Understanding Adult ADHD: Symptoms, Struggles, and How Therapy Can Help You Thrive
What Is Adult ADHD — and Why Is It Often Missed?
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) isn’t just something that affects children. For many adults, especially those who weren’t diagnosed in childhood, the signs of ADHD can be confusing, misunderstood, or masked by years of coping strategies. Adult ADHD often presents differently — and more subtly — than its childhood counterpart, making it harder to recognize without support.
ADHD in adults may not look like hyperactivity. Instead, it often shows up as persistent difficulties with focus, time management, memory, overwhelm, and emotional regulation. These symptoms can create a ripple effect across your relationships, career, and sense of self — especially when you’ve been masking or "pushing through" for years.
Common Symptoms of Adult ADHD
Many adults discover their ADHD later in life, often after years of self-blame or burnout. Common signs include:
Chronic procrastination or difficulty starting tasks
Forgetfulness or frequently losing items
Trouble managing time or staying organized
Feeling overwhelmed by daily routines
Emotional reactivity or mood shifts
Difficulty following through, even on things you care about
Trouble sustaining focus in conversations or at work
It’s not about being lazy or careless. ADHD is a neurological difference that affects executive function — the part of the brain responsible for managing time, planning, regulating emotions, and staying focused.
The Emotional Toll of Undiagnosed ADHD
When ADHD goes undiagnosed, many adults internalize their struggles. They may label themselves as "bad at life," "irresponsible," or "too sensitive," leading to low self-worth, anxiety, and depression. This emotional burden is particularly heavy for those who’ve been masking their symptoms — especially neurodivergent folks who have been trying to conform to environments that don’t support how their brains work.
Burnout becomes a chronic state rather than a passing phase. The fatigue of trying to meet expectations without support often results in shutdown, disconnection, and hopelessness.
Why Late Diagnosis Happens More Than You Think
Late-diagnosed ADHD is far more common than many people realize. Adults — especially women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ individuals, and those assigned female at birth — are frequently overlooked due to outdated diagnostic criteria and societal expectations around behavior.
In childhood, they may have been seen as "dreamy," "quiet," or "smart but underachieving" — not disruptive enough to raise red flags. As adults, they’re often praised for being busy or high-achieving, even as they’re quietly unraveling.
Recognizing that your challenges stem from ADHD can be both a relief and an emotional reckoning. It’s not about labeling — it’s about understanding your brain and finding the right support.
What Therapy for Adult ADHD Looks Like
Therapy for ADHD isn’t about giving you generic coping tools. It’s about understanding you — your environment, your goals, and how your unique neurodivergence shows up. At Get Psyched Therapy & Coaching, we offer support that honors both the science of ADHD and the lived experience behind it.
Our approach may include:
Strength-based exploration of your ADHD traits
Narrative work to untangle internalized shame
Skill-building for executive function challenges
EMDR to address overwhelm or trauma responses
ACT-based strategies to support motivation and values alignment
IFS-informed techniques to connect with parts of yourself that carry frustration or fear
Whether you’re navigating work stress, parenting, identity discovery, or simply trying to get through your to-do list without shutting down — therapy can help you approach it all with more clarity and self-compassion.
ADHD, Burnout, and Identity
Many clients come to therapy not just to address ADHD, but the cascade of burnout, disconnection, and identity confusion that often accompanies it. Especially for those who are queer, neurodivergent, or late-diagnosed, therapy can offer a space to:
Reclaim energy and pleasure in daily life
Reduce masking and create sustainable routines
Identify sensory needs and environmental supports
Explore parenting or relationship dynamics through a neurodivergent lens
Healing doesn’t look the same for everyone — and it shouldn’t. That’s why our care is always personalized. You’re not expected to fit into a mold. Instead, we co-create a path forward that reflects your capacity, values, and rhythms.
What to Expect in Your First Sessions
Your first few therapy sessions will focus on exploration and attunement. We’ll spend time understanding what’s been working, what hasn’t, and how ADHD has been shaping your life. You don’t need to come in with perfect answers — just curiosity and willingness.
We’ll look at your goals, preferred pace, and any past experiences with therapy. From there, we’ll begin building a toolkit that’s adapted to you, not just to a diagnosis.
Support may include:
Visual planning tools or scheduling frameworks
Somatic awareness for stress regulation
Communication strategies for work or home
Reframing narratives around failure, success, or productivity
Everything we do is designed to build clarity and capacity — not more pressure or perfectionism.
How to Know If ADHD Therapy Might Help You
You don’t need a formal diagnosis to benefit from ADHD-informed therapy. If you:
Struggle to keep up with life despite trying hard
Feel perpetually overwhelmed or overstimulated
Suspect ADHD but haven’t pursued evaluation
Are recovering from burnout or people-pleasing
Want to understand yourself better without judgment
— therapy could be a powerful next step. Our work together can help you reconnect with your intuition, shift from coping to thriving, and find tools that actually work for your brain.
Next Steps
We work with clients virtually throughout Redlands, Yucaipa, Beaumont, and across California and Maine. Whether you're newly exploring ADHD or seeking deeper support, we’re here to walk with you — at your pace.
Reach out to learn more about availability, next steps, and what therapy could look like for you. We’d be honored to support you.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not serve as a substitute for medical or mental health advice. Always consult with a licensed professional for personalized care.