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ADHD Assessment For Adults The first step to determine whether your child or you is ADHD is to take an assessment. The doctor will ask questions about your health, development, and family history. They may also talk to your friends, family members or teachers to obtain a more complete picture of your symptoms. The evaluation will ask you to rate your symptoms using scales of rating. Make sure you answer truthfully for the most accurate results. Diagnosis To determine if someone has ADHD, mental health professionals will look at the symptoms and how they impact the person's life. They will ask about the person's experiences, including those from school and at work. They can also use standardized questionnaires and scales to determine whether ADHD symptoms are present. They also talk to family members, friends and other people who know the person well. A thorough assessment for ADHD can take between one and three hours. It is important that the person is prepared with a list describing the symptoms they experience and how they affect their lives. Also, they should provide their medical history and any other health issues. You should also consult your insurance company to see whether ADHD assessments are covered. The person must be honest and open when they complete the assessment. The counselor may request permission to interview other people, such as a spouse or a close friend, to obtain more of a complete understanding of the individual's experience. They can also request permission to speak to the individual's parents or teachers to get more information about their childhood experiences. Adults may suffer from ADHD but they cannot be diagnosed if they did not have symptoms as a child (technically before the age of 12). This is because the majority of people do not outgrow ADHD. It is also crucial for the clinician to understand how the symptoms impact their lives, as well as in what circumstances they occur. ADHD is diagnosed when symptoms are severe enough to interfere with the functioning of a person in at least two areas of their lives, like school and at home. The symptoms must cause an impairment that persists, in spite of efforts made by the person to overcome them. If you think that you suffer from ADHD, talk to your doctor about an assessment. You can also reach out to people who suffer from ADHD and talk to them about the symptoms you are experiencing. You may get some helpful tips and suggestions from them that will assist you in managing your ADHD better. Treatment A thorough ADHD assessment can range between one and three hours. It is important that the person taking part in the test spend the time to answer all questions and provide the clinician the information they need. The examiner will inquire questions about the patient's developmental, medical and psychiatric history. The evaluator might also ask questions of others, such as teachers, family members and other health care providers. As part of the assessment the evaluator will inquire whether the patient has had any problems in school or at work. The therapist will also take into consideration the ways in which the symptoms of ADHD affect the patient's life at home as well as in relationships. Based on the results of the initial test, the evaluator may recommend further testing. This test is designed to detect other conditions like personality disorders and learning disorders that may exhibit similar symptoms to ADHD. Additionally, the evaluator will screen for seizure and thyroid disorders. Many people who are assessed for ADHD may also be suffering from depression or anxiety. In such cases the examiner may suggest the options for psychotherapy. This usually includes cognitive behavioral therapy that is designed to encourage strategies for self-medicating and control. CBT can be provided individually or in a group setting. Some experts believe that ADHD patients should receive psychotherapy along with medication. The majority of research indicates that ADHD is best treated with medication and psychotherapy on its own. A comprehensive ADHD evaluation is essential for identify the treatment plan appropriate for each person. If you're interested in an ADHD assessment, contact your insurance provider to find out whether they have specialists for ADHD diagnosis. You may also ask your family physician for recommendations. Another option is to reach out to your local chapter of CHADD, or an association for mental health professionals for a list of professionals in your area who specialize in ADHD. You can also get referrals from support groups, such as those for people with bipolar disorder or depression. Counseling A qualified mental health professional can discuss with you in detail about the issues you are having, and the ways you have tried to solve them. She will also inquire about your family and work life, as well as other issues, such as drug or alcohol abuse, and emotional traumas. She may even want to interview people close to you, such as a spouse or other important person, or teachers, coaches or an nanny that you have known from your childhood — to get their perspective on your previous and present functioning. This is particularly important for adults, since their memory of past behavior may be skewed due to the presence or absence of ADHD symptoms. In the event of a situation it is possible that you will require additional tests to rule out any other causes of your difficulties. This could include cognitive testing for intellectual or learning disabilities; medical exams for seizures or thyroid disorders that can trigger symptoms similar to ADHD and psychotherapy to help you manage your emotions, such as depression or feelings that you've been unable to overcome. Psychotherapy can be a useful tool for ADHD adults, as it teaches you to deal with the effects of ADHD at work and at home. It can help improve your organizational skills as well as teach you strategies to improve concentration, impulse control, and executive functioning. It can also improve your relationships with others as well as reduce your distress. Many online and mobile services can help you locate the right therapist who specializes in adult ADHD. These services let you choose from a selection of licensed providers, which includes social workers and psychiatric nurses, who are rated by their clients as good, very excellent or excellent. They can help you create a schedule that fits your budget and your lifestyle. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association contains clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD. In the course of assessing you doctors will examine your symptoms to those described in this manual to determine whether or not you have ADHD. A diagnosis is based on symptoms in two or more settings, such as at school or at work; the symptoms are persistent and debilitating; they began in childhood and cannot be explained by another mental health condition or medical disorder like depression or anxiety. Support For certain adults, the notion of having ADHD is a source of shame and it's easy to dismiss symptoms as “just being me.” Many people not seek treatment for a long time because they do not want to admit they struggle with keeping the track of their activities, staying organized or meeting deadlines. A thorough assessment by a mental health professional or health care provider is typically the first step towards treatment. recommended examines the person's mood and medical history as well as how the symptoms affect the work environment, relationships with family and friends, as well as other aspects of daily life. A comprehensive ADHD assessment could take a few hours. The most important part of the assessment is an in-depth interview. The examiner will use an established set of questions to ensure that all relevant symptoms are taken care of and compared to the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. The examiner will also look over old school report cards or questionnaires, and, when available, brain imaging. The report can help identify any comorbidity. If a patient is also suffering from anxiety or depression symptoms, they may overlap with ADHD. The report will also reveal other factors that contribute to a person's difficulties such as medical conditions, learning disabilities and stress. If the diagnosis of ADHD is confirmed the next step is to find an experienced psychiatrist or therapist who can treat the disorder. Contact your insurance company to determine if they cover providers who are specialists in treating ADHD. If not, the patient should ask for referrals from other patients who have had success in treatment and request recommendations from local support groups. One excellent source of support is CHADD the national organization with chapters throughout the U.S. Their website offers a wealth of information on ADHD and lists of professionals who have been certified to treat the disorder. It is also worth looking into social media sites like Facebook where there are a number of groups for people with ADHD. Just be careful to make sure that the group you join isn't a commercial venture.