Many adults wonder if they have ADHD, especially when symptoms like procrastination, emotional overwhelm, and forgetfulness start affecting daily life.
Have you ever had a day when you felt restless and couldn’t focus on your work? Or you procrastinated chores around the house? I certainly have!
But how can you tell if it’s just a bad day or ADHD? I’ll break down the difference between ADHD symptoms, typical behavior, and other conditions, and how to know if you have ADHD.
How Do I Know if I Have ADHD?
You may have ADHD if symptoms like forgetfulness, procrastination, emotional overwhelm, or restlessness are persistent and interfere with daily life at work, school, or home. A professional ADHD assessment can help determine whether symptoms meet diagnostic criteria.
Additionally, when your symptoms are persistent and intense, ADHD is more likely. Instead of procrastinating your work once a week, you’re doing it most of the time. Some of my clients describe their restlessness as feeling normal, a baseline state, if you will, because of how frequently they feel it.
The National Institute of Mental Health offers a few more indicators that you might have ADHD:
“Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is marked by a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity that makes it hard to function in at least two areas of life, such as at home, school, or work.”
Procrastinating and trouble focusing are part of the human experience. But if symptoms start to interfere with your work, home, or school in a profound way, that might indicate ADHD.
If this is starting to feel familiar, you may want to start with a symptoms screening quiz like the one we have on our website. It’s free!
What are the Signs of ADHD in Adults?
Adult ADHD signs can include procrastination, emotional overwhelm, forgetfulness, poor time management, and feeling scattered. Symptoms vary from person to person and may appear differently in women, especially those with inattentive ADHD.
Signs of ADHD in adults vary from person to person, but traditionally they’ve included hyperactivity and restlessness, as well as trouble focusing on tasks and emotional sensitivity. However, now that we have a better understanding of how ADHD is presented in adults, specifically adult women, professionals are more aware of other signs that may have been overlooked.
Here are a few examples:
- Procrastination: You might not start a task because you feel “stuck” or simply lack the motivation. Even with plenty of notice, you might still miss deadlines.
- Relationship struggles: You may struggle with relationship conflict from your emotional dysregulation, which may look like reacting too quickly with hurtful words. Relationship struggles could also include feeling unappreciated or undervalued due to small rifts or conflicts arising from forgetfulness about chores, special events, or other obligations.
- Missing deadlines and commitments: You might forget birthdays, work deadlines, appointments, or paying bills.
- Dreading paperwork: Anything involving paperwork, such as identification renewals, car insurance, or career planning, might instill a sense of dread.
- Inattentiveness: You might get lost in your thoughts or have trouble keeping up with a conversation.
- Calmness with stimulants: You may feel a sense of relaxation after taking a stimulant, such as caffeine.
- Family history: Someone in your immediate family has been diagnosed with ADHD.
What Childhood Signs Can Help You Know if You Have ADHD?
Lifelong signs of ADHD can include having trouble focusing in class or acting quickly on emotion.
For example, once my clients are diagnosed with ADHD, a lot of things from their childhood start to make sense. They scored well on aptitude tests but struggled to focus in class. Report cards consistently noted a lack of focus. Parents echoed the same frustrations about sitting still or acting on immediate emotion.
Other historical signs of ADHD could include:
- Climbing on things
- Abandoning activities or games quickly
- Squirming and fidgeting
- Standing up after sitting for only a few minutes
- Injuries from carelessness outside or on the playground
Of course, these signs alone are not enough to diagnose a child with ADHD. Most of these “signs” could be applied to any child. However, when you pair those historical signs with current symptoms, that could further imply that ADHD is the culprit.
How do I Know if I Have ADHD or Another Other Mood Disorder?
ADHD symptoms overlap with those of other mood disorders like bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. So rather than simply identifying with a list of symptoms and slapping a label on yourself, it’s essential to find out if your symptoms could stem from other disorders.
How do you know which disorder is most reflective of your symptoms? It’s tricky to tell on your own.
I’ve worked with clients with more than one diagnosed disorder. Which makes sense. Studies show that 1 in 13 people with ADHD also have bipolar disorder. On the other hand, 1 in 6 people with bipolar disorder also have ADHD. A whopping 1 out of 4 people with ADHD also struggle with symptoms of depression.
This is why a proper diagnosis is so essential. Here are a few key differences between ADHD and other mood and learning disorders:
- ADHD vs. bipolar disorder: ADHD is marked by a baseline of inattentiveness and/or hyperactivity, while bipolar disorder has severe episodes of mania and depression.
