Getting an ADHD Diagnosis in Adults
Many people seek a diagnosis after realizing they are struggling in relationships or at work due to ADHD. NIMH suggests that those seeking diagnosis talk to their primary care physician or a mental health professional.
They will ask for an extensive medical history and take tests such as symptom-rating scales and psychological tests. They might also undergo a physical exam to rule out medical conditions that could look like ADHD like thyroid problems or seizures.
Making a diagnosis
It can be empowering and eye-opening to be given a diagnosis of ADHD, but it can also be a source of anxiety. Adults who have struggled with the symptoms of ADHD for a long time may decide to seek out a medical opinion, due to frustrations at work or in relationships, or because they've been informed by family members or friends that they may be suffering from ADHD. It is important to remember that a health professional can take a long time to diagnose ADHD and the process requires more than just completing standardized tests or conducting clinical interviews.
The first step in the process is to identify whether your ADHD symptoms meet criteria for the disorder: A number of them are present before age 12 years old. They can occur in more than one place, such as home, school and work. They interfere with daily functioning.
Your healthcare professional may need to conduct additional tests in order to make a diagnosis. This is because symptoms of ADHD are also triggered by mood disorders, such as anxiety, bipolar disorder, and various other physical ailments or illnesses. This could include interviews with a clinical psychologist and rating-scales for symptoms or psychological tests to test thinking capabilities and problem-solving skills and memory.
It is crucial to be completely honest with the mental health professional. This could mean you talk about the ways in which your mood has been affected by your difficulties in different areas of life. The mental health professional evaluating you may also want to speak with your spouse, close family members and close friends to get a better understanding of your struggles. They might even ask for permission to have them fill out questionnaires about their experiences with you and then compare them to your personal.
Symptoms
Adults with ADHD typically notice that their issues interfere with daily activities, particularly at work and school. They may have difficulty keeping jobs or maintaining relationships. They may also be struggling to make ends meet because of their lack of attention and impulsivity, making it difficult to remember things, organize tasks, or complete tasks. The symptoms may be mild or moderate. They can also be severe.
To diagnose ADHD, providers use standardized tools such as checklists as well as questionnaires and interview questions. They also look at medical and family histories and other mental health issues. If a person has several of the 9 symptoms, their provider uses guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition Text Revision (DSM-5-TR) to assign a diagnosis: inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive or combined type.
The symptoms of an inattentive person include trouble paying attention to details, daydreaming and seeming to be easily distracted. Trouble following and finishing tasks, and a tendency to lose track of time or get distracted are also signs of inattention.
People with the hyperactive/impulsive type often fidget, move around frequently and have trouble sitting still for long periods of time. They tend to forget things quickly and have difficulty managing their daily routines at work or at home. They may lose their phones, keys or wallets a lot. They have trouble waiting for their turn at school, work or play. They are prone to stress or frustration and are subject to frequent and intense mood changes.
In adults, it is more common for those with ADHD to have co-occurring disorders, such as conduct disorders, oppositional defiant disorder depression or anxiety and tic disorders. Tourette syndrome, as well as substance abuse problems. The presence of co-occurring disorders can make it difficult to treat and can make it harder to identify ADHD.
Treatment
If you think you might have ADHD the first step towards getting an accurate diagnosis is to speak with your primary healthcare provider. He or she may refer you to an expert in mental health. The professionals will look at your symptoms and problems at work, at school or at home to determine if they affect your daily life. They might conduct a structured interview or ask family members or close family members to help. They will also review your medical history and family background and conduct a physical examination.
Your doctor will also look at how long you have had these symptoms, and what impact they have on your life. To be diagnosed with ADHD symptoms must have been present for at minimum 6 months and cannot be caused by other disorders such as anxiety or depression. They also have to interfere with everyday tasks like attending school, completing assignments on time, or maintaining a career.
In your assessment the mental health specialist may use standardized behavior rating scales and ADHD symptom checklists. They may also conduct a cognitive test to check your working memory, executive functioning, as well as your spatial and visual abilities. They will also check for other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, for example seizure or thyroid disorder.
If your mental health professional determines that you have ADHD and they'll discuss the medications available and treatment options. It is usually best to combine treatment with talk therapy (counseling). Therapy can aid in managing your symptoms, and improve communication between your family members and colleagues. Therapy can also aid in resolving problems that may develop in relationships and marriages because of the issues ADHD can create.
Medication
The signs of ADHD in adults are usually much milder than they were in childhood, but they can still cause problems at home and work. The disorder can lead to difficulties in obtaining or keeping an excellent job, issues with relationships and social interaction and self-esteem issues, academic lapses emotional anxiety, temper tantrums and disruptive behavior.
This Web page can help treat the disorder by boosting and balancing neurotransmitters, brain chemicals, which control the flow of information within the brain. Stimulants are among the most frequently prescribed medications for ADHD in adults. Jornay, Xelstrym, Cotempla and Adhansia are just a few examples of stimulants. Adults can also be treated using the non-stimulant atomoxetine and antidepressants like bupropion. These drugs perform more slowly than stimulants, and could be better suited to those who can't take stimulant medication because of health problems or severe adverse effects.
Psychotherapy (also known as cognitive-behavioral therapy) may be useful for treating disorders that are comorbid to ADHD, such as anxiety and depression. Research suggests that psychotherapy can be a more effective treatment for these disorders than just using medications alone. Psychotherapy focuses on teaching techniques to manage the disorder as well as improving functioning at work, in school and with relationships. The goal is to improve the person's self-esteem, decrease problematic behavior and increase the effectiveness and performance. It is recommended that every psychotherapy program for adults ADHD patients include a cognitive behavior component. Researchers have found that ADHD patients receiving both psychotherapy and medication showed higher improvement than those who only took pills.
Counseling
For adults who don't want to take medication therapy and counseling can offer significant relief. Individual talk therapy can address issues like low self-esteem and feelings of failure that are frequently associated with ADHD. Click On this site can also help improve relationships and communication by assisting the patients and their families to comprehend the disorder and learn ways to cope.
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on teaching patients skills to control their behavior and to change negative thoughts. This type of treatment can reduce symptoms of inattentive ADHD and hyperactive-impulsive ADHD, as well as comorbid mood disorders such as depression and anxiety disorders.
Therapists can also provide strategies for controlling impulses, emotional regulation and relationship issues that can arise due to an impulsive behavior. diagnosed with adhd can aid people in living a more productive and satisfying life, particularly at work.
Counseling can also help people with ADHD in applying for workplace accommodations that could be available under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which can greatly increase job satisfaction and performance. This could include altering the structure of their jobs to allow them more flexibility in meeting deadlines and finishing tasks in time.
Selecting the right therapist is crucial to get the most out of treatment for adults with ADHD. When interviewing potential therapists it is crucial to inquire about their treatment approach and if they have expertise in treating ADHD in adults. It is important to verify the credentials of the therapist as well as insurance coverage. Some providers offer sliding scale rates or online therapy services to make treatment more accessible to those who are unable to pay for it.