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ADHD Assessment For Adults The first step in determining if you or your child is suffering from ADHD is to take an assessment. The clinician will ask you questions regarding your health, developmental and family history. They may also ask your friends, your partner or your teachers to help them develop a better picture of your symptoms. The evaluator will ask you to rate your symptoms using rating scales. Be sure to answer honestly for the most accurate results. Diagnosis To determine if someone has ADHD mental health professionals will review the symptoms and their impact on the life of a person. They will inquire about their experiences from childhood, including school and work experiences. They can also utilize standard scales and questionnaires to determine if ADHD symptoms are present. They may also conduct interviews with family members, friends and other who know the person well. A thorough assessment of ADHD can take anywhere from one and three hours. It is essential that the patient has a written list of their symptoms and how they affect their lives. Also, they should bring their medical history and any other health conditions. You should also inquire with your insurance provider to see whether ADHD tests are covered. It is vital for the individual to be honest and transparent during the examination. The counselor may request permission to interview other individuals such as spouse or close friend to get more of a complete understanding of the individual's experience. They can also request permission to speak with the parents or teachers to learn more about their childhood experiences and how they behave. Adults may suffer from ADHD but they are not identified if they did not have symptoms as a child (technically prior to the age of 12). This is because ADHD isn't a common occurrence. It is also essential for the therapist to know how the symptoms impact their daily life and in which settings they occur. ADHD is diagnosed when symptoms are severe enough to affect the functioning of the person in at least two aspects of their lives, including school and at home. The symptoms must persist despite the person's attempts to overcome them. Consult your doctor if you suspect that you may have ADHD. You may also contact people who suffer from ADHD and speak with them about the symptoms you are experiencing. They may have tips and suggestions that could help you to manage your ADHD more effectively. Treatment A thorough ADHD evaluation can take anywhere from one to three hours. It is essential that the person undergoing the test be prepared to answer all questions and give the doctor the information they need. The evaluator can inquire about the patient's mental, developmental and medical histories. The evaluator may also interview other people, such as teachers, family members, and other healthcare providers. The evaluator might ask the patient if they've had any difficulties at school or work. The doctor will also look at how ADHD symptoms impact the patient's personal life and relationships. The evaluator may recommend additional testing in light of the results of the initial assessment. The purpose of this test is to determine other conditions such as personality disorders and learning disorders that may have similar symptoms as ADHD. Additionally, the evaluator will look for seizure and thyroid disorders. Many of the people who are evaluated for ADHD may also suffer from anxiety or depression. In these instances the evaluator might discuss the options for psychotherapy. This may include cognitive behavioral therapy, which is designed to encourage strategies for self-mediation and control. CBT can be provided in an individual or group setting. Some experts believe that patients with ADHD should be offered psychotherapy in conjunction with medication. The majority of studies show that ADHD is treated best with medication by itself. A thorough ADHD evaluation is essential for determining the treatment plan that's right for each individual. If you are interested in an ADHD evaluation, contact your insurance company to inquire whether they have specialists for ADHD diagnosis. You may also request a referral from your family doctor. Another option is to reach out to your local chapter of CHADD, or a mental health professional association for a list of specialists in your area who specialize in ADHD. You can also get referrals from support groups, for instance those for those suffering from depression or bipolar disorder. Counseling A competent mental health professional will be able to ask you lots of questions about your problems and how you've attempted to overcome these issues. She will also ask about your work and family life, and other issues like drug or alcohol abuse, and emotional traumas. She may even want to interview people close to you — like your spouse or another important person, or even a coach, teacher or nanny who has known you from your childhood — to get their insight about your past and present performance. This is particularly important for adults, as their memories of their past behavior could be influenced due to the presence or absence of ADHD symptoms. Based on the circumstances, you may need further tests to rule out any other causes of your difficulties. This could include cognitive tests for intellectual or learning impairment and medical tests for thyroid disorders or seizures which can cause symptoms similar to ADHD and psychotherapy to help you cope with emotions such as depression or the feeling that you've been unable to overcome. Psychotherapy is an effective tool for adults suffering from ADHD, because it can help you discover new ways to cope with their effects in the workplace as well as at home. IamPsychiatry can help you develop better management skills and discover strategies to improve your focus as well as executive function and impulse control. It can also ease stress and improve your relationship with your partner or others in your life. Many mobile and online services can help you find the right therapist who specializes in adult ADHD. They let you pick from a list of licensed providers, such as psychiatric nurse and social workers who have been rated excellent or very good excellent by their clients. They can help you find an appointment that is suitable for your lifestyle and budget. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders by the American Psychiatric Association contains clinical guidelines for diagnosing ADHD. During the process of assessment doctors will examine your symptoms with those described in this manual to determine if you have ADHD. A diagnosis is made when symptoms manifest in more than one setting, such at school or work, are persistent and debilitating and started in childhood. Support For certain adults, the notion of having ADHD is stigmatizing and it's easy to dismiss the symptoms as “just being me.” Many people will stay away from seeking treatment for a long time because they are afraid to admit that they struggle to keep track of things, getting organized, or meeting deadlines. The first step towards treatment is a thorough assessment by a health care provider or mental health professional. This process examines the person's mood and medical history, as well as how the symptoms affect the work environment, relationships with family and friends, and other aspects of everyday life. A comprehensive ADHD assessment may take several hours. The most important part of the evaluation is an extensive interview. The examiner uses a set of standardized questions to ensure that all relevant symptoms are addressed and compared with the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. The examiner also reviews reports from the past as well as questionnaires, and in the event that they are available brain imaging. The report that is generated will aid in identifying any comorbidity. If a patient is also suffering from depression or anxiety symptoms, they can often overlap with ADHD. The report will also reveal any other factors that could cause a person's problems like learning disabilities or medical conditions. If a diagnosis of ADHD is confirmed The next step is to locate an experienced psychiatrist or therapist who can treat the disorder. The patient should check with their insurance provider to determine whether there are any specialists who treat ADHD covered under their plan. If not, they should ask other patients who have been successfully treated to refer them to a specialist and seek recommendations from local groups. A great resource for support is CHADD which is a national organization that has chapters throughout the U.S. Their website has numerous details on ADHD, including the names of professionals who have been certified to treat the disorder. It is also worth looking into social media sites such as Facebook which has a number of groups for people who suffer from ADHD. Just be careful to make sure that the group you join is not commercially-oriented.