- ADHD vs. autism: People with ADHD have trouble focusing on the details, while people with autism can get really granular and almost obsessive over details. Additionally, people with autism have more difficult challenges with social interactions.
- ADHD vs. depression: Depression symptoms include feelings of sadness that persist throughout the entire day. Fatigue, loss of interest in activities, and overall lack of energy can also indicate depression. ADHD symptoms can include some depressive symptoms as well, but the main difference is the frequency and intensity. If you’re feeling sad most of the day, every day, that’s usually indicative of depression instead of ADHD.
- ADHD vs. anxiety: Anxiety appears as feelings of worry and overthinking, which can affect your ability to focus. The difference between anxiety and ADHD is the frequency and source of the lack of focus. People with ADHD struggle to concentrate a lot of the time, whereas people with anxiety only experience that symptom when they’re worried about something.
- ADHD vs borderline personality disorder (BPD): BPD shares some symptoms with ADHD; however, it’s characterized more intensely by negative thought patterns, fear of abandonment, and unstable personal relationships.
- ADHD vs. Tourette’s Syndrome: People with Tourette’s show more obvious signs of physical tics and movement than those with ADHD. Notably, about 60% of people with Tourette’s also have an ADHD diagnosis.
You can learn more about symptom overlap in this blog post.
How do I Know if I Have ADHD?
If you’ve spent years wondering why certain tasks feel harder than they seem for others, you’re not alone. Many adults with ADHD grow up believing they’re lazy, disorganized, or “too sensitive” before finally understanding what’s actually happening beneath the surface. Seeking support isn’t about labeling yourself. It’s about gaining clarity, self-understanding, and tools that can genuinely help.
The best way to know if you have ADHD is to get an assessment by a qualified professional. However, a free ADHD self-test can also be useful in identifying if you have some of the symptoms of ADHD and help you decide if you should pursue a formal assessment. Take our free ADHD test to get started!
Beyond our free test, West Coast Adult ADHD offers comprehensive ADHD assessments by qualified nurse practitioners who can diagnose ADHD and, when appropriate, prescribe ADHD medication. We also provide therapy, coaching, and ongoing support to help you better understand and manage your symptoms. Our team works with you to create a treatment plan tailored to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know if I have ADHD myself?
A: You can take an ADHD test online to get started. However, to be properly diagnosed, a professional ADHD assessment is required.
Q: What are the symptoms of ADHD?
A: Symptoms of ADHD include:
- Impulsivity
- Forgetfulness
- Racing thoughts
- Rejection sensitivity
- Procrastination
- Lack of focus
- Restlessness
- Poor time management skills
Q: Are the symptoms of ADHD different in women?
A: Yes. Many women display quieter symptoms, including:
- Constantly overthinking conversations afterward
- Feeling emotionally “too sensitive”
- Being labeled chatty, dramatic, lazy, or disorganized growing up
- Struggling to keep up with routines, no matter how hard you try
- Feeling exhausted from masking or trying to “keep it together”
- Hyperfocusing on hobbies or interests… then suddenly losing interest
- Chronic guilt or shame over unfinished tasks
- Anxiety that actually stems from mental overwhelm and racing thoughts
Q: Do I have ADHD, or am I just lazy?
A: The difference between having ADHD and being lazy is the intention behind your actions. For example, people with ADHD may struggle to meet work deadlines or execute day-to-day obligations. They’ll also feel shame or guilt about it. On the other hand, someone who is lazy will intentionally decide not to do something and not feel guilty about it.
Q: What does having ADHD feel like?
A: Having ADHD feels like having constant racing thoughts and strong emotions, alongside an inability to concentrate on tasks. Some people with ADHD describe it as fighting their own mind, which is often playing thoughts of shame, worry, and insecurity.
Q: What is the 24-hour rule for ADHD?
A: The 24-hour rule encourages people with ADHD to wait 24 hours before making any big decisions. However, it can apply to anyone and not just to people with ADHD. Waiting 24 hours helps reduce impulsivity and ensures decisions are made with careful thought rather than emotional reactions.
Resources:
National Institute of Mental Health article about ADHD in adults
CAMH resource about ADHD screening and symptoms
NCBI Medical study about bipolar disorder and ADHD
ADDitude magazine article about ADHD and depression
ADHD vs. other disorders from ADDitude magazine
MayoClinic article about ADHD symptoms
BetterHelp article about the difference between having ADHD and being lazy
ADDitude magazine article about what having ADHD feels like
Psychology Today article about the 24-hour rule