Are Getting An ADHD Diagnosis As Important As Everyone Says?
Getting an ADHD Diagnosis
Getting an ADHD diagnosis can be a life altering experience. It is the reason why people struggle with issues like staying focused, following directions and being organized.
Ask your family doctor or therapist for a referral to an expert. Contact your insurance company to determine if it covers ADHD evaluations for adult patients.
The Diagnosis Process
For adults, a proper diagnosis requires an evaluation by a psychologist, psychiatrist or specialist nurse. These are the only healthcare professionals who can diagnose ADHD in adults.
An in-depth interview about your symptoms and how you are feeling is often the first step in an initial evaluation. The healthcare professional will be looking to determine the length of time your symptoms have been present and how they affect your daily life. They might also want to talk to your family member or close friend about your symptoms.
The process of evaluation will also involve questions about your childhood. Current guidelines allow doctors to diagnose ADHD without proving that the disorder existed in the early years of childhood. So the healthcare professional will want to review your school records and speak to people who knew you when you were an infant. how to get an adult adhd diagnosis will also ask whether you've ever experienced any mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
In some instances, an evaluator may recommend cognitive tests, like IQ testing or tests for learning or memory problems. They might also suggest other types of medical exams to rule out physical issues that may be causing your symptoms, like seizures or thyroid issues.
If your healthcare professional is sure that your symptoms are due to ADHD They may suggest additional diagnostic tests to verify and determine the severity of the problem. These tests may include blood and urine tests, a medical examination and, possibly, psychological or educational testing.
Tests are conducted to determine the levels of specific chemicals that could be linked with ADHD in your body, for example serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. They will also test your blood pressure and heart rate. You could also receive a spirometry, which measures lung capacity. They may also recommend that you undergo an examination of your brain to look for structural or functional abnormalities. In some instances, your evaluator might suggest that you or your child be evaluated for disorders that have similar symptoms with ADHD, like anxiety and depression or mood and personality disorders.
The Interview
There are a variety of ADHD tests and quizzes that you can use to test your knowledge, prior to scheduling an appointment with your physician. These tests can be helpful in identifying the possibility of ADHD However, the only way to make an accurate diagnosis is to consult an experienced medical professional who conducts a thorough clinical interview and isn't rushed into prescribing drugs.
The process could last between 2 and 3 hours. It involves explaining to the patient the concept of ADHD and the possible effects on their symptoms. It may also include the doctor seeking out a history of substance abuse or depression since these conditions are often co-occurring with ADHD.
A good diagnostic interview will involve a discussion of the patient's symptoms and their impact, and the psychologist or psychiatrist will use a checklist designed to evaluate hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattentiveness. The clinician will also want to review the student's school records and discuss the situation with teachers. If the patient is an adult spouse or family member could also be questioned. Personal insight can reveal information that cannot be gleaned through questionnaires.
Some doctors rush through this step or insist on only seeing a patient once instead of completing a full evaluation. This could lead to a incorrect diagnosis. If a doctor is too firmly rooted in the criteria used to diagnose ADHD and stipulates that a patient needs to display six or more symptoms to be diagnosed, that's a red flag.
For adults, the evaluator could request that the patient complete ratings for each symptom on an ADHD checklist and provide examples of how those symptoms have impacted his or her life. The evaluator will then compare the ratings to the checklist and assesses for ADHD.
It's a great feeling for some adults to receive an ADHD diagnosis. However, the emotions that accompany it -like guilt for failing to live up to expectations, or the grief that the disorder was not discovered until later in life -- can be complicated. The inattention and impulsivity that characterize ADHD can have a significant impact throughout an individual's life, such as relationships, career and health.
The Tests
It can be difficult and confusing to obtain an ADHD diagnosis. It involves a lot of paperwork as well as tests, interviews and other forms of testing. The best method to prepare is to get suggestions from family members, friends and doctors you are confident with. You should also research the specialist and their credentials to ensure they're a good match to your needs. It is essential to find a doctor who is specialized in diagnosing ADHD. This will ensure that you or your child is getting an accurate assessment and the most effective treatment.
The initial step of an ADHD assessment is an interview with the evaluation expert. The evaluation will ask questions about your child or you to gather information about your symptoms. The evaluator would like to know how the symptoms affect you and if they affect your school, work, or relationships. The evaluator may also use rating scales to measure your ADHD symptoms. They typically consist of checklists that ask you or someone close to you several questions. You may be asked if you are prone to forgetting appointments or how often you interrupt others.
Many evaluators will also ask people who know your child or you to complete questionnaires on what they have observed. For adults, this could be spouses or siblings for children. It could be coaches, teachers or even daycare workers. Personal insight can reveal details that are not possible to obtain from a survey.
The evaluators can also conduct cognitive tests to determine whether learning or mental disabilities are contributing factors to your symptoms. They may also test for mood disorders such as bipolar disorder or depression and incipient psychosis, or substance abuse. They could also screen for underlying conditions like seizures and hypothyroidism.
Certain evaluators will offer your child or you an ADHD screening test that tests how you respond to targeted and non-target stimuli. For instance, the TOVA (Timed On-Only Visual Attention) is an FDA-approved computerized test that assesses your ability to pay attention and recall a series of geometric shapes. The evaluator will examine the frequency at which you respond to non-targeted stimuli and the time it takes you to respond to target stimuli. This will help the evaluators identify which subtype of ADHD you are: Inattentive or impulsive.
The Follow-Up
Multiple mental health professionals are able to diagnose ADHD and provide ADHD evaluations. It could be a psychiatrist or psychologist as well as psychologist or neurologist. The specialist will want to be aware of your concerns and how long they have been present for. The specialist will also ask whether there any family history of ADHD. The disorder is believed to be 70%-80% hereditary. Genes play an important influence on whether your child or you suffer from symptoms.
The expert will be interested in knowing how your your child's ADHD impacts your daily life such as at work, home, and at school. He will inquire about your your child's behavior in various settings, because the symptoms of ADHD differ when they are present in different settings. To be diagnosed with ADHD, you or your child will also be required to show at least six symptoms of hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsivity that interferes with everyday functioning. It must last for at least six months.
To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor must rule out other conditions out. Other psychiatric disorders, such as mood and anxiety disorders and intellectual disabilities could be a factor. Certain medical disorders that affect brain function, such as thyroid issues, should be considered. In addition, the specialist will inquire about your child's sleeping patterns and any accidents or injuries that may have affected the development of your child's brain.
He will also consider whether your your child's ADHD symptoms are connected to any other health condition or medications that you or your child takes. Side effects of stimulant medications such as those used to treat ADHD can include stomachaches and trouble sleeping. Other medications, like antidepressants and certain sleep medications may also cause these adverse effects.
The doctor will also have to determine if there's an underlying comorbidity. This means you or your child could have a different condition that can cause symptoms of ADHD. This could be bipolar disorder, depression, or anxiety disorder. The psychologist or psychiatrist will go through all the data and come up with a diagnosis.