Not just a childhood problem, ADHD can be the cause of serious trouble at home and at work.

Like millions of Americans, ADHD, often thought of as a childhood disorder, can have devastating consequences for adults. Is your mind always jumping all over the place? Do you feel like you have 11 movies going on in your mind, all at the same time? In addition to a lack of focus, symptoms including bursts of anger, difficulties finishing tasks, disorganization and impulsiveness can be so severe that they impair the performance at home, in social gatherings or at work.

ADHD is a developmental nerve disorder affecting the part of the brain associated with impulse control, organization and planning. Symptoms begin early in life and while many children outgrow them, up to 50% don't. Though ADHD is the most common psychological problem after depression, 75% of the estimated 8.8 million adult sufferers in the United States go their entire lives without being diagnosed. Left untreated, adult ADHD can wreak havoc. People with the disorder are eight times as likely as the general population to take dangerous risks and twice as likely to get into traffic wrecks; they are also more prone to alcohol and drug abuse.

Adults with ADHD are 50% more likely to be unemployed, and those who do have jobs earn about $15,000 a year less that others who are equally educated, according to a recent Harvard study. Adults with ADHD leave reports unfinished at work, surf the Internet more, lie about missing deadlines, and become defensive. They often spend money on items not needed, break promises, scream at their children and have meltdowns over little things.

Spouses may feel like they don't have a partner. It is more like they have another child. Like many adults who get assistance, you can lead a productive and satisfying life. They key is to get a proper diagnosis. Symptoms of ADHD may resemble those of anxiety, bipolar disorder, and depression, so it is important to see a mental health professional experienced in diagnosing and treating the condition. Heredity can be a tip-off as well. When a child has the disorder there is a 40% chance that one of the parents have it as well. Treatment may involve cognitive therapy, drugs or both. Therapy can help spouses form a stronger bond.

Oftentimes the spouse with ADHD loses focus when the two of them are talking. One spouse may feel hurt, as if they are not being listened to. It takes effort to pay attention and stay on track. The key to dealing with the disorder is for the person to learn to harness the chaos and confusion. Think of the brain as an orchestra. The musicians are talented, and you need to find mechanisms to help make the conductor a little more stable.

In adults with ADHD, these symptoms are so severe that they get in the way of daily life:

• Difficulty completing tasks
• Disorganization
   
• Hot temper
• Mood swings
• Restlessness
   
• Trouble concentrating
   
• Trouble coping with stress
   
• Unstable relationships
   

**Dr. Lenard Adler, director of the adult ADHD program at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City

** Mary Solanto, director of the ADHD Center at Mount Sinai Medical Center

** Sari Solden, psychotherapist in Ann Arbor, Michigan

How can I help my adult daughter get health insurance coverage?
Under the new federal health-reform law, your child will probably be eligible for dependent coverage through your employer's health plan until age 26 when she does not qualify for other health insurance. She doesn't have to love with you, be a student, or be your financial dependent to qualify, however the coverage cannot include her spouse or children. When your employer already subsidizes dependant coverage through its health insurance plan, it must do the same or your adult child. If your child has already turned 26, she still might be covered by your employer's plan. In many states, group plans sold by insurers must offer coverage to adult children - sometimes through age 30. However states typically have narrower eligibility rules than federal law does. In some states, for example, a child as old as 29 must be unmarried, a state resident and have no other access to coverage. States laws do not usually require that employers subsidize this coverage, so you typically have to pay the full cost. For a consumer guide to coverage in your state, go to healthinsuranceinfo.net.

May I claim my adult child as a dependent?
You can when he or she meets the IRS definition of a qualifying child - which gets you a $3,650 exemption.

Who is a qualifying child?   They must live with you for more than half the year.

As for age, there are three possibilities: (1) under 19; (2) under 24 and a full-time student for at least five months of the year; (3) any age when permanently disabled. The child must provide no more than half of her or his total annual support.

My daughter wants me to cosign a loan for her as well as a credit card.  Is this risky?
Yes. This is too risky for you. A co-signed loan or credit card appears as your outstanding debt on your credit report, which could hurt your credit score and then your ability to borrow.

Being held responsible for your daughter's debt could damage your credit rating even more if she ends up making late payments. And if your daughter were to default on the loan altogether, the lender would come after you and your assets.

My adult son has moved back home. Do I need to charge him rent?
That depends, in my opinion. You might charge rent when he can afford it and you want him to learn to support himself.

Forgo rent when he cannot swing it or when you want him to save money. A compromise: Charge your son rent now, save that money, and decide later - when he moves out - whether you want to return all or some of it. You will need to declare any rent you keep as income on your tax return.

Which is better: giving money to my adult child or lending it?
Most experts recommend making gifts rather than loans.

Collecting unpaid debts from your adult child can hurt your relationship with them. However, be sure to document a gift with a letter. When your gifts to one person exceed $13,000 in one year, you must file a gift-tax return.

You probably won't however, owe taxes.

You can give up to $1 million over your lifetime without incurring a gift tax. If you really want to lend them the money, draw up a document stating the repayment terms and any interest rates.

You do not have to charge interest; however, when you lend more than $10,000, the IRS will treat the loan as interest paying, even when you don't charge interest.

Then you may be taxed on what is called imputed or phantom interest income - the amount that would be charged on a market-rate loan. So don't make a five-digit loan without talking to a tax accountant.

 

Saving Teens In Crisis Collaborative (STICC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization formed in April of 2004 to assist troubled teens and their families struggling with substance abuse and other emotional issue .

On December 4, 2010, endurance athletes Will Laughlin of Boulder, CO, and Roman Urbina of San Jose, Costa Rica, will begin a 261 mile run across Costa Rica to raise funds for Nut-rients Foundation's efforts to fight global childhood malnutrition

Vive supports young people and their families who find themselves struggling with a difficult transition or life event, or who are experiencing mild to moderate emotional issues