ADHD Assessment For Adults
The first step to determine whether you or your child is ADHD is to get an assessment. The doctor will talk to you about your growth health, family history and health. They might also speak with your friends, family members or teachers to get a more complete picture of your symptoms.
You will be asked to rate your symptoms on a scale of rating. Answer honestly to get the most accurate results.
Diagnosis
To determine if someone has ADHD mental health professionals will look at the symptoms and how they impact the life of a person. They will inquire about their childhood experiences including work and school experiences. They may also use the standard scales and questionnaires in order to help determine whether ADHD symptoms are present. They will also interview family members, friends, and others who know the person well.
A thorough assessment of ADHD can take anywhere between one and three hours. It is essential for the patient to be prepared with a list containing symptoms and their impact on their lives. Also, they should provide their medical history as well as any other health issues. Also, you should check with your insurance company to determine whether ADHD assessments are covered by your insurance company.
The person must be honest and transparent when completing the assessment. The clinician may ask for permission to interview others, such as the spouse or a close friend of the individual to obtain a complete picture of their life. They may also ask permission to talk to the person's parents or teachers to learn more about their childhood experiences.
Adults can suffer from ADHD but they cannot be diagnosed if they didn't have symptoms as a child (technically prior to the age of 12). This is because ADHD isn't a common occurrence. It is essential that the clinician knows how the symptoms affect the patient's life, and in which situations they can occur.
The diagnosis of ADHD requires that the symptoms be severe enough to affect the person's performance in at minimum two different areas of their life, such as at home or in school. The symptoms should persist despite the person's attempts to overcome them. Consult your doctor if you suspect that you may be suffering from ADHD. It's also a good idea to connect with others who suffer from ADHD and discuss your issues with them. They might have some tips and advice for you to help you manage your ADHD more effectively.
Treatment
A thorough ADHD assessment can be long, lasting anywhere from one to three hours. It is essential that the person who is undergoing the test be prepared to answer all questions and provide the doctor the information they need. The evaluator will inquire questions about the patient's developmental, medical and psychiatric history. He or she might also interview other people such as relatives, teachers and other health professionals.
The evaluator might ask the patient if they've encountered difficulties at school or at work. The clinician will also consider the ways in which the symptoms of ADHD affect the patient's life at home as well as in relationships.
Based on the results of the initial test the evaluator might recommend further testing. The purpose of this test is to detect other conditions such as personality disorders and learning disorders that could have similar symptoms to ADHD. In addition, the examiner will look for seizure disorders and thyroid disorders.
Many people who are evaluated for ADHD also have depression or anxiety. In these cases, the evaluator will discuss the options for psychotherapy. In general, this will involve cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) that is designed to help promote self mediation and control strategies. CBT can be delivered in an individual or group setting.
Some experts believe that people with ADHD should receive psychotherapy along with medication. However the majority of research indicates that ADHD is best treated by taking medication on its own. It is important to conduct an extensive ADHD assessment to determine the best treatment plan for each patient.
If you're interested in an ADHD assessment, contact your insurance company to inquire whether they have specialists who specialize in ADHD diagnosis. You may also request an appointment with your family physician. Another option is to contact your local chapter of CHADD, or a mental health professional association, for names of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. You can also request referrals from support groups, like those for those suffering from depression or bipolar disorder.
Counseling
A qualified mental health professional is going to ask you many questions about your concerns and how you have tried to overcome these issues. She will also ask about your family and work life, as well as other issues such as alcohol or drug abuse and emotional traumas. You may also want to interview people close to you, like your spouse or another important person, or a teacher, coach or nanny who has known you from your childhood -- to get their perspective on your previous and present functioning. This is particularly relevant for adults, as their memories of past behavior might be influenced by the presence or absence of ADHD symptoms.
You may need to have additional tests done depending on your specific situation to rule out any other possible causes for your problems. This might include cognitive testing to identify intellectual or learning limitations; medical tests like thyroid disorders or seizure disorder that can trigger symptoms that look like ADHD and psychological counseling (psychotherapy) to help you deal with emotions like depression or feelings inadequacy that may exacerbate or conceal your ADHD symptoms.
Psychotherapy is a valuable tool for adults suffering from ADHD, because it can teach you new ways to manage their effects at work as well as at 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 reduce distress and improve your relationship with your partner or other people in your life.
Many mobile and online services can help you locate a therapist that specializes in adult ADHD. They let you pick from a directory of licensed professionals, such as psychiatric nurse and social workers who have been rated good, very good, or excellent by their patients. They can assist you in creating an agenda that is compatible with your budget and your lifestyle.
The American Psychiatric Association provides clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD in the fifth edition of their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. During the process of assessment doctors will evaluate your symptoms with those listed in this manual to determine if you are suffering from ADHD. A diagnosis is based on the presence of symptoms in more than one setting, such as at school or on the job and the symptoms are constant and debilitating, they started in childhood; and the symptoms can't be explained by another mental health disorder or medical condition, such as depression or anxiety.
Support
For some adults, the thought of having ADHD is stigmatizing and it's easy to dismiss symptoms as "just being me." Many people will avoid seeking treatment for a long time because they are afraid to admit that they struggle to keep track of things, getting organized, or meeting deadlines. Often the first step toward treatment is a thorough evaluation by a health care provider or mental health professional. This evaluation focuses on the patient's mood and medical history, as well as how the symptoms affect the way they work, their relationships with family and friends, as well as other aspects of everyday life.
A complete ADHD evaluation can take a few hours. The most important thing is an in-depth interview. The examiner will use a set of standardized questions to ensure that all relevant symptoms are addressed and compared with the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. The examiner will go through old school reports questionnaires, as well as brain imaging in the event that they are available.
The report will help to identify the presence of comorbidity. In other words, if a patient suffers from a different condition such as depression or anxiety and anxiety, they can be associated with ADHD symptoms. The report will also highlight other factors that might cause a person's problems like learning disabilities, medical conditions and stress.
When a diagnosis of ADHD is made the next step is to locate an experienced psychiatrist or therapist who can treat the disorder. adhd adults assessment should inquire with their insurance provider to determine if there are providers who specialize in treating ADHD covered under their policy. If not, the patient should ask for referrals from other patients who have been treated successfully and request recommendations from local support groups.
CHADD is a prestigious national organization that has chapters across the U.S. The website of CHADD contains a wealth information on ADHD and lists of professionals who are certified to treat the disorder. It is also worth looking into social media sites such as Facebook, where there are several groups for people living with ADHD. Be sure to check that the group isn't a commercial venture prior to you sign up.