ADD & ADHD Health Center

ADHD and Risky Behavior in Adults

New Start

Amanda is looking to the future, too. “When I started on medication, my parents saw the change in me,” she says.

With ADHD medication, her focus and organization have improved, she says. After her morning dose kicks in, “I literally pop out of bed and I'm ready to go. I’m ready to start my day and get my tasks completed,” she says -- whether it’s doing laundry, hitting the gym, feeding a friend’s cat, or getting ready for work.

Although she has faced struggles and setbacks, she’s pleased that her life has finally turned in the right direction, she says. After a succession of jobs -- veterinary technician, mortgage processor, club promoter, massage therapist -- Amanda is now steadily employed at a restaurant.

Soon, she’ll move out of her parents’ house, but she’ll still have some structure. She’s moving in with a 54-year-old family friend who will hold her to “rules of the house,” she says.

Now that she’s better able to control her impulsivity, Amanda no longer binge-drinks or seeks hookups in bars, she says. “After that pregnancy, I can’t binge drink. I can’t be that risky anymore, and I don’t ever want to go through that again.”

Recently, she tried a new approach: She joined an online dating service. “What came out of all this is that I finally realized that I do want a relationship,’ she says. “I do want to be with just one person.”