TABLE 2.

Summary of results.

Adult diagnosis		Process of being diagnosed was laborious and initial misdiagnosis was frequent.
		Diagnosis commonly caused feelings of relief as well as identity changes including self-acceptance and emotional turmoil.
		Participants wished they had been diagnosed sooner in life.
Symptomatology of ADHD	Inattention	Attention was influenced by the environment and interest in the present task; participants did not experience a pervasive deficit of attention.
	Impulsivity	Resulted in risk-taking and impulsive speech.
	Hyperactivity	Less commonly reported; usually inner feelings of restlessness as opposed to physical hyperactivity.
	Chaos	Internal feelings of chaos as well as disorganized lives were common.
	Structure	Decreased structure in adulthood was difficult to manage.
	Emotions	Participants experienced emotional dysregulation, unpleasant emotions, and difficulty recognizing emotions.
	Positive aspects of ADHD	ADHD was seen as promoting spontaneity, creativity, energy, and resilience.
Adapting to symptoms	Coping skills	Organization strategies, environmental modifications, physical activity, and awareness of diagnosis were seen as helpful.
	Medications	Stimulants helped with achieving goals and increasing productivity.
		Adverse effects included difficulties socializing, somatic effects, changes in emotion, and rebound symptoms.
	Outside support	Workplace and school accommodations were helpful.
		Individual therapy such as CBT was seen as helpful, although it needed to be more tailored to ADHD.
		Support groups were desired to help build community and learn coping skills.
Substance use	Reasons for substance use	Self-medication and impulsive decision-making contributed to substance use.
	Quitting	Although a difficult process, quality of life improved after discontinuing substances.
	Stimulants and other substances	Stimulants were seen as both a protective factor against substance use and as increasing risk of substance use by different participants.
Perceptions of self and diagnosis	Self-esteem	Low self-esteem due to external pressures was common, although self-esteem often improved in adulthood.
	Views of ADHD	Some viewed ADHD as a difference instead of a disability; others found the diagnosis limiting.
		There were mixed opinions regarding whether participants wished ADHD could be cured.
Interactions with society	Relationships with others	Participants struggled with interpersonal relationships and feeling different from others.
	Outside perceptions of ADHD	Stigma about the legitimacy of adult ADHD was common; many did not disclose their diagnosis to others.
	Societal expectations	Failure to keep up with activities of daily living resulted in low self-esteem.
	Education and occupation	Underachievement was widespread; medications, accommodations, and tailoring tasks to personal interests were seen as helpful.
	Accessing services	Receiving medications, counseling, and appointments were difficult to navigate and often required self-advocacy.