ADHD in adults began to be studied from the early 1970s and research has increased as worldwide interest in the condition has grown.In the 1970s researchers began to realize that the condition now known as ADHD did not always disappear in adolescence, as was once thought. The expansion of the definition for ADHD beyond only being a condition experienced by children was mainly accomplished by refocusing the diagnosis on inattention instead of hyperactivity. At about the same time, some of the symptoms were also noted in many parents of the children under treatment. Society and culture
ADHD in adults, as with children, is recognized as an impairment that may constitute a disability under U.S. federal disability nondiscrimination laws, including such laws as the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA, 2008 revision), if the disorder substantially limits one or more of an individuals major life activities. For adults whose ADHD does constitute a disability, workplaces have a duty to provide reasonable accommodations, and educational institutions have a duty to provide appropriate academic adjustments or modifications, to help the individual work more efficiently and productively.In a 2004 study it was estimated that the yearly income discrepancy for adults with ADHD was $10,791 less per year than high school graduate counterparts and $4,334 lower for college graduate counterparts. The study estimates a total loss in productivity in the United States of over US$77 billion.
Adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is the neurological condition of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in adults. About one-third to two-thirds of children with symptoms from early childhood continue to demonstrate ADHD symptoms throughout life. : 44 Three types of ADHD are identified in the DSM-5 as:

Predominantly Inattentive Type (ADHD-PI or ADHD-I)
Predominantly Hyperactive or Hyperactive-Impulsive Type (ADHD-PH or ADHD-HI)
Combined Type (ADHD-C)In later life, the hyperactive/impulsive subtype manifests less frequently. : 44  The hyperactivity symptoms tend to turn more into "inner restlessness", starting in adolescence and carrying on in adulthood.Adult ADHD is typically marked by inattention and hyperfocus, hyperactivity (often internalised as restlessness), emotional dysregulation, and excessive mind wandering. Specifically, adults with ADHD present with persistent difficulties in following directions, remembering information, concentrating, organizing tasks, completing work within specified time frames and appearing timely in appointments. These difficulties affect several different areas of an ADHD adults life, causing emotional, social, vocational, marital, legal, financial and/or academic problems.Diagnosis follows one or several psychiatric assessment which may include examination of personal history, observational evidence from family members or friends, academic reports, often going back to school years, as well as evaluation to diagnose additional possible conditions which often coexist with ADHD, called comorbidities or comorbid disorders. The condition often runs in families, and while its exact causes are not fully known, genetic or environmental factors are understood to play a part. ADHD often - but not always - is a childhood-onset condition.