ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will talk to you about your personal and family history, work environment, and school performance. They will also take an medical history, which may include a physical exam.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood and any drug or alcohol consumption. Your clinician will ask you about any comorbid conditions that could mimic the symptoms that are a result of ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
It is crucial for adults who suspect they might be suffering from ADHD to speak with their primary health care provider. They can help you understand what it means to have ADHD and refer you for mental health treatment if needed. You can also locate an individual counselor in your area who is specialized in ADHD.
To determine ADHD, a healthcare professional will employ an evaluation tool. This typically includes a thorough interview and several questions about the symptoms. The evaluator wants to know about your past and determine if there were any significant childhood events that might have caused your symptoms and behavior. For instance, if you were exposed to trauma or suffered from any medical conditions in your early years of childhood.
The evaluator determines the severity of your symptoms. The evaluator will assess how much your impairments affect your daily life. This would be the case if, for example you had difficulty keeping your job or interacting with your family members. This is a crucial part of the diagnosis process as it will ensure that your ADHD symptoms are not better explained by another mental health condition like anxiety or depression.
In addition to an in-depth clinical interview, the examiner may also administer standardized behavioral rating scales or ADHD symptoms checklists. These tools can help to identify if you have six or more established ADHD symptoms in one of the two main categories -- inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity. The evaluator will also conduct a neuropsychological, psychological or testing for learning disabilities, should it be required. These tests may provide information on working memory deficits as well as executive function abilities and visual and spatial skills.
It is possible that you'll be diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe ADHD symptoms in light of your interview and symptom assessment. These are different levels of the disorder, and they show how your ADHD symptoms impact you in your daily life. For instance mild ADHD symptoms will have minimal effect on your social interactions and work. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a more significant impact on your life, while severe ADHD symptoms can impact every aspect of your life.
Diagnosis
The process of diagnosing ADHD isn't easy especially for adults. Although many Internet websites offer checklists of symptoms and questionnaires, the most valid diagnosis of ADHD is made by an accredited mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist or family doctor). The evaluation process includes an interview with the person by the physician, and preferably with a person who is in close contact with him or her like a spouse, parent or sibling; teacher or coach; or a babysitter. Other important steps include assessing the individual's symptoms in work, school at home, and with friends. Taking a complete medical record is also an important step.
When evaluating an adult doctor, the doctor will evaluate the patient's symptoms to the ones described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. This manual outlines the symptoms used to diagnose ADHD in adolescents and children. However, due to the differences between adults and children, these criteria are not always applicable to diagnosing adults suffering from the disorder. The doctor could also use the Brown Attention-Deficit Test for Symptom Assessment Scale for Adults that is a self-report questionnaire of 40 items that assesses different aspects of the symptoms of ADHD.
During the clinical interview the clinician will want to learn more about the person's childhood. Many adults with ADHD don't recall their childhoods well or even at all. adult adhd testing will have to get as much information from the person's family members, teachers, and other people who have known them in the past.
The clinician will also ask the individual to complete an assessment of how they react to certain situations, like missing his keys or not attending appointments. The clinician will also discuss the individual's life style, family and work history. Additionally, the doctor will require a list of medications that the individual takes and his or her current symptoms. The doctor will determine if symptoms are due to other conditions such as anxiety or depression, and then determine the most appropriate treatment strategy.
Treatment
A precise diagnosis of adult ADHD is an essential step in obtaining the right treatment. Some people with ADHD suffer from comorbid disorders such as anxiety and mood disorders that require treatment. Some suffer from physical ailments that affect their symptoms. Whatever the reason of symptoms is, most adults who suffer from this disorder can benefit from the combination of psychotherapy and medication.
Generally an expert in mental health will conduct the test for ADHD. The doctor will ask about the patient's medical history, and also inquire about their school, work and personal lives. He may request to speak with your spouse, parent, child, or your significant other to obtain more details that cannot be collected through the questionnaire. Depending on the situation a physical or neurological exam may 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 might interview family members, colleagues or teachers to get more details. He might ask you or your kid to recall your behavior as when you were a child. Some experts believe this interview is a crucial component of an extensive ADHD evaluation for adults as well as children.
Other tests may include a psychological examination and cognitive behavioral therapy in order to address problematic behaviors or thoughts like "thought distorsions" or self defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will help you or your children replace these harmful habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist can assist you in developing strategies to improve your organizing skills. For instance using a planner for your day and creating lists of tasks. They can also teach you techniques to curb your impulsive and risk-taking behaviors and build confidence. They can also recommend groups of support for you, such as an ADHD or life coach.
Adults suffering from ADHD may find relief from stimulant medications such as amphetamines or methylphenidates. These medications are believed to increase levels of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter that affects motor coordination and attention. These medications are only prescribed to patients who have a definitive diagnosis of the disorder and who meet certain criteria.
Counseling
In some cases, people may find themselves referred to specialists for ADHD but not having the disorder. This can cause distress to those referred, the use of healthcare resources and a rise in costs. Inappropriate referrals may also cause overdiagnosis of ADHD (increasing the chance of using stimulants, which may have diversion and abuse potential in certain instances) and can increase the number of people who are diagnosed with ADHD when their symptoms are due to other psychiatric conditions such as anxiety or depression.
A comprehensive ADHD assessment should include a detailed diagnostic interview with a certified doctor. This may include questions regarding the person's daily life whether at work or in school, their relationship with family and friends, alcohol and drug use as well as driving background, medical issues and their mental health history since childhood. The examiner will determine if the person meets the criteria for ADHD diagnosis (inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness). They will also look at whether the symptoms are caused by impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of ratings can be useful in the assessment of ADHD symptoms. These can be administered either by the person who is evaluating, or by an independent source like spouse. These tests are particularly useful for those who aren't sure about their symptoms or suspect they may have other reasons for their symptoms. The evaluator may also ask the person to complete an retrospective ADHD behavior profile from their childhood.
Psychological testing is commonly utilized to provide a comprehensive evaluation of a person's cognitive, behavioral and emotional functioning. It can involve clinical interviews as well as rating scales behavioral assessments, neuropsychological tests, intelligence and mood tests. This gives a more complete picture than a diagnosis conversation on its own, and is used to inform accommodation, treatments, and interventions.