ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will talk to you about your family and personal background, your work environment and school performance. They will also conduct a medical history, including physical examination.
A complete ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood as well as an assessment of any substance or alcohol use. Your physician will inquire about any conditions that might be similar to the symptoms that are a result of ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
It is important for anyone who is concerned that they may be suffering from ADHD to talk to their primary health care provider. They can help you understand what it means to be diagnosed with ADHD and refer you to mental health care if necessary. You can also locate a local counselor who specializes in ADHD.
To diagnose ADHD, a doctor will employ an evaluation tool. Usually, this is a lengthy interview as well as a series of questions regarding symptoms. The evaluator will want to know about your history and whether there were any significant events in childhood that may have influenced your behavior and symptoms. For instance the event that you were exposed to trauma or had any medical issues in the early years of your life.
The evaluator will then assess the severity of your symptoms. This will be determined by how much the impairments you suffer from affect your daily activities. For instance, if you have a significant problem maintaining your job or interacting with your family members, it could be considered to be an impairment. This is a crucial part of the diagnostic process, because it ensures that your ADHD symptoms are not better explained by another mental health disorder such as anxiety or depression.
The evaluator is also able to administer ADHD symptoms checklists or rating scales. These tools can help to identify if you have six or more established ADHD symptoms in one of the two main categories -- inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity. The evaluator can also conduct a neuropsychological, psychological or testing for learning disabilities if needed. These tests can reveal the existence of working memory deficiencies and executive functions abilities, visual and spatial skills and other aspects.
You may be diagnosed with moderate or mild ADHD symptoms, based on the interview and the assessment of symptoms. These are the different levels of the disorder, and they reflect the way your ADHD symptoms impact you in your life. For instance, mild ADHD symptoms will have small impact on your social interactions and work. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a more significant impact on your daily life, while severe ADHD symptoms can impact all aspects of your life.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing ADHD can be difficult particularly for adults. A lot of Internet sites offer symptom lists and questionnaires. However, only adult testing adhd licensed mental health medical professional or doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD (psychiatrists, neurologist or family physicians). The process of evaluating involves an interview with the patient by the doctor, usually with someone else in close contact with the patient, such as spouse, parent or sibling as well as a coach or teacher or a babysitter. Other important steps include evaluating the individual's symptoms in work, at school at home, as well as with friends. Making a complete medical record is an important step.
When evaluating adults, the doctor will evaluate a patient's symptoms against those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. This guide lists the symptoms used to determine an assessment of ADHD in adolescents and children. These criteria might not be applicable to adults due to the differences between children and adults. The doctor may also employ the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale For Adults. It is a self-reporting 40-item test that evaluates different aspects of ADHD symptoms.
During the interview, the clinician will also seek out more information about the individual's early life. Many people with ADHD have poor or inconsistent memories of their childhood behaviors, and the clinician will want to gather as much information as they can from teachers and relatives, as well as other people who knew the individual in the past.
The doctor will ask the individual to complete a survey to assess how they react to certain situations such as missing an appointment or losing their keys. He or she might also inquire about the family history of the individual as well as their work history and lifestyle. Additionally, the doctor will require a list of medications that the patient is taking as well as the symptoms they are experiencing at the moment. The clinician will determine if the symptoms are due to other issues like anxiety or depression and then determine the appropriate treatment strategy.
Treatment
An accurate diagnosis of adult ADHD will allow you to receive the right treatment. Some people with ADHD also have comorbid conditions like anxiety and mood disorders, which require treatment. Other people have physical ailments that can affect their symptoms. Regardless of what's behind the symptoms, the majority of people suffering from this disorder have significantly improved by a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
In general, a mental health professional will conduct the ADHD evaluation. The doctor will inquire about the patient's medical history, and also inquire about their work, school and their personal lives. He may also conduct an examination for psychological health or ask to speak with a spouse, parent or sibling for more details that can't be obtained from questionnaires. Based on the circumstances, an examination for neurological or physical health may be required.
The evaluator will use rating scales and other tools to determine if you or your child has established symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity for the past six months. The evaluator may interview family members, co-workers or teachers to get more details. They may ask you or your child to recall your behavior as an infant. Some experts believe that this type of interview is the most important part of a thorough ADHD evaluation for children as well as adults.
Other tests may include a psychological examination and cognitive behavioral therapy to address problematic behavior or thoughts such as "thought distorsions" or self-defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist can help you or your children replace these unhealthy beliefs and habits with healthier ones.
Your therapist can help you in developing strategies to improve your organizing abilities. For example using a planner for your day and creating lists of tasks. They can teach you how to control your impulsive behavior and reduce risk-taking. They can also recommend support groups, such as life coaches or ADHD coach.
Adults with ADHD may benefit from stimulant drugs like amphetamines or methylphenidates. These drugs are thought to boost the brain's natural levels of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter that affects attention and motor coordination. These medications are only available to patients with a clear diagnosis of the disorder and who meet certain criteria.
Counseling
In some instances, people are sent to a specialist without even having ADHD. This can result in distress for those who are referred to, waste of healthcare resources, and a rise in costs. Unsuitable referrals can result in an over-diagnosis of ADHD (increasing the risk of using stimulants, which may be a source of diversion and abuse in certain cases) and may increase the number of people diagnosed with ADHD when their symptoms are due to other mental disorders like depression or anxiety.
A comprehensive ADHD evaluation should include a detailed diagnostic interview conducted by a trained doctor. This may include questions regarding the person's daily life at work or school and their relationships with their family and friends, drug and alcohol usage as well as driving history, medical concerns and their mental health history from childhood onwards. The examiner will look to determine if any of the criteria for diagnosing ADHD are applicable to the individual (inattentiveness, hyperactivity and impulsiveness). They will also look into whether their symptoms cause impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and rating scales to assess ADHD symptoms may prove useful. These can be administered by the evaluator, or completed by an independent source like a spouse. They are particularly helpful in cases where the person is uncertain of their own symptoms or believes that they have other causes for their issues. The evaluator may request that the person complete an retrospective ADHD behavior profile from their childhood.
Psychological testing is often used to provide a full assessment of a person's cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning. This could include clinical interviews, rating scales behavioral assessments, tests for neuropsychological intelligence, and mood tests. This provides a more comprehensive view than a diagnostic conversation alone, and can be used to inform accommodation, interventions, and treatment plans.