/2023/09/why-adhd-is-often-underdiagnosed-in-women

https://medpsychnc.com/the-importance-of-early-intervention-for-adhd/