10 Signs of Adult ADHD: A Teacher's Look at Late Diagnosis

As a former teacher who wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until later in life, I spent years wondering why certain things were just…

Harder for me than they were for others.

Can you relate?

I’m betting the answer’s yes.

Whether you’re just starting to learn about ADHD, or you’re already familiar with it, today I’m sharing 10 clear signs through a teacher’s lens.

Let’s look at how they show up in our daily classroom adventures, never-ending paperwork, and yes, those infamous staff meetings too.

What Does ADHD In Adults Look Like?

From my experience and research, ADHD is something that affects all aspects of a person’s life.

But here’s the thing.

It often goes unrecognized, especially in inattentive adults, women, girls, and people of color.

According to the CDC, an estimated 6% of U.S. adults have a current diagnosis.

And, almost half of those people were diagnosed as adults.

However this number must be much higher.

It doesn’t take into account those of us who went undiagnosed for so long.

Like a computer's software, ADHD affects our entire lives.

So, its effects can be tricky to pinpoint especially as we age.

The coping mechanisms that are in place are so entrenched.

If someone has ADHD as an adult, it’s most likely they’ve had it their whole life.

(They just didn’t have the validation that an accurate diagnosis can bring.)

Why Do So Many Adults Get Diagnosed So Late?

This is a hot button topic for me.

Due to a combination of bias and a lack of education in the medical community, adults can be easily misdiagnosed.

This is doubly true for women, girls, and people of color.

For women unless we are vigilant and stubborn, it’s far too easy for a doctor to dismiss our concerns.

Say I approach a doctor, as I once did, with concerns about my forgetfulness.

Solution? Have I considered a planner?

Are you kidding, I now think to myself? Which planner have I not tried is probably the better question.

This professional meant very well.

And, in their defense they truly did not know that memory issues are a major part of many nd conditions.

General practitioners may listen to you but then turn around and say you’re anxious.

Anxious and depressed.

Or just anxious and depressed, which is…hoo boy, another post.

10 Signs of ADHD in Adults: A Teacher's Perspective

Now that we understand why ADHD often goes unrecognized, let's talk about what it actually looks like in our daily teaching lives.

Here's what I've experienced both personally and observed in our profession:

Chronic procrastination

As a teacher this showed up in so many ways.

Not for lack of trying, I might add.

I would have a large stack of papers to mark that I kept nudging from one corner of the desk to the other.

Out of the corner of my eye, they'd still be sitting there. Taunting me.

I’d haul them home, along with the apple I still didn’t eat, thinking I’ll definitely get this done over the weekend.

But then two little ones, a healthy amount of avoidance, and the rest of my mess would interfere.

On Monday back I’d go, with the unmarked papers, and possibly a new apple.

Or those times where I knew I needed to adjust specific lesson plans for certain classes.

I’d be on my way to the desk when I would pass a stray mallet on the floor.

That can’t stay there, I’d think to myself.

But after I picked it up and put it away in the bin, I’d see the rhythm sticks someone left out.

I’d put those back.

But what about the lesson plans?

Totally forgotten by this point.

One thing that helped me was getting very specific in my planning about when, where, how I would complete that task.

And then making a verbal or written agreement with someone else to help hold myself accountable.

Poor Time Management

Think grades are due in one month?

Check that calendar, friend!

The two week mark beforehand was like a magical witching hour for me.

Time to get things ready, or face the consequences.

Even with the best intentions, I’d still find myself staying up later than anticipated the night before they were due.

Never again, I would promise myself.

(Spoiler alert: yes…again.)

One thing that helped me was putting reminders in my phone and home AI assistant when it was a month before they were due.

When I made that reminder I would be careful about scheduling it for a time that I could act on it.

For example, upon arriving home, when the whole family could also hear it.

Accountability is your best friend!

Disorganized Physical and Digital Spaces

My desk usually looked (and tbh still does) like a tornado had recently made its way through.

When people ask me about my cleaning/tidying style I always say, “There appears to have been a struggle.”

As you know, there just so much stuff to keep track of as a teacher.

Student work, for one.

(In my case that was from anywhere from 25-30 classes of students.)

Notes to myself. Forms from students.

Passes.

The list goes on.

What helped was trying to make whatever I could into a digital task.

Delivering feedback for example.

Where possible, at least with older grades, I could give some feedback digitally on Google classroom.

