ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screen the doctor will ask you questions about your family and personal background, your work and school performance, and your environment. They will also collect a medical history, including an examination of your physical.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood as well as an examination of any drug or alcohol use. Your doctor will inquire about any comorbid conditions that could mimic the symptoms that are associated with ADHD.
Symptoms
If an adult suspects they might have ADHD or other disorders, it is essential to talk with your primary health care provider. They can help you to know what ADHD is and help you to refer you to mental health services, if needed. You can also find a local ADHD-specialist counselor.
A healthcare professional will use tools to determine ADHD. This typically involves a thorough interview as well as an array of questions regarding symptoms. The examiner will want to know about your history and whether there were any significant events in childhood that might be a factor in your behavior and symptoms. For instance whether you were subjected to trauma or had any medical illnesses in early childhood.
The evaluator will then assess the severity of your condition. The evaluator will determine the extent to which your impairments impact your daily functioning. For example, if you have a significant problem maintaining your job or getting along with your family members, this could be considered an impairment. This is a vital aspect of the process of diagnosing as it ensures that your ADHD symptoms aren't caused by other mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
The evaluator can also administer ADHD symptoms checklists and behavioral 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 examiner will also conduct neuropsychological, psychological or testing for learning disabilities if needed. These tests can provide data regarding working memory deficiencies as well as executive function abilities and visual and spatial skills.
You could be diagnosed with mild to moderate ADHD symptoms, based upon the interview and symptom assessment. These are the different levels of the disorder and they are a reflection of how your ADHD symptoms affect your daily life. Mild ADHD symptoms, for instance, will have minimal impact on your work and social interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a more significant impact on your daily life, and severe ADHD symptoms can impact every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
The process of diagnosing ADHD isn't always easy, especially for adults. Although many Internet sites offer symptom checklists and questionnaires, the only valid diagnosis of ADHD is made by an accredited mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist or family doctor). The evaluation process includes an interview with the person by the doctor, usually with a person who is in close contact with the patient like spouse, parent or sibling or teacher; or babysitter. Other important steps include assessing the effects of symptoms on the person at work or in school and at home and with family members; taking a complete medical history; and determining if the symptoms can be explained better by a different illness.
When evaluating adults, a doctor will examine a patient's symptoms against those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition. This manual outlines the symptoms that are used to diagnose ADHD in children and teenagers. These criteria may not be applicable to adults due to the different characteristics between children and adults. The doctor could also use the Brown Attention-Deficit disorder symptoms assessment Scale for adults that is a self-report test with 40 items that assesses different aspects of the symptoms of ADHD.
During the interview, the clinician might also want to learn more about the child's previous. Many people with ADHD have inconsistent or poor memories of their childhood behaviors and the doctor will seek as much information as is possible from relatives and teachers, and other people who have been in contact with the patient in the past.
The doctor will also require the patient to fill out an assessment of how they respond to certain situations, for example, having keys stolen or missing appointments. The clinician might also inquire about the person's family history, work history, and life style. In addition, the clinician will ask for an inventory of the medications the patient takes as well as his or her current symptoms. The physician will then determine whether the symptoms are caused by other issues, such as anxiety or depression and determine the best treatment strategy.
Treatment
A precise diagnosis of adult ADHD will allow you to receive the right treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD suffer from comorbid disorders such as anxiety and mood disorders that also require treatment. Some suffer from physical ailments that affect their symptoms. Regardless of what's behind the symptoms, the majority of people with this disorder are significantly ameliorated by a combination of medications and psychotherapy.
In general, a mental healthcare professional will conduct the ADHD assessment. The doctor will review medical history and ask questions about work, school and personal lives. He may also conduct an examination of the psychological or ask to speak to parents, spouses, sibling or significant other 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, colleagues or teachers to gather more details. He might ask you or your child to remember what you did when you were a child. Some experts believe this interview is an important component of an extensive ADHD assessment for adults and children.
Other tests may include a psychological examination and cognitive behavioral therapy to address problematic behavior or thoughts like "thought distortions" or self-defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavior therapist can assist you or your child to replace these unhealthy habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist can assist you to develop strategies to improve organizational skills, like using an everyday planner or creating lists of tasks. They can also teach you how to manage your impulsive behavior and decrease risk-taking. They can also recommend support groups, such as a ADHD or life coach.
Adults suffering from ADHD might find relief from stimulant drugs like amphetamines or methylphenidates. These medications are believed by experts to boost dopamine levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter which can affect attention and motor coordination. However, these medications are only prescribed for those with a clear diagnosis and meet certain criteria for the disorder.
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In some cases, people may find themselves referred to an expert for ADHD without having the disorder. This can cause stress for those being referred (long waiting lists, long tests, and then discovering they don't have ADHD) as well as a the use of healthcare resources, and increased costs. Inappropriate referrals may also result in an over-diagnosis of ADHD (increasing the risk of using stimulants, which may lead to abuse and diversion in certain cases) and may increase the number of people who are diagnosed with ADHD even though their symptoms are due to other mental disorders like anxiety or depression.
A thorough ADHD assessment should include a thorough diagnostic interview conducted by a trained clinician. This may include questions regarding the person's daily life at work or school as well as their relationship with their family and friends, drinking and drug use as well as driving background, medical issues and their mental health history from childhood to now. The examiner will look to determine if any of the criteria used to diagnose ADHD apply to the person (inattentiveness as well as hyperactivity and impulsiveness). They will also consider whether their symptoms cause impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of ratings can be useful in the assessment of ADHD symptoms. They can be administered by the evaluator or provided by an independent source, such as spouse. They can be extremely useful in cases where the person is uncertain of their own symptoms or believes that they have other causes for their issues. The evaluator could request that the person complete an retrospective ADHD behavior profile from their childhood.
Psychological tests are often utilized to provide a comprehensive assessment of a person's cognitive and emotional, as well as behavioral functioning. It can involve clinical interviews ratings scales, behavioral observations, neuropsychological tests, intelligence tests and mood tests. This provides a more comprehensive picture than a diagnosis conversation by itself, and can be used to inform accommodation, treatments, and interventions.