Accurate diagnosis is the key to ADHD
A psychiatrist explains how the accurate diagnosis of ADHD is life changing.
Imagine dreaming of being a doctor, an accountant, a writer or a teacher. Now imagine these goals, despite your best efforts, are always just out of reach – and you never quite know why.
This is the reality for many adults with undiagnosed Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). They’re frustrated at their lack of focus and, in the long term, can’t achieve their goals because their lives never seem quite in order. If adults with ADHD are accurately diagnosed, even later in life, it can change the trajectory of their careers, relationships and life goals forever.
Psychiatrist, Dr Rykie Liebenberg frequently encounters adults who’ve been unknowingly living with ADHD and suffer the consequences of living undiagnosed and untreated.
“Through no fault of their own, adults with undiagnosed ADHD are often under-achievers, either academically or in their jobs,” Liebenberg explained, “They move impulsively from job to job and are more likely to get fired. This often leaves them in a lower economic sphere, without financial security.”
Add to that a significantly higher rate of dysfunctional relationships or divorce and it’s easy to see how the lives of adults with undiagnosed ADHD can spiral out of control, said Liebenberg. She added that undiagnosed ADHD can also result in a higher incidence of traffic offences and car accidents.
In Liebenberg’s experience, with the correct diagnosis and medication, previously untreated adults can have an almost ‘magical’ turnaround.
“ADHD is a real, pervasive condition in adults despite the misconceptions. The sooner individuals can be accurately diagnosed and treated, the sooner they can reap the rewards and see positive changes not only in themselves, but in their relationships, jobs and home environments. With the right treatment, anyone with ADHD can reach their full potential at any stage of life,” Liebenberg said.
For more information about ADHD, please visit www.myadhd.co.za. To speak to an expert about the importance of ADHD diagnosis, please email jayde@gullanandgullan.com
