A doctor has shared the signs you could be dating someone with undiagnosed ADHD
A doctor has highlighted the signs he frequently observes in people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The expert named the signs you might notice if someone you’re dating has the condition but is undiagnosed.
Dr Ali Ajaz, a consultant psychiatrist, regularly imparts information and guidance to his over 97.6k followers on TikTok. In a recent video, he outlined nine signs that could indicate your partner has undiagnosed ADHD.
ADHD is a behavioural condition. According to the NHS, people with ADHD may appear restless, struggle with concentration and act impulsively.
Symptoms of ADHD usually become apparent at a young age and can become more noticeable when a child’s circumstances alter, such as starting school. Occasionally, ADHD may not be identified during childhood, resulting in a diagnosis later in adulthood.
A recent video from Dr Ajaz was captioned: “ADHD X Dating.” Text over the clip said: “Signs you’re dating someone with ADHD.”
The doctor then listed four signs of ADHD those in relationships might spot in their partner. These included:
- Zone out in conversations
- Forget plans (all the time!)
- Go from 0 to a gazillion within seconds (arguments and/or meltdowns)
- Overly sensitive to criticism
The doctor then moved on to “the flip side” of things, mentioning five other qualities. Those mentioned were:
- Passionate
- Loyal
- Creative
- Deeply empathetic
- Very loving
Signs of ADHD in adults
According to NHS guidance, identifying ADHD symptoms in adults presents more of a challenge. While the core symptoms—namely inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness—are similar across ages, their impact on adults will diverge significantly from their effects on children.
For instance, adults may experience less overt hyperactivity but maintain difficulties with inattention as the complexities of adult life escalate. Symptoms tend to be considerably subtler when compared to those noticed in children.
Experts have proposed this list of symptoms indicative of ADHD in adults:
- inability to deal with stress
- carelessness and lack of attention to detail
- taking risks in activities, often with little or no regard for personal safety or the safety of others – for example, driving dangerously
- poor organisational skills
- inability to focus or prioritise
- blurting out responses and often interrupting others
- forgetfulness
- extreme impatience
- difficulty keeping quiet and speaking out of turn
- continually losing or misplacing things
- mood swings, irritability and a quick temper
- continually starting new tasks before finishing old ones
- restlessness and edginess