How to Manage Adult ADHD: An Overview
Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a well-documented neurological condition that affects millions worldwide. While often associated with children, ADHD persists into adulthood, impacting focus, organisation, and impulse control—affecting work, relationships, and daily life.
It involves deficits in executive functioning—the brain’s “control centre” that helps with planning, organisation, and self-regulation. When executive function is impaired, managing tasks, prioritisation, following through on responsibilities, and maintaining focus can feel like an uphill battle. Imagine trying to juggle a dozen tabs open in your brain at once, each demanding attention but never quite staying in place. That’s something of what daily life can feel like for many adults with ADHD.
There are also issues with dopamine, the brain’s “motivation chemical.” In ADHD brains, dopamine levels can be lower, making routine or repetitive tasks feel incredibly—even painfully—dull and difficult to start. This is why people with ADHD often struggle with procrastination but can hyper-focus on activities that genuinely excite them—like creative projects, problem-solving, or even deep-diving into a niche interest for hours. Understanding this can help in developing strategies that work with the ADHD brain rather than against it.
Thankfully, understanding ADHD symptoms and effective treatment options can be life-changing.
Identifying Adult ADHD Symptoms
To be formally diagnosed with adult ADHD, individuals must experience at least five symptoms from both the Inattention and Hyperactivity/Impulsivity categories.
Inattention Symptoms:
Frequently makes careless mistakes and overlooks details
Struggles to sustain focus on tasks
Seems not to listen when spoken to directly
Fails to complete tasks and follow instructions
Has difficulty organising daily responsibilities
Avoids or dislikes tasks requiring sustained mental effort
Frequently misplaces important items (keys, phone, documents)
Easily distracted by external stimuli
Forgetful in daily activities
Hyperactivity & Impulsivity Symptoms:
Fidgets, taps hands or feet, or squirms in seat
Frequently leaves seat when expected to remain seated
Feels an ongoing sense of restlessness
Struggles to engage in quiet, leisurely activities
Appears constantly “on the go” as if driven by a motor
Talks excessively and interrupts conversations
Blurts out answers before questions are completed
Has difficulty waiting for their turn
Frequently interrupts or intrudes on others’ conversations
Day to day, this might look like…
Rushing through an email, only to realise you sent it to the wrong recipient (again!)
You sit to pay bills but end up scrolling for hours (‘how did that happen?’)
A friend is talking about something important. You want to listen. You want to be there for them. But your brain bounces about, and you’ve missed key bits of the story.
You start tidying the kitchen, but midway through, you remember you need to do laundry. Then you see the living room and start cleaning there. Then you see some fluff and grab the vacuum, only the washing is on the line, so you do that first. Whilst taking off the washing, you see the weeding that desperately needs doing and get tucked in. Then you remember the kitchen—and the other dozen tasks that are all half done!
You leave your house and suddenly realise you don’t know where your keys are. After a frantic 10-minute search, you find them in the fridge.
You make coffee but forget to drink it. Hours later, you find it sitting cold on the counter.
If these symptoms sound familiar, consider seeking an ADHD assessment or therapy from a qualified clinical psychologist.
How to Manage Adult ADHD
While stimulant medications are considered the first line of treatment for adult ADHD, they do not teach essential life skills that are often lacking for neurodiverse individuals. This is where Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) plays a crucial role.
CBT helps individuals develop practical strategies to offset their dopamine and executive functioning deficits.
1) Organisation and Planning Skills
Due to deficits in executive functioning, ADHD can make organisation and planning difficult, leading to forgetfulness, procrastination, and feeling overwhelmed. These challenges not only ramp up stress but worsen the core ADHD symptoms, leading to something of a vicious cycle.
Strategies that can help include:
Using a digital or physical calendar for important dates and appointments
Creating a daily to-do list (with an attempt to prioritise each item)
Breaking large tasks into smaller steps to reduce the emotional ‘inertia’ of getting started
Establishing a daily routine to build consistent habits, reducing the cognitive load of deciding ‘what should I do now’
Using reminders (e.g. sticky notes on the fridge, phone reminders, of calendar in prominent spot)
2) Overcoming Distractibility
Distractions are inevitable with ADHD, but certain techniques can help improve focus.
Some effective strategies include:
Distractibility Delay: When you have a task that requires sustained attention (e.g. writing an essay, doing your tax, paying bills), have a piece of paper on hand. If a distraction pops up (‘I desperately need to do the washing!’), writing the thought down—so you can trust yourself to return your focus. This skill is particularly effective for ‘forgetful’ ADHD brains.
Removing obvious distractions from your workspace. If you need to engage in ‘deep work’, don’t sit at the cluttered kitchen bench, surrounded by a million distractions. Go to the library or a café or create a tidy nook in your home. Also, get rid of your phone. Off or on silent isn’t enough. It needs to be out of sight in another room. Otherwise, it’s too easy to pick up and ‘quickly’ check something quickly.
Assigning a specific place for important items like your phone, keys, and wallet.
Use alarms or timers to stay on track
3) Managing Challenging Emotions
Sadly, due to a lifetime of grappling with inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, many adults with ADHD developed negative beliefs about themselves
“I am lazy.”
“I am a bad person”
“I’m pathetic.”
“I’m not good enough.”
“I am worthless.”
These negative self-beliefs can lead to anxiety, depression, excessive guilt, shame, anger, and other painful emotions.
Even without these negative beliefs, ADHD brains tend to generate stronger emotions more often.
That’s why learning emotional regulation skills is a crucial part of ADHD treatment.
Some helpful approaches include:
Thought Challenging
Healthy habits (regular exercise, good sleep hygiene, )
Seeking therapy for deeper emotional support
A clinical psychologist can help guide individuals through these techniques and tailor strategies to fit their personal challenges.
Final Thoughts
Living with adult ADHD presents unique challenges, but with the right strategies, skills, and support, individuals can harness some of the strengths of having an ADHD brain—and thrive!
Next Steps:
If you suspect you have ADHD, consider seeking a professional diagnosis
If you need support, a qualified clinical psychologist can provide therapy tailored to ADHD management
Click here for some free resources on ADHD.
You are not alone.
