Getting Diagnosed With ADHD As an Adult

Adults who have difficulty in their professional or personal lives can benefit from diagnosing ADHD. A thorough assessment is required to make a diagnosis. This includes analyzing school records and questionnaires completed by caregivers and teachers.

It is not uncommon for adults to be diagnosed with ADHD. NIMH has suggestions on how to speak with your doctor about the condition.

Diagnosis

Being diagnosed with ADHD as an adult is usually the first step to gain control over the symptoms that cause havoc on a person's professional and personal lives. The first step is to talk with your GP or consult a mental health professional who has expertise in treating adults with ADHD. If your GP isn't familiar with ADHD, he or she could refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist to conduct an assessment.

A mental health professional will typically employ a six-question ADHD screener to determine if you have the condition. Then, the doctor will ask you questions about your symptoms and look at your medical history and family background to ensure that other medical conditions are not causing your ADHD-like symptoms.

Since people with ADHD tend to be unable to pay attention and are easily distracted, they frequently have trouble following instructions or listening in class or on the job. They tend to lose things essential to their tasks or activities, including tools, wallets, keys and wallets. They might also have difficulty staying focused while reading or listening to long speeches. Fidgeting, excessive talk or texting, or squirming, are other signs of adult ADHD.

When determining whether a person has adult ADHD it is essential to eliminate other conditions that may cause similar symptoms, such as anxiety, depression bipolar disorder, depression and abuse of substances. Stress and physical ailments like thyroid issues could be a source of symptoms similar to ADHD. In the DSM-5 professionals are now required to consider the severity of an individual's symptoms when determining if they are suffering from ADHD. Adult ADHD is classified as moderate, mild or severe.

Many people suffering from ADHD have a lifelong struggle without ever receiving a diagnosis because it's not obvious during childhood. For adults, being diagnosed can be a life-changing event because they can finally understand why they struggled in school and failed to attain their full potential at work or at home. They may feel guilty about being blamed for their struggles and could be devastated by missed opportunities that could have been if they were treated properly.

Treatment

The first step in getting treatment for adhd diagnosis adults as an adult is to visit a healthcare professional to get an assessment. This can be done in person or through a video call. Only psychiatrists, psychologists and specialist nurses are able to diagnose ADHD in the UK. The professional will ask about your medical history, including mental health issues that are present in the family. This is because a variety of emotional and physical conditions can trigger symptoms similar to those that occur in ADHD, and these must be addressed before an assessment is made.

The doctor will inquire about your work and lifestyle as well as how your symptoms impact your life. They will be particularly interested in whether or not you displayed signs of ADHD prior to the age of 12 years old. They may also want to interview people who were close to you as a child and ask them about their experiences.

A thorough medical history can aid the doctor in determining whether you require medications or other treatments. Certain medical conditions, like thyroid disorders, sleep apnea and lead poisoning can trigger ADHD symptoms. Adults who have an underlying history of anxiety or depression might require more careful assessment and treatment, as these conditions often coexist with ADHD.

If a doctor believes you require medication, he or she will prescribe the right medication. The kind of medication you will require will depend on the severity of your symptoms and getting diagnosed with adhd as an adult the way they impact your life. Stimulants, the most common medication prescribed for ADHD, are stimulants. They are not for everyone, and the first drug you try might not be effective or cause undesirable adverse negative effects. Your healthcare provider will be interested in knowing if you are taking any other medications, including over-the-counter drugs and supplements, as certain kinds of medications can interact with ADHD stimulants.

Counseling is a crucial element of the treatment process for adults suffering from ADHD. Individual therapy can help you cope with feelings of failure or underachievement that are often associated with untreated ADHD. It can help you learn to manage your anger, and improve your time management and organization skills.

It is crucial to find a healthcare professional that specializes in mental disorders. A psychiatrist or neurologist can diagnose and treat ADHD, but you might prefer to see an expert psychologist or therapist. These professionals are likely to be more knowledgeable about the challenges of treating adult ADHD and have experience helping other clients with similar struggles. You can check with your local mental health service or with ADDitude's directory to find a professional who is working with adults suffering from ADHD.

Medication

A diagnosis of ADHD is the first step in managing your symptoms and enhancing your life. If you're struggling to achieve your maximum potential in your work or in maintaining relationships, or are having trouble completing tasks at home then an ADHD diagnosis might be just what you need.

The first step to treat ADHD for adults is an extensive medical history review, including your symptoms. The psychiatrist or psychologist determines if you meet the criteria for ADHD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you must have at least five symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity that persist throughout most of your day and interfere with social, academic or professional functioning.

Adults with untreated ADHD are often afflicted with disorders such as anxiety and depression. Jaksa says that these disorders can worsen or cause symptoms of ADHD. He says that anxiety and frustration resulting from poor performance can lead to feelings of low self-esteem. "Getting diagnosed will help them understand the reasons behind their struggles. This could help reduce or eliminate their worries and help them concentrate more productively on areas where they excel," Jaksa states.

The most effective treatment for adults with ADHD is typically a combination of medication and behavior therapy. The stimulants help improve concentration, reduce impulsive behavior and aid in the process of organizing. In many instances these drugs can boost motivation and improve mood. People who take stimulants should be aware of potential negative effects, which could include insomnia and trouble with drinking or eating enough. The mood swings can also happen in some people who take stimulants for ADHD, and these are often difficult to manage.

Consult your physician about whether or not you're an eligible participant in clinical trials of new medications or treatments. These studies aid researchers in finding more effective ways to prevent, diagnose, or treat illnesses and conditions.

Counseling

If you are suffering from untreated ADHD it could cause many issues throughout your life. Your relationships, work and financial health could be negatively affected by procrastination and getting diagnosed with adhd as an adult poor time management, impulsive spending and other symptoms. Finding a diagnosis and seeking treatment is the first step to reduce the negative impact and regaining control over your life.

Many adults who are diagnosed with ADHD weren't diagnosed as children due to the fact that their families and teachers were not aware of the disorder or because they had mild symptoms that were not spotted. Some adults might have been able to manage their symptoms as children, but had difficulty with these issues in adulthood due the increased demands of work and family.

In order to be diagnosed with ADHD mental health professionals must find that your symptoms cause significant impairment in at least two areas of your life. In the event of an impairment, you could lose your job due to a deficit in focus and organization skills or being placed on academic probation at college because you are unable to study for tests.

Women are better at hiding symptoms than men. This makes it more difficult for them to receive a diagnosis. If you're suffering from ADHD symptoms that affect your life at work or at home you can accelerate the process of diagnosing by being open with your doctor. You may also be able to get reasonable accommodations under ADA laws as well as other workplace laws.

Regardless of the kind of ADHD you suffer from the mental health professional will want to determine if your symptoms started before age 12. They might ask you to speak with people who were close to you at the time, and may conduct a series of tests to assess your memory and attention.

After you are given an diagnosis, your therapist will recommend the use of a combination of medication and non-medication therapies to manage your symptoms. The majority of patients will try several different treatments before settling on the most effective one. Keep a log of your progress and consult your doctor regularly to adjust your treatment plan as necessary.