ADHD Diagnosis - The First Step to Finding Out If You Have ADHD
Many adults are seeking an ADHD assessment because they believe something is not quite right. They may have concerns about their relationships or work.
According to the current NHS guidelines for England and Wales, you have a right to be diagnosed with ADHD. Your specialist will follow NICE Guidelines and will seek observer reports from people who know you, particularly as a child.
What is ADHD assessment?
Your child or you can find out whether they have ADHD through an ADHD assessment. You will be interviewed and diagnosed by a licensed psychiatrist or psychologist. They are the only healthcare professionals in the UK that are certified to diagnose ADHD. They can employ a variety of techniques to determine your symptoms, such as checklists and behavior rating scales and interviewing people who are familiar with you. They could also request your medical history and a physical examination to rule out other conditions like depression or anxiety disorder that could mimic ADHD.
It is important to be honest in your assessment. If you're not, the examiner may conclude that you're not serious about getting diagnosed or that your symptoms aren't that bad. During the evaluation, you'll likely be asked to share information regarding your history of mental health and that of your family as well as any issues at school or at work. You might be asked to fill out a questionnaire or to complete a behavioral scale. You'll also need to pay attention during the assessment.
You must show at least six signs of ADHD in two or more areas like school or at home and must be interfering with your everyday life. These symptoms must have manifested in the early years of your life before 12 years of age and cannot be explained by other disorders, like depression or anxiety. adhd diagnosis uk adult may be referred to your GP for treatment, or you could decide to consult an independent psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD.
If you decide to take the private route, you'll discover that the wait is significantly shorter than the NHS. It's not uncommon to wait more than a year for an assessment on the NHS and that can be a huge blow to those who are struggling to cope. Some people who were on the waiting list for NHS committed suicide due to the stress and frustration of waiting. The private route typically allows you to begin treatment fast, and many private psychiatrists have extensive experience treating adults with ADHD. They can also screen and treat co-morbidities, such as anxiety disorders or depression.
Why do I require an assessment?
If you suspect that you might have ADHD or are having problems in your life that are caused by it, you will require an expert mental health assessment. Ideally, this will be done by a psychiatrist who has experience working with neurodevelopmental conditions and ADHD specifically. Psychotherapists and psychologists can also conduct this kind of assessment. If you are unsure which one to choose the best option is to seek recommendations from your general practitioner or a therapist you know. You can also search on the internet for local professionals with good reputations. Certain insurance plans offer lists of professionals who are certified.
A structured interview and questions will be part of the process to determine a complete clinical diagnosis. The focus of the interview will be your symptoms in a present work, family and social setting. adhd diagnosis in adult will inquire about your symptoms from when you were a child or adolescent. The doctor will also focus on the effects of your symptoms into adulthood. They will also check for other mental health problems such as anxiety or depression.
Depending on the professional and the conditions, they might seek information from close family members and friends. It is also not unusual for them to ask you to bring old school reports or other documents to review. This is a difficult part of the process, since it is difficult to remember details about your struggles during your childhood or adolescence.
The process is more difficult if you are an ethnic minority or gender non-conforming (GGN). In the UK for instance people of color, GNCs and females aren't diagnosed with ADHD even though their symptoms are evident. This can make it harder to receive a diagnosis but it is also possible for doctors to refer you to an individual specialist like a Wellbeing Centre or Priory Hospital for an assessment. You can also get an agreement on shared-care with your GP to make the process easier. However there are a few GPs who will do this.
How can I arrange for an assessment to be conducted?
Your GP is your primary health care provider and is the best in the position to refer you to an assessment. You can also call an individual specialist, such as Priory, and arrange an appointment. Priory's specialist psychiatrists have decades of experience diagnosing ADHD in adults and provide a range of treatment options.
If your GP decides that you need to be referred, they will ask you and a friend or family member (if you have one) to fill out a few questionnaires prior to your appointment. These can be accessed through your portal dashboard. They must be completed at a minimum of 24 hours before the consultation. They are designed to highlight behaviours that could indicate the presence of ADHD. Your doctor will make an appointment with an adult ADHD service.
If you reside in an area that offers this service, your local mental health team usually provides it. They will conduct a comprehensive mental health and psychiatric assessment as well as examining other conditions that can sometimes mimic the symptoms of ADHD like anxiety and depression.
You should also mention any mental health issues that you might have experienced or had in the past. These could affect your ability to be assessed for ADHD. You may also bring any feedback or reports from your teachers supervisors, colleagues, and teachers. Additionally, you can provide information about any help you receive at home, for example through your GP or a non-profit organization such as EmployAbility.
Once the psychiatrist has completed their assessment, they will discuss their findings with you. If they conclude that you have ADHD, they'll provide a care plan that may include recommendations for medication. The care plan will also outline any other support they feel you could be able to benefit from, for instance, an appointment with counselling or talk therapy.
We understand that it may be challenging to get the support you require if your social or health medical needs are complex. We offer a confidential, free phone consultation with an assistant psychologist to help you find out the support available. This could include an introduction to local ADHD support group or an eligibility check for government-funded schemes such as Access to Work.
What happens during a test?
Finding a reliable diagnosis of ADHD is one of the first steps towards gaining control over the symptoms that could cause serious problems in a variety of situations, from home to work. A thorough interview conducted by a professional with experience and a variety of psychometric tests is typically part of an evaluation. This information can be used to determine the extent to which symptoms affect an individual and if they are caused by medical conditions or any other causes.
A comprehensive assessment involves collecting detailed information about the person's past, specifically when symptoms first started and how long they've been present. The specialist will also want to know the effect of ADHD symptoms on the individual's life in general, including work, school, and relationships. This will be based on a definition of impairment that will consider whether the person has lost their job as a result of their difficulties with time management, suffered from extreme stress and conflict in their marriage or been put on academic probation due to poor grades.
An interview will be conducted by a skilled clinical psychologist or psychiatrist who is qualified to perform ADHD assessments. Professionals may use different materials and procedures, but certain protocols are necessary to conduct a thorough assessment. This includes a thorough interview and standardized ratings for ADHD and other psychometric tests. In certain cases the specialist will administer a series of tests that are specifically designed to identify ADHD symptoms and other conditions like anxiety disorders or learning disabilities.
A consultation with your doctor or calling a local clinic for mental health is a good idea if you are unsure where to begin or have questions about the right health care professional. Many support groups for adults with ADHD can also be capable of providing information about competent professionals in your area. Some health insurance plans provide the names of qualified professionals that are sorted by specialization to help you locate the best professional for your evaluation.