Basic Information More Information Tests Latest News Questions and Answers Videos How to Select the Best School Accommodations for Your Child with ADHD How to Manage ADHD and Anxiety What You Need to Know about Students with ADHD and Anxiety ADHD and Eating Tourette Syndrome and ADHD Nutrition in Support of ADHD Treatment Behavioral Therapy: What it is and finding a therapist Project-Based Learning and ADHD Conditions May Mimic ADHD Department of Education Guidance Broadens Understanding of 504 Rights for Kids with ADHD Part I Treating ADHD in the African American Community How to Build Self-Motivation in Teens with ADHD Goal Setting and Keeping for the ADHD Brain Neurofeedback Treatment for ADHD ADHD in Preschoolers: What to Look For and How to Help FYI on ADHD Evaluations Teaching Grit, Perseverance and Frustration Tolerance to Students with ADHD Does my Child Have ADHD? How to Start Eating Well When You Have ADHD 5 Solutions for Common ADHD Social Struggles Is My High School Student Ready for College? (And Is My College Student Ready to Go Back?) Understanding and Applying the Science of Time Management Improve Homework Time with Strategies That Work For ADHD Student Voices: What Really Matters to Young Adults With Learning and Attention Issues 5 Ways Nutrition can Impact ADHD Symptoms 3 Tips for Adjusting to a New Diagnosis of ADHD Creating the Best Learning Environment for Students with ADHD ADHD & Executive Functioning Department of Education Guidance Broadens Understanding of 504 Rights for Kids with ADHD Part II The Choice is in the Details: Medication Options for ADHD Couples with ADHD: Creating Caring Connection amid the Chaos Disclosure and Workplace Accommodations for Individuals With ADHD A Summer At Camp Self-Advocacy Tips For Teens With ADHD ADHD: Signs, Symptoms, Research ADHD & Risk of Adult Drug Use Health and Life Expectancy in ADHD Focus on ADHD Pediatrics: ADHD and Food Allergies ADHD Treatment ADHD: It's a Family Affair Does Your Child Have ADHD? ADHD in Children Living with ADHD Rise in ADHD Cases in Children Why is Dating Difficult When You Have ADHD Video Games, Screens, and ADHD A Potent Mix Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Ask the Expert Educator Edition: ADHD & Executive Functioning Ask the Expert - Academic Evaluations - What Parents Need to Know ADHD and Sibling Relationships Medication Treatment for ADHD Using Time Out Treating Childhood ADHD ADHD-friendly Summer Family FUNdamentals Preparing Older Teens for the Road Ahead Tips for Teachers: Tailoring homework to make a difference Your Active Preschooler: Could it be ADHD? A Pattern of Struggles: ADHD and the Older Adult Tips for Teachers: Creating a positive dialogue with parents of students with ADHD Helping Parents & Kids Understand the Social & Emotional Aspects of ADHD Social and Emotional Concerns of Children with ADHD: Strategies to Help Holiday Gifts for Children with ADHD Behavior Management and Combined Treatment for Children with ADHD Setting Realistic School Expectations for Students with ADHD On Their Own: Helping College Students with ADHD Children's Communication Challenges: Is it Attention, Language or Both? Out-of-School: Parenting During the Summer ADHD in the Workplace: Finding Success Emotions and Motivation in ADHD The Role of Medication in Managing Children's ADHD Symptoms Top Tips for Combating Stigma and Addressing Myths about ADHD Facts and Myths about ADHD What To Do If Your Child Has ADHD? How Common is ADHD? Children, Meds, and Heart Safety: A Tale of ADHD and Public Health ADHD & Your Child’s Transition to College Your Teen with ADHD: Challenges and Strategies for Success Ask the Expert - No more homework battles A Frontline to ADHD Understanding Girls with ADHD What is ADHD? What To Do When Your Child With ADHD is Bullied Stop the Chaos! Tips for Creating a Peaceful Household When Mom has ADHD Is It ADHD? Ask the Expert - What else can I do? Complementary approaches to ADHD treatment All in a row: Getting your kids with ADHD organized Your Student With ADHD Was Admitted to College, Now what? Evidence-based treatment for ADHD in young children Home life when Mom or Dad has ADHD: Succeeding with your family How does technology affect ADHD? Diagnosing ADHD Helping Your Child Successfully Handle Change Recognizing challenging behaviors in young children: Could it be ADHD? Classroom Managment Supports for ADHD Behaviors in Preschool Settings Getting through to your teenager with ADHD What Everyone Should Know about ADHD Make Learning Exciting: Apps for Executive Functioning Teenagers, ADHD, and Substance Abuse Past Procrastination -- Get Your Kids Organized, Focused and Motivated Ask the Expert: Late, Lost, and Unprepared: How to Help Your Child with Executive Functioning Links Book Reviews
Prognosis and Long-term Outcomes Margaret V. Austin, Ph.D., edited by C. E. Zupanick, Psy.D. ADHD is a disorder without a cure. As such, ADHD can have a serious and long-lasting impact on a person's life. This means that for most people ADHD symptoms will never completely go away. When people learn to manage their symptoms effectively the quality of their life improves. This in turn leads to increased confidence and motivation to continue a healthy pathway toward a meaningful and fulfilling life.
Untreated ADHD is very disruptive to a person's day-to-day functioning. It can cause negative consequences at home, work, and school. As discussed previously, adults with untreated ADHD are more likely to develop a substance use disorder as they use legal and illegal drugs to control their symptoms. Likewise, untreated ADHD can lead to impulsive behaviors that may cause adults to run into trouble with the law.
If you wonder if you or a loved one might be an adult with untreated ADHD, arrange to go to a qualified professional to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Follow treatment recommendations closely. Work towards making important life changes and behavioral improvements.
