ADHD Assessment For Adults - What to Expect
You can request an appointment from your primary care doctor or an adult support group with ADHD to an experienced health professional who is certified to conduct these evaluations. You can also search the directory online of your health insurance plan for specialists.
A typical assessment takes between one and three hours. The assessment begins with a detailed discussion about your family's history, your work and your personal life.
What to Expect
It is important to see a doctor if you suspect you or someone else in your family has ADHD. Your GP might ask about your symptoms and ask about your family history, but they will not be able to diagnose ADHD. They will refer you to a mental specialist, usually a psychologist, to determine the severity of your ADHD.
The initial assessment may take several hours. During this interview the doctor will ask you a series of standard questions regarding your present and past behavior. The doctor will also inquire you about your current and past relationships. The goal of the interview is to determine whether you meet the criteria for ADHD as defined by the Psychiatric Diagnostic Manual (DSM) published by the American Psychiatric Association.
To be able to be diagnosed as having ADHD You will need to show that your symptoms cause significant impairment in at minimum two settings in your life. This could be at home, at work or in your social life. A few examples of impairment are being unable to keep working or maintaining a healthy relationship, or having financial issues due to impulse purchases.
Depending on the situation, your doctor will also likely carry out certain neuropsychological or psychological tests. These tests do not diagnose ADHD but they can provide valuable information about how ADHD impacts your life. These tests can also be used to rule out other comorbidities like depression and anxiety.
Before or during the exam your GP will have to perform a physical exam and collect your medical history. This will allow them to determine if there are any other medical conditions that may be causing symptoms, like seizures or thyroid disorders. They will need to know about any prior mental or medical diagnosis, as some can look like ADHD.
During the Evaluation
A conversation with a healthcare professional may include questionnaires that patients must complete. dig this could include an interview with family members or significant others. This is helpful since the person may not realize how often their symptoms cause problems for others. It can also help the evaluator identify any mental health issues that need to be addressed through treatment.
Adults may be frightened to be diagnosed with ADHD especially when they are older and have a lot of responsibility. However, getting a diagnosis as an adult is not only feasible, but can greatly improve your quality of life. A diagnosis helps you realize that the lack of attention and hyperactivity are not due to a personal issue or a result of lack of effort, but there is a neurological condition causing them.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child must have symptomatic behavior in at minimum two environments (home, school, work) that causes major impairment. Several of these symptoms should have been present since childhood, and they can't be explained by another disorder.
As part of the evaluation process, a physical exam is generally recommended. Some medical conditions (such seizure disorders and thyroid problems) disorders), can cause symptoms similar to ADHD. The physical exam helps the examiner to rule out other illnesses that could be responsible for the symptoms.
The evaluator will review the patient's medical history and mental health symptoms. The evaluator will also discuss a person's life situation, and determine how symptoms affect daily functioning. It is usually helpful for an evaluator if they talk to people who are familiar with the patient, such as friends or family members.
The evaluator will use the criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth Edition, to make diagnosis. They will ask the patient to describe the symptoms they experience in detail, and also the ways they affect their ability to function. They will also determine if there are any mental health conditions that need treatment, like depression or anxiety.
During the Follow-Up
After the ADHD assessment is completed the treatment plan can be developed. Most often, this will comprise psychotherapy and medication. It can take time to determine the correct dosage for medication or to observe the results of therapy. The most important thing you can do is stick with the treatment. In one-on-one sessions, it's important to be honest and transparent with your psychiatrist. This will help ensure that you receive the best care that you can get.
Before meeting with the psychiatrist Before meeting with the psychiatrist, you will be asked to fill in an array of pre-screening questions. These are available on your portal's dashboard. Please fill them out before your appointment. This will help to reduce the length of your consultation and ensure that your evaluator can meet with you as quickly as possible.
In the initial session in person, the evaluator will review your medical history and conduct a physical exam. This could include hearing or vision screening depending on the patient. This is done to rule out medical causes of the symptoms.
The next step is a detailed interview that could last anywhere between one and three hours. This is a chance for the patient to discuss their health issues in detail with the evaluator and discuss how they affect their daily functioning. The evaluator may ask about a variety of topics including relationships, work, school, sleep patterns and eating habits. The evaluator could also decide to speak with other people in the patient's life, such as spouses, parents, siblings, teachers, coaches, and daycare providers. This information is not available from self-reporting questionnaires. It assists the evaluator confirm the presence of ADHD, and determine the severity and extent of the impairment it causes to functioning.
The evaluator then performs an examination to look at different aspects of the condition, like inattention, restlessness, and impulse control. The evaluator will also ask questions about how symptoms present in different settings and under various stressors, as ADHD can appear differently in different circumstances.
After the Evaluation
Your doctor will take notes as you describe your symptoms and respond to questions. The evaluation could last up to three hours, and may involve multiple visits or questionnaires. You may also be asked to provide some medical information, like your family history of health problems and the current medications you are taking. This will assist the evaluator determine if your symptoms could be due to something else.
You may be required to fill out ADHD ratings scales or behavioral questions. The evaluator may also review your medical history and conduct a physical exam. It is essential to rule out other medical conditions that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms, for example thyroid disorders or seizure disorder.
The evaluator may also speak to people who are familiar with you, including teachers and colleagues. These interviews will help the evaluator better understanding of the impact of your symptoms on you at work or school. It is essential to be honest about your symptoms and how they affect your family and friends.
After the evaluator has collected all of this information and gathered all the data, they will write a report for you. They will present the findings and provide a possible diagnosis. If they conclude that you are suffering from ADHD they will speak to you about ongoing treatment and support. If they don't discover that you have ADHD they will talk about other problems with psychiatry and suggest ways to help.
The process of obtaining an ADHD assessment can be a bit difficult and scary, especially as an adult. It can be particularly challenging to get an assessment in the past due to the fact that many medical professionals have preconceived ideas about what ADHD is like.
It is never too late for an ADHD assessment. If you've been struggling for a long time the diagnosis could give you the information and confidence you need to seek treatment. It can also help to strengthen relationships with your family members. You can find more information about the signs and symptoms of ADHD on our website and download a support letter from ADHD UK to present to your GP.