ADHD is often associated with childhood, but it can affect adults as well, leaving many to wonder, “Does ADHD get worse with age?” It may not worsen with age for everyone, but it can evolve as a person ages, especially as responsibilities grow and support systems change. Here’s a look at how ADHD can change, for better or for worse, over time.
How ADHD Affects Adults
ADHD can affect almost every area of adult life, including your job, your relationships, your self-worth, and your ability to manage time or money. While a child with ADHD might be seen as impulsive or energetic, an adult might feel scattered and chronically behind.
Many adults with ADHD lose the structure they had growing up, like school schedules. Without structure, symptoms can become worse. Common ways ADHD affects adulthood include:
- Struggling with organization or time management
- Feeling overwhelmed by basic responsibilities
- Trouble starting or finishing tasks
- Impulsive job changes, spending habits, or relationship decisions
- Low self-esteem from years of perceived underperformance
In fact, adults with ADHD are 30% more likely to have ongoing job issues, 60% more likely to be fired, and three times more likely to impulsively quit a job.
Stressors in Adulthood
As you get older, you gain responsibilities, yet often lose support. Stressors that can exaggerate ADHD symptoms include:
- Juggling work, bills, family, and household responsibilities
- Lack of external structure or accountability
- Emotional baggage from past failures or criticism
- Being on guard for something going wrong
Over time, small mistakes (e.g., forgotten appointments or missed deadlines) can trigger big emotional reactions. Many adults with ADHD carry years of shame and feel like they are too much or not enough; however, as these negative emotional experiences keep happening, the brain learns to always look for danger.
Does ADHD Get Worse if Left Untreated?
ADHD doesn’t necessarily get worse over time, but if left untreated, it can have even worse consequences. People with untreated ADHD may struggle with:
- Unstable jobs or finances
- Chronic lateness or procrastination
- Substance use
- Relationship conflicts
- Legal or academic trouble
- Feelings of failure or regret
These challenges can lead to strong emotions like anger or resentment. This emotional sensitivity and reactivity can trigger depression and anxiety.
At What Age Does ADHD Peak?
Symptoms (hyperactivity and impulsivity) tend to peak during childhood or adolescence. Teens with ADHD make more risky or impulsive choices. However, these symptoms tend to get better with age, although not completely disappearing.
Can The Type of ADHD Change Over Time?
The type of ADHD you have can change over time, including how it presents and how it makes you feel. According to a 16-year longitudinal study, over 60% of participants experienced several ADHD type changes throughout their lives.
A child who can’t sit still may grow up to be an adult who forgets appointments or mentally restless. Usually, hyperactive symptoms dull while inattentive symptoms become dominant as a person matures.
What Symptoms Change With Age?
ADHD symptoms don’t go away; however, they can evolve as a person gets older. A recent study found that older adults struggle mostly with inattention, hyperactivity, disorganization, and impulsivity. As you can see, the symptoms stay the same, but it’s less likely to see an adult racing around the room and more likely to see them fidgeting in their seats (tapping their fingers or bouncing their legs).
Additionally, it’s not uncommon for older adults to have memory problems or issues with their executive function. In fact, many doctors may not even consider an ADHD diagnosis and may simply see it as dementia or normal cognitive decline.
Hyperactivity
Hyperactivity is the most visible symptom in childhood and can encompass behaviors like running, climbing, and constant movement. However, as people age, this physical energy becomes internalized. Here’s how hyperactivity may show up in adults:
- Racing thoughts
- Fidgeting (foot tapping, nail-biting, bouncing your leg)
- Trouble sitting still through meetings or movies
- Feeling irritable or anxious when not physically active
- Constant multitasking or feeling the need to always be doing something
Inattention
Inattention is one of the symptoms that can last across one’s lifespan. Kids may lose homework or zone out in class, but adults can struggle in more serious ways. Signs of inattention in adults include:
- Forgetting appointments, due dates, or names
- Getting distracted mid-task
- Trouble following instructions or conversations
- Losing track of where you put things like keys or your phone
- Feeling mentally scattered, including under pressure
Working Memory
Your working memory helps you hold information that enables you to make decisions or complete tasks. For people with ADHD, this mental space can be cluttered and unreliable. Working memory challenges in adults with ADHD include:
- Forgetting what someone just said or what you were about to say
- Losing your place during multitasking
- Having to reread the same paragraph several times
- Difficulty remembering instructions unless they’re written down
- Struggling to keep track of steps in a project
Impulsivity
Impulsivity can be obvious in kids when they interrupt, blurt things out, or act without thinking. Adults, however, can experience emotional outbursts, be financially reckless, and make sudden, unexpected changes in their lives. Impulsivity can look like:
- Making impulsive purchases
- Sending messages or emails without thinking through consequences
- Quitting jobs or ending relationships in the heat of the moment
- Oversharing in conversations or on social media
- Interrupting during conversations, especially when excited or anxious
Emotional Dysregulation
While not a core symptom of ADHD, emotional dysregulation affects around 70% of adults. Signs of emotional dysregulation in adults include:
- Sudden mood swings or irritability
- Overreacting to criticism or rejection
- Difficulty calming down once emotionally triggered
- Feelings of shame or regret after emotional outbursts
- Trouble recognizing and responding to other people’s emotions
How ADHD is Treated in Aging Adults
Treatment for ADHD doesn’t stop when a child turns 18, and many continue treatment into adulthood. Hormonal changes, cognitive changes, and more responsibilities as we age can make symptoms harder to manage without support.
ADHD treatment is usually a combination of medication and/or therapy and lifestyle changes. Common treatments for adult ADHD include:
- Stimulants (like Adderall or Vyvanse) to improve focus, motivation, and impulse control
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for managing time, regulating emotions, and building structure throughout one’s day
- ADHD coaching or skills training to create routines, track goals, and have an accountability partner
- Mindfulness and healthy habits, including regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and good sleep hygiene
- Support groups or online communities to reduce isolation and share experiences and advice
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a non-medication treatment for depressive symptoms and focus
As people age, their treatment needs may change. For example, women going through perimenopause or menopause can experience ADHD symptoms like brain fog, memory loss, low frustration tolerance, and intense emotions. In a recent survey, 70% of women in their 40s and 50s said these cognitive and emotional symptoms had a “life-altering impact.” However, some women were able to find relief when combining ADHD treatment with hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
Get the Help You Need at Cura Behavioral Health
Some ADHD symptoms may improve with age, while others get worse; however, with the right treatment plan in place, it’s possible for people with this condition to thrive in everyday life. At Cura Behavioral Health, we provide compassionate, personalized care for kids and adults at every stage of life. If you’re ready to take back control from your ADHD, reach out to our team today to schedule a consultation.
Sources:
- Impact of ADHD at Work – Attention Deficit Disorder Association
- Recognizing the Stressors That Paralyze ADHD Brains – ADDitude
- How Untreated ADHD Triggers Depression and Anxiety – ADDitude
- Impulsive and risky decision-making in adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): The need for a developmental perspective – Current Opinion in Psychology
- ADHD’s Fluctuating Nature Challenges What We Think We Know – Psychiatrist
- ADHD in older adults – a scoping review – Aging & Mental Health
- ADHD and Memory Challenges: The Top Science-Backed Ways to Boost Your Memory – Attention Deficit Disorder Association
- ADHD Rage and Anger Issues: New Insights into Emotional Dysregulation and Treatment Considerations – ADDitude
- ADHD Impairment Peaks in Menopause, According to ADDitude Reader Survey – ADDitude