Or finding creative ways to make the interactions verbal.

So finding ways to have groups of students working (like in centers), so I could more easily talk to a certain group or student.

Versus the whole group vibe.

Digital spaces were disorganized as well, but at least it was out of my line of sight!

Trouble Engaging with Routine Tasks

Bored with packing your lunch? Check.

Tired of loading the dirty dishes back into the dishwasher? Uh huh.

One thing that helped me here was giving in and buying disposable coffee cups.

It was one less thing to wash at the end of the … um, week? Maybe?

Slightly worse for the environment, perhaps.

But as the very wise KC Davis says in Struggle Care, “You can't save the rainforest if you're depressed.”

Sensory Aversions

Strong-smelling cleaning wipes?

Immediate headache.

Assemblies where audience members were talking out of turn?

Couldn't hear the speaker, like at all.

My body would be so tense and agitated, and I'd feel so completely irritated.

Would thing that helped was wearing ear plugs.

And trying to sit next to less chatty people when possible.

Constantly Losing Things

Where is my staff ID?

Where are my hair ties? Where is my pen?

Keeping the ID in the same place was key.

For the other items like hair ties and pens, having multiples of those was what really helped.

Just accepting the fact that they were likely to keep disappearing.

So at least I would not run out.

Difficulty Following Conversations

Trying hard to focus but distracted by hunger, thirst, yelling down the hall… You name it.

And don’t even get me started on staff meetings after a long, exhausting day of teaching.

Please don’t make me volunteer for anything else, I would think.

I was surviving just as it was, without adding more to my plate.

Hyper-Sensitivity to Rejection or Criticism

When you tell me you couldn’t find a theme in that lesson, what were you saying?

One thing that helped was imagining this feedback was intended for someone else.

That extra space was just enough to help calm my nervous system a notch.

That way I could take in the comment and work with it in a less threatening way.

Hyperfocus on Motivating (Stimulating) Tasks

Yes, two hours have just flown by on my teacher work day but the borders on my bulletin board are bumpin’!

Besides bulletin boards at inopportune times, though, there were the programs.

As a musician, these were the perfect outlet for my creativity, talent, and ability to zoom in.

For at least 8 weeks before the performance.

The trouble was, those programs were just for one grade level.

That meant there were still six other grades to plan daily lessons for.

And all the other things. Oh, so many things.

Self-Esteem Issues (Imposter Syndrome)

I’ll never be good enough. I'm just a fraud.

Thoughts like these show up for a lot of us. Do you deal with this?

Like with the criticism, taking a step back and observing this thought as a behavior was helpful.

From there I could reason with myself a bit more as if I were talking to a good friend.

What Should I Do If This Sounds Like Me?

You know what? I get it.

If you’ve been sitting there, nodding in agreement, you’re far from alone.

There’s nothing wrong with you if these symptoms remind you of yourself!

In fact, you’re in great company.

I, for one, have been right where you’re sitting.

No, you’re not undisciplined, lazy, or any of those other terrible terms you may have heard and absorbed over the years.

So you have some choices to make, right?

I suggest listening to your heart.

If you are thinking it’s worth looking into, do it.

If you are in a place (financially or location) where you can see a doctor as a first step, do that.

If they treat you like you’re making stuff up, don’t listen to them.

Go see someone else.

If they tell you that you’re wrong because you’re too (fill in the blank), find someone else.

(As in, “You’re too successful to have ADHD!”)

On the other hand, if none of that is currently feasible, I get that too.

Not everyone can get a diagnosis from a professional.

Health care, transportation, internet, finances, time, family obligations can all pose legitimate barriers.

For that reason, I believe self-diagnosis is valid.

I for one will always believe you when you tell me the experiences you're having and what it feels like.

How incredibly hard it is. I believe you.

Besides seeing a professional you could also join online nd support communities.

We happen to have one especially designed for teachers!

Come on over!

You'll find us at teachwithnd.com/facebook

The thing is, being a neurodivergent teacher means creating a support system for yourself.

That way you can focus more of your energy on what you do best: educating your students.

They might not show it all the time. But they need you.

So now is the time to take care of you. Not just for them, but for you.

So here’s to feeling and doing your best — in and out of the classroom.

What questions do you have?

Be sure to drop them in the comments.

Did this post help you? Please consider sharing it with other educators who might need to see it, too.