ADHD Assessment For Adults
If you think you or your child has ADHD the first step is to obtain an assessment. The clinician will ask you questions regarding your health, development and family history. They might also ask your family members, friends, or your teachers to help them get a better picture of your symptoms.
The evaluator will ask you to rate your symptoms on scales of rating. You must answer honestly to get the most precise results.
Diagnosis
Mental health professionals will examine the symptoms and their impact on the person's daily life to diagnose ADHD. They will ask the individual about their experiences since childhood as well as their school and work experiences. They may also use standardized questionnaires and scales to determine whether ADHD symptoms are present. They also talk to family members, friends, and others who are familiar with the person.
A thorough evaluation of ADHD can take between one and three hours. It is essential for the patient to be prepared with a list containing symptoms and their effects on their lives. It is also important to bring a medical background, including any other health conditions. You should also consult your insurance company to determine whether ADHD tests are covered.
The patient must be honest and forthcoming when completing the assessment. The doctor may request permission to interview other people, such as the spouse or a close friend of the individual, to get a complete picture of their experiences. They may also ask for their permission to speak with the person's parents or teachers to learn more about their childhood experiences and how they behave.
Adults can suffer from ADHD but they cannot be diagnosed if they did not exhibit signs as a young person (technically prior to the age of 12). This is because ADHD does not always go away. It is essential that the clinician understands how the symptoms impact the patient's life and what situations they occur.
ADHD is diagnosed when the symptoms are so severe that they hinder the performance of an individual in at least two different areas of their lives, such as school and home. The symptoms must result in the impairment to persist regardless of efforts made by the person to overcome them. Consult your doctor if you suspect that you may have ADHD. You can also reach out to those who suffer from ADHD and speak to them about your symptoms. They may have some suggestions and advice to help you manage your ADHD more effectively.
Treatment
A thorough ADHD assessment can range between one and three hours. It is essential that the person receiving the evaluation takes the time to fully answer any questions and provide the doctor. The examiner will inquire about the patient's development, medical and psychiatric history. The evaluator may also ask other people to be interviewed like teachers, family members, and other healthcare providers.
In the course of the evaluation, the evaluator will ask whether the patient has been having issues at school or at work. The therapist will also take into consideration how the symptoms of ADHD affect the person's daily life at home as well as in relationships.
Depending on adult adhd assessments of the initial assessment the evaluator could recommend further testing. This test is intended to detect other conditions such as learning disorders and personality disorders that might have similar symptoms as ADHD. In addition, the evaluator will test for seizure and thyroid disorders.
Many people who are screened for ADHD are also suffering from mental health problems like anxiety and depression. In these instances the examiner will discuss options for psychotherapy. In general, this will involve cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), designed to encourage self-mediation and control strategies. CBT can be provided in a single session or in a group setting.
Some experts believe that people with ADHD should receive psychotherapy along with medication. The majority of research indicates that ADHD is best treated using medication alone. It is essential to conduct a comprehensive ADHD assessment to determine the most effective treatment plan for each person.
If you're interested in having an ADHD evaluation, check with your insurer to see whether it has specialists for ADHD diagnosis. You may also request an appointment with your family physician. Another option is to reach out to your local chapter of CHADD or a mental health professional association, for names of specialists in your area who specialize in ADHD. You can also get referrals from support groups, such as those for those suffering from depression or bipolar disorder.
Counseling
A good mental health professional will discuss with you in detail about the issues you are experiencing, as well as the methods you have tried to solve them. She will inquire about your family and professional life, as well as other issues such as alcohol or drug abuse as well as emotional traumas. You may also wish to interview close family members like your spouse, a important person, or a coach or teacher who has known you since childhood, to gain their perspective on your current situation as well as in the past. This is especially important for adults whose memories of past behavior may be distorted by ADHD symptoms.
You may need to have additional tests done depending on your situation in order to rule out other causes that could be causing your problems. This might include cognitive testing to identify learning or intellectual impairments; medical tests such as for thyroid disorders or seizure disorder that can trigger symptoms that are similar to ADHD; and psychological counseling (psychotherapy) to help you deal with emotions like depression or feelings of failure, which can intensify or cover up your ADHD symptoms.
Psychotherapy can be a useful tool for ADHD adults, since it helps you manage the effects of ADHD at work and home. It will help you improve your organization skills and develop strategies to improve your concentration as well as impulse control and executive function. It can also improve your relationship with others and decrease your stress.
There are many mobile and online services that can assist you to locate a therapist that specializes in adult ADHD. These services allow you to select from a list of licensed providers, which includes social workers and psychiatric nurses, who are rated by their patients as excellent, very good or excellent. They can assist you in creating the perfect schedule that suits your budget and lifestyle.
The American Psychiatric Association provides clinical guidelines for determining ADHD in the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In the course of assessing you doctors will evaluate your symptoms with those described in this manual to determine whether or not you have ADHD. A diagnosis requires symptoms in two or more settings, such as at school or at work; the symptoms are persistent and debilitating; they started in childhood and can't be explained by another mental health issue or medical condition such as depression or anxiety.
Support
Many adults find the notion of ADHD stigmatizing and dismiss symptoms as being a "normal" part of life. They will delay seeking treatment because they don't want to admit to having trouble keeping track of their tasks and being organized or meeting deadlines. A thorough assessment by an expert in mental health or health care professional is usually the first step in treatment. This process examines the person's mood and medical history as well as how the symptoms affect work, relationships with family and friends, and other aspects of everyday life.
A complete ADHD assessment may take several hours. The most crucial part of the assessment is an in-depth interview. The examiner will use standard questions to ensure all symptoms are addressed, and then compares them to the ADHD diagnostic criteria. The examiner also reviews old school report cards as well as questionnaires, and if available, brain imaging.
The report will help identify the presence of comorbidity. If the patient has anxiety or depression symptoms, they can often be a part of ADHD. The report will also reveal other factors that contribute to a person's difficulties such as medical conditions, learning disabilities and stress.
If a diagnosis is given to ADHD The next step would be to locate a therapist or psychiatrist with experience who can treat this disorder. Check with your insurance provider to find out whether they will cover professionals who are experts in treating ADHD. If they do not, the patient must seek referrals from patients who have been treated successfully and ask for recommendations from local support groups.
One great source of support is CHADD, a national organization that has chapters throughout the U.S. Their website has a wealth of information on ADHD as well as lists of professionals who have been certified to treat the disorder. It is also worth looking into social media websites, such as Facebook where there are numerous groups for people with ADHD. Be sure to check whether the group is an enterprise for profit before you join.