ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will ask you about your family and personal history, environment, work, and school performance. They will also inquire about your medical history as well as conduct an examination for physical health.
A thorough ADHD assessment will include questions about childhood and any drug or alcohol use. Your doctor will also inquire about any comorbid conditions that might cause symptoms similar to ADHD.
Symptoms
It is crucial for an adult who suspects they may have ADHD to speak with 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 find a local counselor who specializes in ADHD.
A healthcare professional will use tools to determine ADHD. This typically includes a thorough interview and several questions about the symptoms. The evaluator will want to know your background and whether there were any significant events during your childhood that might have influenced your symptoms and behavior. For example whether you were subjected to trauma or medical conditions in your early years of childhood.
The evaluator then determines the severity of your symptoms. The evaluator will determine the extent to which your impairments impact your daily functioning. This could be the situation if, for instance you had difficulty keeping your job or getting along well with family members. This is an essential part of the diagnosis process because it makes sure that your ADHD symptoms aren't explained by other mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
In addition to an in-depth clinical interview, the evaluator could also use standardized behavioral rating scales or ADHD symptom checklists. 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 examiner will also conduct psychological, neuropsychological or testing for learning disabilities if needed. These tests can provide details about working memory impairments, executive functions ability, visual and spatial skills and other variables.
You may be diagnosed with moderate or mild ADHD symptoms based on the interview and the assessment of symptoms. These levels are based on the way ADHD symptoms affect you. Mild ADHD symptoms, like, will have minimal impact on your social and professional interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a greater effect on your life, and severe ADHD symptoms can impact every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
It can be difficult to diagnose ADHD particularly in adults. Many Internet websites offer lists of symptoms and questionnaires. However, only a licensed mental health professional or physician can make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD (psychiatrists or neurologists or family physicians). The process of evaluation includes an interview of the individual by the clinician, preferably with someone else in close contact with him or her, such as parents, spouses, sibling as well as a coach or teacher or babysitter. Other important steps include assessing the impact of symptoms on the individual in school or at work as well as at home and with family members; taking an extensive medical history and determining whether the symptoms are better explained by a different illness.
In evaluating adults, the doctor will evaluate the patient's symptoms in relation to those described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. This guide provides the symptoms used to establish the diagnosis of ADHD in children and adolescents. These criteria might not be applicable to adults due to the differences between children and adults. The clinician may also use the Brown Attention-Deficit disorder Symptom Assessment Scale for Adults, which is a self-report test with 40 items that evaluates various aspects of the symptoms of ADHD.
During the interview the clinician will be looking to learn more about the individual's early life. Many adults with ADHD have inconsistent or poor memories of their childhood behavior and the doctor will seek as much information as is possible from teachers and relatives as well as other individuals who have been in contact with the patient in the past.
The doctor will also ask the patient to fill out a questionnaire that looks at how they respond to certain situations, such as having keys stolen or missing appointments. They may also ask about the individual's family history as well as work history and their lifestyle. The clinician will also ask the individual to list the they are taking medications and the current symptoms. The clinician will determine if the symptoms are caused by other conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders and then determine the best treatment strategy.
Treatment
A precise diagnosis of adult ADHD is a critical step in getting the appropriate treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD may also suffer from comorbid disorders like depression and anxiety that require treatment. Some suffer from physical ailments which impact their symptoms. Whatever the cause of the symptoms, the majority of adults affected by this condition are greatly improved by a combination of medication and psychotherapy.
In general, a mental health professional will conduct the ADHD evaluation. The doctor will go over medical history and ask about school, work and personal issues. He may also conduct a psychological exam or request to talk to a spouse, parent or sibling for more details that can't be gleaned from questionnaires. A physical or neurological exam may also be required, based on the situation.
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 will interview family members, teachers or colleagues for additional details. He may ask you or your child to recall the way you behaved as a child. Some experts believe this interview is the most crucial part of an in-depth ADHD assessment for children and adults.
Other tests may include a psychological test and cognitive behavioral therapy in order to address issues with behavior or thoughts like "thought distorsions" or self-defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will assist you or your child to replace these destructive habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist will assist in establishing strategies to improve your organization skills. For instance using a planner for your day and creating lists of tasks. They can teach you how to control your impulsive behavior and decrease risk-taking. They can also recommend support groups, such as a life coach or ADHD coach.
Many people with ADHD find relief by taking stimulant medication, such as methylphenidates or amphetamines. These medications are believed by experts to boost dopamine levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter which affects attention and motor coordination. These medications are only prescribed to patients with a clear diagnosis of the disorder and who meet the criteria.
Counseling
In some cases, patients are referred to a specialist without even having ADHD. This can cause distress to those who are referred to, waste of healthcare resources, and a rise in costs. Unsuitable referrals can result in an overdiagnosis of ADHD, which can increase the chance of diversion and abuse of stimulants in certain cases.
Click To See More must be conducted by a certified clinician in the course of a thorough ADHD evaluation. This could include questions about the person's daily life, school or work as well as their relationship with family and friends drinking and drug use as well as driving background, medical issues and their mental health history since childhood. The examiner will determine if the person meets the criteria for ADHD diagnosis (inattention hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsiveness). They will also consider whether the symptoms are leading to impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of rating for assessing ADHD symptoms may prove useful. They can be administered by the person who is evaluating, or by an outside source, such as spouse. These tests are particularly useful for those who aren't certain about their symptoms or suspect they have other causes for their issues. The evaluator can also ask the patient to complete a retrospective ADHD profile of their childhood behavior.
Psychological tests can be used to determine a person's mental functioning as well as emotional and behavioral state. This can include behavioral observations, rating scales and neuropsychological tests. This provides a more complete picture than a diagnostic interview alone and can help to inform the treatment, accommodations, and intervention plans.