Getting a Diagnosis for ADHD
The first step in managing symptoms that hinder your education, work and relationships is to obtain an assessment for ADHD. Your primary care physician can refer you to an ADHD specialist who is able to conduct the test.
It is important to speak with those who know you well, including friends, co-workers and past teachers or religious leaders. Your evaluator should be aware about your health issues outside of at home, in the office or at work.
Signs and symptoms
If a person of any age has been suffering from ADHD symptoms for several years it could be difficult to determine an accurate diagnosis. A person must show at least six symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity that significantly affect their daily functioning. This can include making careless errors at school or at work, or forgetting important details. These symptoms must have started in childhood before the age of 12, and they cannot be caused by other disorders, like depression or anxiety.
Your health care provider will conduct an examination of your body and review your your child's mental, family and medical health history. They will also look at how your child behaves in different environments such as at home or at school. They may ask to speak with others like teachers, friends, relatives and coaches, regarding your or your child's behavior.
A thorough evaluation will help determine if ADHD is the cause of problems for a person and help determine the kind of medication that's most effective. For instance, if ADHD symptoms are mostly due to the tendency to be impulsive, they may require medication that affects the dopamine system. They may also need to treat health issues that are underlying, such as anxiety or depression.
During the interview the child's or your doctor will inquire about your symptoms, their impact on your life, and how long they have been present. They will also ask about your child's previous health history and behavior history. They will ask you if you or your children have a a family history with ADHD. It is highly heritable.
If you or your child is diagnosed with ADHD, a mental health professional can offer assistance and guidance as you adjust to the challenges of living with ADHD. Therapy can help you or your child discover their emotions, including frustration, shame, and regrets about how the disorder has affected them or you. It can also assist you to find strategies to manage the disorder better in your your child's daily life.
Diagnosis
To be classified as having ADHD, the symptoms must match a specific set of criteria. These are outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition (DSM-5). ADHD can make it difficult for people to concentrate at work or at school. They may also have difficulty maintaining friendships or relationships because of their inattentive and impulsive behavior.
A professional such as a doctor or mental health provider, will conduct an interview to determine if you suffer from ADHD. The patient could be asked to bring in report cards from their childhood or other documentation that can help him or her remember problems from earlier years. The specialist will also look at the person's previous and current family, medical, social, and psychiatric history.
It's crucial to understand that a lot of people don't have ADHD symptoms or don't show enough to be diagnosed. In reality, many healthy children exhibit inattention or hyperactive behavior from time time. Children with young attention spans and are often unable to stick with a single activity for a long time. Even teenagers and older kids may not be able to stay focused for a long time on something that is boring or doesn't appeal to them very much.
If you have a child that exhibits these kinds of behaviors, it's essential to speak with your pediatrician or a doctor who specializes in treating behavioral and developmental disorders. You can ask for recommendations from friends and relatives or look online for experts who specialize in ADHD evaluations. It's important to be aware that your child may suffer from a sleep disorder or other physical illness that can trigger similar symptoms.
It's important that you tell the truth in your conversation with your doctor. The health care provider will want to speak to an old teacher or someone who was close to you as a child. He or she might also take a look at the individual's social and professional life in order to determine how the symptoms affect them. The professional will then evaluate the person and decide if or not he has ADHD. If the person does have ADHD the doctor will recommend a treatment plan.
Treatment
If you suspect you have ADHD the first step should be to talk with your health medical professional. They will refer you to a mental health professional who will conduct an evaluation and make a diagnosis. The mental health professional may ask you to describe your symptoms and review your medical and family history. They'll also employ standard behavior rating scales and ADHD symptoms checklists. They may also ask your permission to speak with relatives as well as friends and colleagues to get a better picture of how you perform in different environments and situations. They may also administer psychological or neuropsychological assessments to determine your working memory and executive functions (ability to plan and make decisions, and have visual and spatial abilities) and reasoning abilities as well as spatial and visual abilities.
During an evaluation, your doctor will determine the extent to which you have ADHD symptoms and whether they are predominately inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive or combined. The doctor will also look at when the symptoms began and if they have been present since the age of.
For adults and older adults, the American Psychiatric Association provides clinical guidelines in its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). These guidelines suggest that you need to have at least five of these symptoms to be considered as a diagnosis of ADHD:
Your doctor will prescribe medication for you to manage your symptoms. There are stimulant and nonstimulant medications that can be prescribed, and it could take many attempts to find the right one for you. Be sure to inform your doctor if you're taking any other medications, especially those for depression or heart issues. These drugs may interact with some ADHD medications. Some people also consider alternative health methods to help with ADHD, such as herbal supplements. But, they haven't been scientifically proven to reduce symptoms of ADHD, so they don't count as evidence-based therapies.
Counseling
There isn't a single test to diagnose ADHD. However an exhaustive assessment will include standardized assessments and interviews. Mental health professionals, such as psychologists social workers, psychologists and advanced practice nurses, are the most qualified to diagnose because they understand how the condition affects different areas of one's life. They can also effectively identify other conditions that can cause similar symptoms. In adhd diagnosis adults uk of an evaluation, it is important for the person to be able to discuss their symptoms freely and without shame. They should also be prepared answer questions from the health professional, including questions about their childhood behavior and school experiences. Some therapists ask for permission to interview spouses, family members or friends to gain additional insight into the person's symptoms and their impact on others.
ADHD can cause adults to forget appointments, fail to meet deadlines and make impulsive decisions that annoy even the most patient of colleagues, partners and family members. Therapy that focuses on these issues can help them understand how to manage their own behavior and develop strategies to curb their impulses and improve their organizational skills. They can also benefit by attending classes that teach effective conflict resolution, problem solving and improving relationships.
Counseling services for those suffering from ADHD are offered at community centers as well as private practices and special clinics. Some offer group therapy, and others are run by licensed therapists. Some provide support groups for parents of children with ADHD. They also provide information on the disorder, its treatment options, and other sources.
Counseling for ADHD can be most efficient when coupled with medication and behavior therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is taught by a therapist can help a person with ADHD to identify and modify the negative thinking patterns contributing to their symptoms. For instance when they are constantly worried about not finishing tasks on time, counseling can help them learn to take small steps towards their goals and reward themselves when they complete the tasks. They can also develop self-management strategies to manage routine tasks, such as setting an alarm to wake up and placing their schoolbags and clothes at the same spot each morning.
