Complications of Adult ADHD

Complications: Introduction

Left untreated, ADD can wreak havoc in daily life, disrupting everything from career to social life, love life, and financial stability.

Work: ADD / ADHD can be a big stumbling block on the road to career success. The symptoms of disorganization and inattention, in particular, pose problems in the workplace. Patients with ADD/ADHD have the following features related to work:

• be chronically late to work,
• miss or forget deadlines and meetings,
• have a hard time organizing projects and delegating work,
• have difficulty completing projects on time,
• spend hours at work, but get very little done,
• get distracted by trivial tasks, while neglecting the most important ones, and
• have trouble paying attention in meetings or in conversations with colleagues.

Relationships: ADD / ADHD can put a strain to relationships. The chaos that surrounds the disorder is particularly hard on romantic relationships. The spouse or partner without ADD may feel resentful if he or she is the one who has to take care of the entire planning, organizing, cleaning, bill paying, and other household responsibilities. And the person with ADD/ADHD may resent his/her partner.s constant nagging to tidy up, get organized, and take care of business.

Friends and family members may also take it personally when these patients with ADHD forget conversations or commitments, speak a little too bluntly, or keep them waiting.

Finance: The ADD / ADHD symptoms of procrastination, disorganization, and impulsivity can interfere with good money management. People with ADD / ADHD, may find that they:

• forget to pay bills,
• run up huge balances on credit cards,
• cannot save money,
• are unable to follow through on long-term financial goals,
• shop impulsively,
• have difficulty keeping financial paperwork in order, and
• fail at budgeting and recordkeeping.

  Eating behaviors: The impulsivity of ADD / ADHD can extend to eating, and many adults with the condition also suffer from overeating, obesity, or disordered eating : People with ADD / ADHD, may:

  • eat snacks throughout the day, rather than eating at planned meals,
  • be unable to stick with a diet,
  • have intense cravings for carbohydrates and caffeine (in coffee and chocolate),
  • eat a lot of fast food and .junk food. (cookies, chips, soda, fries, ice cream),
  • ignore hunger signs, waiting until they are very hungry to plan a healthy meal and then eating whatever they can find.

You may also want to research other symptoms in our Symptoms Center.

About complications:

Complications of Adult ADHD are secondary conditions, symptoms, or other disorders that are caused by Adult ADHD. In many cases the distinction between symptoms of Adult ADHD and complications of Adult ADHD is unclear or arbitrary.

Search Specialists by State and City