# Adult ADHD

- URL: https://alisanburak.com/en/yetiskin-dehb
- Language: en
- Last updated: 2026-08-15
- Page title: Adult ADHD | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alişan Burak Yaşar

> We recognize ADHD by 3 symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. But in adults, there are 9 symptom dimensions — and 6 are either absent from

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# Adult ADHD

June 5, 2026Recent Articles

We recognize ADHD by 3 symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. But in adults, there are 9 symptom dimensions — and 6 are either absent from or inadequately covered by the most commonly used screening scales (Chua et al., Irish J Psychol Med, 2026).

The word that best describes adult ADHD is not "deficit" but DYSREGULATION: difficulty consistently managing attention, emotions, energy, and time. This is why the same person can focus for hours one day (hyperfocus) but struggle to start the simplest task the next.

Dimensions that are poorly represented in the diagnostic criteria but cause the greatest difficulties in daily life:
• Emotional lability — affects up to 70% of adults; under discussion as a core symptom (Shaw et al., 2014; Lenzi et al., 2017)
• Mental hyperactivity and racing thoughts (Martz et al., 2021)
• "Time blindness" — difficulty consistently estimating how long things take (Mette, 2023)
• Sleep difficulties — insomnia in 43–80% (Wynchank et al., 2017)
• Rejection sensitivity

Because of these less obvious symptoms, women are diagnosed approximately 4 years later on average (Skoglund et al., 2023).

What can you do?
1) Track not only attention but also emotions, sleep, time management, and difficulty getting started for 2 weeks.
2) A clinical interview is the gold standard — a single self-report test cannot establish a diagnosis.
3) Involve someone close to you who can provide additional information.
4) Address co-occurring anxiety, depression, and sleep problems together.
5) Develop a personalized plan with professional support.

Important: Feeling that a checklist describes you is not a diagnosis; these symptoms overlap with anxiety, depression, and trauma. Assessment should be carried out by a qualified professional. This content is for informational purposes.

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