There are many secondary symptoms of ADHD that occur in almost all kids and adults who have the disorder. Disorganization is one symptom that can be highly problematic in school, the professional work place and at home. All individuals with ADD, including hyperactive and inattentive, have trouble with disorganization. Keeping track of paperwork, organizing one's desk and keeping things clean at home is a monumental task for ADDers. Because their minds are so often thinking about multiple things at once, it is difficult to slow down enough to realize what needs to be done. Also, routine and every day tasks are very difficult for ADD clients to attend to. Their attention goes out the window once it becomes mundane and routine.



Along with disorganization, individuals have the inability to plan. The two symptoms go hand and hand. If you are disorganized on a regular basis, planning ahead is just not possible. You are living from crisis to crisis, from one problem to the next. Many individuals with undiagnosed ADD are doing just that. The conflict provides stimulation, but does not provide any chance for growth. Also, people with ADD have a strong tendency to change plans even from day to day. What seems interesting one day may not the next, or the planning that may be involved to make something happen is just too much for the person. When it comes down to the details, it is very hard for someone with ADD to continue attending.

Another secondary symptom of ADHD is difficulty in controlling emotions. This is most likely causes by the fact that people with ADHD get overstimulated very easily. Because they cannot filter out the stimuli around them, individuals with ADHD become bombarded quickly and do not know what to do. Things become disorienting, and the first thing that goes is the ability to control one's emotions.

People with ADD also have difficulties in moving from one activity to the next. This can actually be a good and a bad quality. Many people with ADHD have the ability to hyperfocus, or focus for long periods of time on subjects and projects they enjoy. This can be very helpful in some careers, but not so helpful in other areas of one's life. If you are involved with something you enjoy, but you have to go do some other type of chore or responsibility, this is a negative thing. The ADDer will not want to stop what their doing, and will have trouble doing so.

Time management is another issue that almost all individuals with ADD have. They do not experience the same as regular people, and so keeping track of it is difficult. People with ADD often underestimate how long something will take, and not leave enough time for something else. Also, individuals with ADHD tend to be chronically late.