ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening, your doctor will interview you about your family and personal history, work environment and school performance. They will also take an examination of your medical history, including physical examination.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood and an examination of any drug or alcohol use. Your physician will inquire about any conditions that may be akin to the symptoms that are associated with ADHD.
Symptoms
If you suspect that an adult may are suffering from ADHD, it is important to talk with an primary care physician. They can assist you to understand what ADHD is and can refer you to mental health services should you require it. You can also locate a local counselor who specializes in ADHD.
To determine ADHD, a medical professional will employ an assessment tool. This typically involves a thorough interview and several questions about the symptoms. The evaluator wants to know your background and whether there were any significant childhood events that may have caused your symptoms and behavior. You can tell the evaluator whether you were the victim of trauma or an illness during your early childhood.
The evaluator then determines how serious your symptoms are. It will be determined by how much your impairments affect your everyday functioning. This would be the case if, for example you have a difficult time maintaining your job or getting along with your family members. This is an essential part of the diagnostic process, as it will ensure that your ADHD symptoms aren't explained by a different mental health issue, such as depression or anxiety.
The evaluator can also administer ADHD symptom checklists or behavioral rating scales. tests for adhd in adults can help to identify if you have six or more established ADHD symptoms in one of the two main categories -- inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity. If necessary, the examiner may also conduct neuropsychological, psychological or learning disability testing. These tests may provide information on working memory deficits, executive function ability as well as spatial and visual abilities.
You may be diagnosed with moderate or mild ADHD symptoms based on the interview and the assessment of symptoms. There are various levels of the disorder and they show how your ADHD symptoms affect your daily life. For instance, mild ADHD symptoms will have small impact on your work and social interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a more significant impact on your daily life, while severe ADHD symptoms can affect every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
Finding out if you have ADHD can be difficult especially for adults. There are many Internet websites provide symptom lists and questionnaires. However only a licensed mental healthcare medical professional or doctor can make an accurate diagnosis of ADHD (psychiatrists or neurologists or family doctors). The process of evaluation includes an interview of the individual by the clinician, preferably with a person who is in close contact with the person like spouse, parent or sibling; teacher or coach; or a babysitter. Other important steps include evaluating the individual's symptoms at work, at school at home, and with friends. Making a complete medical record is an important step.
When conducting an evaluation of an adult, the physician will compare the patient's signs to those described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. This guide contains the symptoms that are used to diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children. However, due to the differences between children and adults the criteria aren't always appropriate for diagnosing adults suffering from the disorder. The clinician may also use the Brown Attention-Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale for adults, which is a self-report test with 40 items that assesses different aspects of the symptoms of ADHD.
During the interview the clinician will be looking to learn more about the individual's early life. Many adults suffering from ADHD do not recall their childhoods well or even at all. The doctor will need to get as much information as possible from the person's family members teachers, relatives, and others who have met them in the past.
The clinician will ask the patient to complete a survey to determine how they react to certain situations such as not attending an appointment or losing their keys. The clinician will also talk about the person's life style and family and work history. In addition, the physician will ask for an inventory of the medications the patient is taking as well as the symptoms they are experiencing at the moment. The doctor will determine if the symptoms may be related to other disorders like depression or anxiety disorders and then choose the best treatment strategy.
Treatment
An accurate diagnosis of adult ADHD is a critical step in obtaining the right treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD also have comorbid disorders like mood disorders and anxiety, which require treatment. Some suffer from physical ailments that affect their symptoms. Whatever the reason of symptoms is, most people suffering from this condition will benefit from an individualized psychotherapy program and medication.
In general, a mental health professional will conduct the ADHD evaluation. The doctor will review medical history and ask about school, work and personal issues. He could conduct an examination of the psychological or ask to speak with a spouse, parent, sibling or significant other for more details that can't be gleaned from questionnaires. Based on the circumstances, an examination for neurological or physical health could 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 will speak to family members, teachers, or coworkers for additional details. They may ask you or your kid to recall your behavior as a child. Some experts believe this interview is an important element of a thorough ADHD evaluation for adults as well as children.
Other tests may include a psychological exam and cognitive behavioral therapy in order to address issues with behavior or thoughts like "thought distorsions" or self defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist can assist you or your child to change these bad habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist can assist you in developing strategies to improve your organizational skills. For instance using a planner for your day and creating lists of tasks. They can also teach you strategies to decrease impulsive and risk-taking behaviors and increase your confidence. They can also recommend groups of support, such as a ADHD or life coach.
Adults suffering from ADHD may find relief from stimulant medications such as amphetamines and methylphenidates. These drugs are thought to boost the brain's natural levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter which affects attention and motor coordination. These drugs are only prescribed to those with a clear diagnosis of the disorder and who meet certain requirements.
Counseling
In some cases, patients are sent to a specialist even though they don't have ADHD. This can cause distress to those who are referred to, the use of healthcare resources and higher costs. Unsuitable referrals can result in an over-diagnosis of ADHD (increasing the likelihood of using stimulants, which may lead to abuse and diversion in some cases) and may increase the number of people diagnosed when their symptoms are related to other psychiatric disorders, such as depression or anxiety.
A thorough diagnostic interview should be conducted by a certified professional as part of an extensive ADHD evaluation. This can include questions about the person's day-to-day life at work or school and their relationships with family and friends, drinking and drug usage, driving history, medical concerns and their mental health history from childhood to now. The examiner will look to determine if any of the criteria for diagnosing ADHD apply to the person (inattentiveness as well as hyperactivity and impulsiveness). They will also consider whether their symptoms cause impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and rating scales to assess ADHD symptoms can be helpful. These can be administered by the evaluator, or completed by an independent source such as a spouse. They are particularly helpful when a person is not sure of their own symptoms or believes there are other causes for their issues. The evaluator may also ask the patient to complete a retrospective ADHD profile of their childhood behavior.
Psychological testing is commonly utilized to provide a comprehensive assessment of a person's mental, behavioral and emotional functioning. It can involve clinical interviews as well as rating scales, behavioral observations, neuropsychological tests, intelligence tests and mood tests. This gives a greater picture than a diagnostic interview alone and can assist in determining the treatment, accommodations, and intervention plans.