Research has soundly disproven the persistent myth that kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) “grow out of it.” Now, new research is revealing an alarming aspect of ADHD – adults can “grow into it.” It’s looking like the culprit causing this is man-made – a product of the technological extravaganza we currently live with. Simply put, you can acquire ADHD.
ADHD is a mental health disorder that usually begins in childhood, with a short attention span, compulsive and impulsive activity, and social problems being the typical symptoms. Most kids with ADHD will still have impairments as adults and will need some form of supportive management.
ADHD in adults looks different from the condition in children, including issues like:
- Poor time management
- Disorganization
- Fits of rage
- Forgetfulness
- Lack of motivation
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Poor self-image
- Dysfunctional relationships
These symptoms vary from mild to very severe.
Concerningly, diagnoses of ADHD are becoming more common among adults. The number of adults with ADHD has spiked from 4.4 percent in 2003 to 6.3 percent in 2020.
A study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association shows that frequent digital media use involving social media, gaming, texting, and streaming movies, music, or TV increases an adult’s risk of developing ADHD symptoms by about 10 percent. Other research supports that finding.
“It is legitimate to look at the possibility of acquired attention deficit,” says John Ratey, a physician, neuropsychiatrist, and an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, in an article in National Geographic.
Ratey notes that people today feel pressure to multitask and are bombarded by constant technological stimulation and screen addiction.
“These could potentially lead to a shorter attention span,” Ratey adds.
The link between using technology and attention problems could also be attributed to the fact that people who constantly use technology take fewer breaks to allow their brains to rest in their default mode.
“For a long time, the association between ADHD and heavy online use was a chicken-and-egg question in our field: Do people become heavy online consumers because they have ADHD and online life betters suits their attention span, or do they develop ADHD as a result of excessive online consumption?” explains Elias Aboujaoude, a behavioral psychiatrist and chief of the Anxiety Disorders Section at Stanford University School of Medicine.