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ADHD Assessment For Adults - What to Expect
Your primary care physician or a support group for adults with ADHD can suggest a qualified health care professional who performs these tests. You can also look up the online directory of your health insurance plan to find specialists.
A typical assessment takes between one and three hours. The test starts with a detailed interview about your family's history, work and your personal life.
What to Expect
If you think you or someone in your family could be suffering from ADHD It is essential to first take the first step and visit a doctor. Your GP may ask you about your symptoms and inquire about your family history, but they will not be able to diagnose ADHD. Instead, they will need to refer you to a mental health specialist usually a psychologist for an ADHD evaluation.
The initial assessment may take several hours. In this assessment the clinician will ask you a series specific questions about your behavior in the present and in the past. The doctor will also inquire you about your past and present relationships. The interview will determine if you meet the ADHD criteria as defined by the Psychiatric Diagnostic Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association.
To be able to be diagnosed with ADHD, you will have be able to prove that your symptoms cause impairment in at minimum two settings in your daily life. This could be at the workplace, at home or in your social life. Examples of impairment could include being unable to keep working or having difficulty maintaining a healthy relationship or having financial issues due to impulsive purchases.
Based on the circumstances, your clinician may also conduct psychological or neuropsychological tests. These tests are not able to diagnose ADHD however they can provide valuable information regarding how ADHD affects your life. These tests can also be used to rule out other comorbid conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Before or during the assessment your GP will have to conduct a physical examination and collect your medical history. This will allow them to rule out any other medical problems which could be responsible for your symptoms, like thyroid or seizure disorders. They should also be aware of any prior medical or psychiatric diagnosis you have had, as some of these can appear similar to ADHD and could have been misdiagnosed.
During the Evaluation
An ADHD assessment is a discussion with an expert in mental health and can also include questionnaires that the patient has to fill out. It could also involve an interview with a family member or significant other. This is beneficial in that the person might not be aware that their symptoms are causing problems for others. It could also help the evaluator identify any comorbid mental health conditions that need to be addressed through treatment.
Adults can find it intimidating to be diagnosed with ADHD, especially when they are older and have a lot of responsibility. A diagnosis can improve your life significantly. A diagnosis helps you understand that the lack of attention or hyperactivity are not a personal failing or due to lack of effort, but that there is an underlying neurological issue that causes them.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child must have symptomatic behavior in at minimum two environments (home school, work,) that cause significant impairment. These symptoms must be present since the early years of childhood and cannot be explained by other disorder.
A physical exam is usually suggested as part of the examination, since some medical ailments (such as seizures and thyroid issues) can cause symptoms that are similar to ADHD. The physical exam allows the examiner to rule out other conditions that could be causing the symptoms.
The evaluator will review the patient's medical history and the psychiatric symptoms. The evaluator will also talk about the person's personal situation and determine how symptoms affect daily functioning. It is often beneficial for the evaluator to speak to those who know the patient well, such as relatives or coworkers.
The evaluator will use the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), Fifth Edition to arrive at a diagnose. They will ask the person to explain the symptoms they experience in detail, as well as the ways they affect their ability to function. They will also look at whether there any mental health issues that need to be treated like depression or anxiety.
During the Follow-Up
After the ADHD evaluation is completed the treatment plan can be developed. In most cases, this will involve both medication and psychotherapy. It may take a while to determine the proper dosage for medication or to observe results from therapy. The most important thing you can do is keep on the course of treatment. During one-on-one sessions, it is important to be honest and open with your psychiatrist. This will ensure you receive the best possible care.
Before you meet with your psychiatrist, you will be asked to fill out the pre-screening questionnaires. These are available on your portal's dashboard and should be completed in advance of your appointment. This will speed up the duration of your appointment and will ensure that you meet your evaluator as fast as possible.
The evaluation will include a physical examination and examine your medical history during the first in-person session. This could include vision or hearing screening depending on the patient. This is to rule out medical reasons for the presenting symptoms.
The next step is a detailed interview, which can last from one to three hour. The patient can discuss their symptoms with the evaluator, in depth and describe how the symptoms affect their daily life. The evaluator will inquire into a wide variety of issues, such as relationships and work, school, sleep patterns, and eating habits. The evaluator might also wish to interview other people in the patient's life, such as spouses, parents siblings, teachers, coaches, and daycare providers. This provides information that cannot be gathered from self-report questionnaires. It also helps the evaluator to confirm the presence of ADHD symptoms and determine their severity and extent of their impact on functioning.
The evaluator performs an examination to look at different aspects of the condition, including inattention, restlessness, and impulse control. The examiner will also ask questions about how the symptoms present in different settings and under various stressors, because ADHD may appear differently in different settings.
After the Evaluation
Your doctor will take notes as you describe your symptoms and respond to questions. The assessment can last from one to three hours and could include multiple appointments or questionnaires. You will be asked to provide some medical information, like the family history of health issues and the current medications you are taking. adhd assessment in adults will help the evaluator determine if your symptoms could be due to something else.
You may have to fill out ADHD rating scales or behavioral questionnaires. The evaluator will also go over your medical history and do a physical exam. It is important to rule out other medical conditions, like thyroid problems or seizure disorders, that can mimic the symptoms of ADHD.
adhd assessment in adults might also talk to people who know you, like teachers and colleagues. These interviews will enable the evaluator to understand how your symptoms affect your work or school. It is important to be open about your symptoms and how they impact your family and friends.
Once the evaluator has gathered all of this information and gathered all the data, they will write the report for you. They will describe their findings and suggest a diagnosis. If they decide that you suffer from ADHD, they will speak to you about ongoing treatment and support. If they don't discover that you are suffering from ADHD they will talk to your about any other psychiatric issues and suggest ways to assist.
The process of obtaining an ADHD evaluation can be difficult and scary, especially as an adult. It can be particularly challenging if you have been denied an assessment in the past, because many medical professionals have preconceived ideas about what ADHD looks like.
It's not too late to take an ADHD assessment. If you've been struggling for a long time, a diagnosis can give you the information and confidence that you're in need of treatment. It can also help improve relationships with family members. You can find out more about the symptoms and signs of ADHD on our website and download an official support letter from ADHD UK to present to your GP.