Getting Diagnosed With ADHD As an Adult
Adults who have difficulty in their professional or personal lives may benefit from a diagnosis of ADHD. A diagnosis requires a thorough assessment, often including reviews of school records and questionnaires filled out by parents and teachers.
The majority of people with ADHD suffer from symptoms from childhood, and it is not unusual to be diagnosed with it at an adult age. NIMH offers suggestions on how to speak with your doctor about the disorder.
Diagnosis
It is crucial to be diagnosed with ADHD as you reach adulthood. This will allow you to gain control over the symptoms that can cause a lot of trouble in your professional and personal life. The first step is to talk to your GP or find a mental health professional with expertise in treating adults with ADHD. If your GP is unfamiliar with ADHD or other disorders, they might refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist for an assessment.
A mental health professional will typically use a six question ADHD screener to determine if you are suffering from the condition. Then, the doctor will interview you about your symptoms, and examine your medical history and family history to make sure that other medical conditions are not causing your ADHD-like symptoms.
Since people who suffer from ADHD have a tendency to overlook details and become easily distracted, they frequently have trouble following instructions or listening in class or at work. They are more likely to lose items that are essential for their work or activities, like tools, wallets, and keys. They may also have trouble staying focused during long speeches or reading assignments. Other signs of adult ADHD include fidgeting, talking or texting too much or squirming in the seat.
When determining whether a person has adult ADHD it is essential to eliminate other conditions that could cause similar symptoms, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and addiction to drugs. Stress and other physical ailments like thyroid issues could be similar to the symptoms of ADHD. The DSM-5 now requires professionals to assess the severity of a person's symptoms are when diagnosing the disorder. Mild, moderate and severe are the three categories for adults with ADHD.
Many people with ADHD go their whole lives without ever receiving a diagnosis because it's not obvious in childhood. For adults, a diagnosis can be a life-changing revelation because they finally understand the reasons why they struggled at school and failed to reach their potential at work or at home. They might even feel guilty for blaming their problems on others or themselves and may experience sadness over the missed opportunities that could have been achieved if they had been properly treated.
Treatment
To receive treatment for ADHD in adults, the first step is to consult a healthcare professional. This can be done in person or by video conference. Only psychiatrists, psychologists, and specialist nurses are qualified to diagnose ADHD in the UK. The doctor will want to know your medical history as well as family-related mental health issues. This is due to the fact that a number of physical and emotional conditions can trigger symptoms similar to those of ADHD and must be addressed before the diagnosis can be made.
The doctor will also inquire about your lifestyle and work, and how your symptoms influence your life. They are particularly interested in whether or not you displayed symptoms of ADHD prior to the age of 12. They may also want to interview people who were close to you in childhood and ask about their experiences.
A thorough medical history can help the doctor decide whether you require medications or other treatments. Certain medical conditions, such as sleep apnea, thyroid disorders and lead poisoning can cause ADHD symptoms. Adults with a history of anxiety or depression might require a more thorough evaluation and treatment, because these conditions are often associated with ADHD.
If a professional believes that you need medication, he/she will prescribe the appropriate medication. The kind of medication you need depends on the severity of your symptoms and how they impact your life. The most commonly used medication prescribed for ADHD are stimulants. However, they're not for everyone and the first stimulant you try may not be effective or trigger bothersome adverse side effects. Your doctor may inquire if you are taking any other medication. This includes prescription drugs, supplements, and prescription drugs. Certain types of drugs can interact with ADHD stimulants.
Counseling is a crucial component of treatment for adults suffering from ADHD. Individual therapy can help you to cope better with feelings of frustration and failure that are often associated with untreated ADHD. It can also teach you how to manage your anger as well as improve your time management and organization skills.
If diagnosis of adhd have mental illness, it's important to find an expert in healthcare who is trained in that condition. A psychiatrist or neurologist can diagnose and treat ADHD. However it is recommended to consult a specialist psychotherapist. These specialists are likely to be more familiar with the difficulties of treating adults with ADHD and have experience helping other clients with similar struggles. You can search ADDitude or contact your local mental health clinic to find a professional who works with adults who have ADHD.
Medication
If you're an adult who has been struggling with ADHD, getting a diagnosis is the first step toward managing your symptoms and improving your quality of life. If you're struggling to achieve your full potential in the workplace, have difficulty maintaining relationships, or have trouble completing tasks at home then an ADHD diagnosis might be just what you require.
The first step to treat ADHD in adults is thorough medical history review, which includes your symptoms. The psychiatrist or psychologist determines whether you meet the criteria for ADHD in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5), published by the American Psychiatric Association. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you must have at least five symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity that persist throughout most of your day and interfere with social, academic or professional functioning.
Adults who are not treated for ADHD often suffer from co-occurring disorders, including anxiety and depression. These conditions can cause or worsen symptoms of ADHD, Jaksa says. He says that anxiety and frustration resulting from poor performance can lead to feelings of low-self-esteem. "Getting a diagnose can help them gain a perspective on the reasons behind their struggles. This could help reduce or eliminate their worries, and allow them to focus more effectively on areas in which they excel," Jaksa states.
The best treatment for adults with ADHD is typically the combination of therapy and medication. Stimulants increase concentration, decrease the risk of impulsive behavior, and help with organizing. In many cases they can improve mood and increase motivation. People who are taking stimulants must be aware of possible side effects, which include problems with sleeping and drinking or eating enough. People who take stimulants to treat ADHD can experience mood swings that can be difficult to manage.
Discuss with your health care provider about whether you're suitable for clinical trials of novel treatments or drugs. These studies help researchers discover better methods to detect and treat illnesses, as well as prevent them from occurring.
Counseling
Untreated ADHD can lead to problems in all areas of your life. Your relationships, work and financial health may be negatively affected by procrastination and poor time management, excessive spending and other symptoms. Finding a diagnosis and seeking treatment is the first step towards lessening the negative effects and regaining control of your life.
Many adults diagnosed with ADHD weren't diagnosed as children, either because their family and teachers weren't aware of the condition or they had mild symptoms that were not noticed. Some adults might be able to manage their symptoms as children but were unable to manage their symptoms in adulthood due to increasing family and work obligations.
To determine if you have ADHD, mental health professionals need to find that your symptoms cause significant impairment in two areas of your daily life. Impairment can result in losing your job due to of an inability to concentration and organizational skills, or being placed on academic probation in college due to inability to do well on tests.
Women are more adept at avoiding symptoms than men. This makes it harder for women to be diagnosed. If you're struggling with ADHD symptoms that are affecting your work and home life, being forthright about them with your doctor can help speed up the process and let you take advantage of reasonable accommodations under the ADA and other workplace laws.
Whatever kind of ADHD you have Your mental health professional will want to verify that your symptoms started prior to the age of 12. They may ask to speak to people who were close to you at this time, and they might conduct a series of tests to measure your attention and memory.
After receiving a diagnosis, the doctor will suggest a combination of medication and non-medication therapy to help manage your symptoms. Most people will try various treatments before they find the best one. Keep a log of your progress and make sure to consult your doctor frequently to modify your treatment plan as necessary.