How ADHD affects your personality

River D'Almeida, Ph.D
The Reading Frame
Published in
3 min readApr 3, 2024

--

What the research says, and how to manage an adult ADHD diagnosis

Photo by Uday Mittal on Unsplash

So you, or someone close to you, has recently received a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Maybe it comes as a surprise, or perhaps it’s something you’ve suspected for a while.

Either way, navigating life with ADHD can feel like embarking on a journey into the unknown. But fear not, because recent research is shedding new light on the intricate relationship between ADHD and personality, offering insights that could help you better understand and manage your condition.

ADHD is not just a childhood condition. While it’s often associated with rambunctious kids bouncing off the walls, it can persist into adulthood, affecting various aspects of life, from work to relationships. And that’s where personality comes into play.

Research suggests that ADHD symptoms can continue into adulthood, affecting around 30–50% of individuals who had the condition as children.

Understanding the Link: ADHD and Personality

Traditional wisdom has largely focused on two key personality traits in relation to ADHD: extraversion and neuroticism. Extraversion, characterized by seeking external stimulation, and neuroticism, associated with emotional instability, have…

--

--

River D'Almeida, Ph.D
The Reading Frame

Follow me for bite-sized stories on the latest discoveries and innovations in biomedical research.