ADHD Diagnosis - The First Step to Finding Out If You Have ADHD
Many adults seek an ADHD assessment because they feel that something is not quite right. They may have concerns about their work or relationships.
According to current NHS guidelines in England and Wales you have a legal right to receive an ADHD diagnosis. Your doctor will adhere to NICE Guidelines and will also seek observer reports from people who know you well, especially as a child.
What is an ADHD assessment?
Your child or you can determine whether they have ADHD by getting an ADHD assessment. You will be questioned and diagnosed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. They are the only healthcare professionals in the UK who are qualified to diagnose ADHD. They may use a number of techniques to determine your symptoms, including checklists and behavior rating scales and interviewing those who know you well. They might also ask for an examination of your body and medical history to rule out other conditions that could mimic ADHD such as depression or anxiety.
It is essential to be honest and forthright in your evaluation. If you don't, the evaluator might think that you're not committed to being diagnosed or that your symptoms aren't that bad. In the course of your assessment, you'll likely be asked about your family and personal mental health history, as well as any problems at school or work. You may be asked for the completion of a questionnaire or a behavioral scale. It is also important to pay attention during the assessment.
To qualify for a diagnosis you must show at least six symptoms of ADHD that manifest in two or more settings like school and home and interfere with your life. These symptoms must have started in childhood, before age 12 and cannot be explained by another disorder, such as anxiety or depression. You could be referred back to your GP to seek treatment, or you may opt to consult an independent psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD.
If you decide to go the private route, you'll find that the wait time is much shorter than on the NHS. On the NHS it's not uncommon to wait over a year. This can be a huge burden for those who are struggling. Some people who were on the NHS waiting list took their own lives due to the stress and frustration of waiting. Private treatment usually allows you to start treatment in a short time, and the majority of private psychiatrists have extensive experience treating adults suffering from ADHD. They can also screen for and treat co-morbidities such as depression or anxiety.
Why do I need an assessment?
If you suspect that you might be suffering from ADHD or are having problems in your life caused by it, you'll require a professional mental health assessment. This should be conducted by an experienced psychiatrist who is familiar with neurodevelopmental disorders and ADHD. However, there are also psychologists and psychotherapists that are able to conduct this kind of assessment. If you're not sure which one to choose you can ask your general practitioner for a recommendation or a counselor you've worked with. You can also search the internet for professionals near you with good reputations. Certain insurance plans also provide lists of qualified professionals.
The process of a full clinical diagnosis will include questions and a formal interview with the doctor. The main focus of the interview will be your symptoms in the current work, family and social setting. The psychiatrist will ask you about your experiences with symptoms as a teenager and child and will then focus on the impact your symptoms have had on you in adulthood. They will also check for any other mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
Depending on the professional and circumstances, they may seek information from close family and friends. It is not unusual for them to request that you bring old school reports or other documents to look over. This can be a difficult process as it is difficult to recall all the details of your childhood or your adolescence.
The process can be more difficult if you're an ethnic minority or gender non-conforming (GGN). In the UK for instance people of color, GNCs, and females aren't diagnosed with ADHD even if their symptoms are evident. This makes it difficult to get a diagnosis but it is also possible for doctors to refer you to an individual specialist like a Wellbeing Centre or Priory Hospital for an evaluation. You can also get an agreement for shared-care with your GP to facilitate the process. However there are a few GPs who will be able to do this.
How do I obtain an assessment?
Your primary healthcare provider is your doctor and they are the best person to refer you for an evaluation. You can also contact a private specialist such as Priory and schedule an appointment for yourself. Priory's expert psychiatrics have years of experience in diagnosing ADHD in adults and can offer a range of treatment options.
If your GP decides to refer you to a specialist, they'll ask you and a close family member or friend to fill out a few questionnaires prior to your appointment. These can be found on your portal dashboard. They must be completed at least 24 hours before the consultation. They are designed to identify behaviors that could be indicative of ADHD. Your GP will then arrange for an onward referral to a commissioned adult ADHD service.
If you live in a region that offers this service, your local mental health team usually provides it. They will conduct a thorough mental health and psychiatric examination and will also look at other conditions that may be similar to symptoms of ADHD, such as anxiety and depression.
It's important to mention any other mental health issues that you have, or that have been previously diagnosed in your family, as these could affect your ability to be evaluated for ADHD. Also, you can include any reports or feedback from your tutors or supervisors as well as your colleagues. Also, you can provide details of any support you receive at home, like through a GP or non-profit organization like EmployAbility.
After the psychiatrist has completed the assessment, they will go over their findings with you. If they decide that you have ADHD they'll offer an action plan for treatment that could include recommendations for medication. The care plan will also outline any other services they think you could benefit from, such as an appointment with talk therapy or coaching.
We recognise that it can be difficult to obtain the assistance you require when your health or social needs are complicated. This is why we provide a confidential, no-cost call with an assistant psychologist to help determine what assistance might be available to you. This could include the referral to local ADHD support group or a check of eligibility for government-funded schemes such as Access to Work.
What happens during an assessment?
Getting a proper diagnosis of ADHD is one of the first steps to gain control over symptoms that can cause serious problems in a variety of situations, from home to work. A thorough interview by a professional with experience and various psychometric tests are usually part of an evaluation. This information can help to determine how the symptoms affect the person and whether they are caused by medical or other conditions.
A thorough evaluation involves gathering information on the person's past, specifically when symptoms first started and how long they have been present. In addition to analyzing the current impact of ADHD symptoms, the professional will be interested in how the symptoms have impacted their lives in general and in the most important settings like work, school and relationships. This will be dependent on the definition of impairment that examines whether the individual has lost their job because of their difficulty with time management, suffered from an excessive amount of conflict and stress in their relationship or been put on academic probation due to poor grades.
An interview will be conducted by an experienced psychiatrist or psychologist who is qualified to perform ADHD assessments. While professionals may differ somewhat in the procedures and the tools they employ, certain protocols are considered essential for a thorough evaluation. adult diagnosis of adhd includes a detailed interview and standardized ratings for ADHD and other psychometric tests. In some cases the doctor will conduct several tests that are specifically designed to detect ADHD symptoms and other conditions like anxiety disorders or learning disabilities.
If you're not sure where to begin or are unsure of how to find the right health professional, it's usually best to ask your personal doctor or visit an area mental health clinic for suggestions. Many adult ADHD support groups will be in a position to provide you with information about qualified professionals in your area. Some health insurance plans provide an inventory of professionals who are qualified sorted by specialty to help you locate the right specialist for your evaluation.