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  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    I believe my 43 year old son has ADHD

    Related Topics
    Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Relationships
    My son has had issues in relation to social success from when he started school. At 3 years in a play group setting, a 'Childhood Studies' PHD student observed 'that it was unusual that at that age, he played by himself rather than joined in with groups of children'. He was an early talker and everyone commented that he seemed very intelligent. At school, he achieved very well academically but this high achievement did not continue as he progressed through school. My observations of his behaviour include: - I constantly have misunderstandings in communication /exchanges with him - has difficulty remembering - is very disorganised - procrastinates - often appears to over-react in social situations - becomes anxious before social occasions and relies on alcohol to relax - very dogmatic - has problems maintaining relationships - talks incessantly - language characterised by repetition and restatement of information - finds difficulty taking turns in group conversations - poor skills in integrating into group conversations - withdraws from social group.
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    Vivienne Colegrove

    Counsellor

    I have been working in Eltham, Melbourne as a relationship and family counsellor for over twelve years. I draw on current theory and research about … View Profile

    It certainly sounds like your son has some challenges that affect his social life. If he was willing to get these formally assessed, the best way forward is to find a psychologist who specializes in this - you can do this by going to the Australian Psychological Association website and following the prompts. The benefits to him of doing this would be to then receive help to manage social sitautions better. If he does not wish to do this, however, it is not possible for a professional to assess or diagnose your son without meeting with him (they are not able to make this determination based on your information). If this is the case, you may benefit from counselling for yourself to assist with strategies for helping your son and your relationship with him - this does not require that he is diagnosed, and may assist you to find more effective ways of managing some of the behaviours you may find challenging.

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  • lesia zubjuk

    HealthShare Member

    thankyou very much for taking the time to answer my question - it is very difficult as a parent to recognise / realise that something is wrong - but with mental health issues it is very difficult to understand what the problems are and so on....

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  • Dr Peter Heffernan

    Psychiatrist

    I am a Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist who specialises in Adult ADHD, Jungian Psychotherapy, and the Psychological Medicine aspects of Chronic Pain conditions. View Profile

    From your description Lifelong ADHD is a very real possibility. 

    A review of school reports, especially in secondary school for teacher observations about difficulty in applying himself, with a marked disparity in subject results related to level of interest in subjects, and a review of the World Health Organisation Screening Test for Adult ADHD, may encourage your son to obtain a referral to a Psychiatrist who specialises in Adult ADHD. 

    We also know that ADHD is very frequently inherited. Screening of both your son's parents, siblings and offspring is also prudent.

    I am a member of the Australian Professionals Adult ADHD Network (AUSPAN). Let me know what area your son is based and I will give you the contact details of a local expert. 

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