Getting a Diagnosis for ADHD
The first step in addressing symptoms that interferes with your education, work and relationships is to obtain a diagnosis of ADHD. Your primary physician may refer you to an ADHD specialist who is able to conduct the evaluation.
Interview people who know you, such as your friends, coworkers, and former teachers or religious leaders. Your evaluator should be aware about your health issues outside of the office, at home or at work.
Signs and symptoms
If a child or adult is struggling with ADHD symptoms for several years, it may be difficult to determine an accurate diagnosis. To qualify for an ADHD diagnosis, one must show six or more established symptoms of hyperactivity or inattention, and impulsivity that significantly hinder everyday functioning, like making mistakes in school or work or forgetting important things. These symptoms must have begun in the early years of childhood, prior to age 12. They cannot be caused by another disorder, like anxiety or depression.
Your doctor will conduct physical examination and review your or your child's mental, family and medical health history. They will also look at how your or child behaves in different settings, such as home and school. They may require you to talk to others about your child's behavior, including friends, relatives as well as teachers and coaches.
A thorough evaluation will help determine whether ADHD is the cause of the issue and the best medication to take. For instance, if someone's ADHD symptoms are primarily due to impulsivity, they might need medication that affects the dopamine system. They may also have to treat health issues that are underlying, such as anxiety or depression.
During the interview during the interview, either you or your child's doctor will ask about your symptoms and their impact on your life, and how long they've been present. They will also ask about your or your child's past health history and behavioral history. They will want to know if you or your child has an ancestral history of ADHD because it is highly heritable.
If you or your child are diagnosed with ADHD A mental health professional can provide support and guidance as you adjust to the challenges of living with ADHD. Therapy can be a chance to explore your or your child's feelings, including guilt, shame and frustration about how the condition has affected their lives. It can also help develop strategies to manage the disorder in your child's life or your own daily life.
Diagnosis
To be diagnosed with ADHD, the symptoms must satisfy a specific set of criteria. These are described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition (DSM-5). People with ADHD typically have difficulty concentrating at school or at work. They also might have trouble maintaining relationships or friendships because of their inattention and unpredictable behavior.
Screening for ADHD requires an interview with a professional, either a doctor or a mental health professional. You might be asked to bring along old reports or other documents from your childhood to help you remember past issues. The doctor will also look at the person's current and past medical, family, and social history.
It's important to note that many people don't exhibit symptoms of ADHD or don't have enough symptoms to be able to be diagnosed with the condition. A majority of healthy children exhibit inattention and hyperactive behavior from time to time. Children in their early years are more prone to have a short attention span, and they often can't remain focused on a single activity for long. Even teenagers and older kids may not be able to stay focused for a long time on something that's boring or doesn't interest them very much.
If you have a child that exhibits these issues, it's crucial to talk to your pediatrician or a doctor who specializes in treating behavioral and developmental disorders. You can seek suggestions from family members and friends or look up specialists who specialize in ADHD evaluations. It's also helpful to be aware of the possibility that your child could have a sleep disorder or another physical condition which could trigger similar symptoms.
It's important that you tell the truth during your interview with your doctor. The health care provider will be looking to talk to an old teacher or someone who was close to you as an infant. He or she might also take a look at the individual's work and social life in order to determine how the symptoms affect them. The professional will then evaluate the person and decide if or not he is suffering from ADHD. If the person is diagnosed with ADHD, the specialist will suggest a treatment plan.
Treatment
If you suspect you have ADHD the first step should be to talk to your health care provider. They will refer you to a mental health professional who will conduct an evaluation and make an assessment. The mental health professional will ask you about any symptoms you've been having, and will also review your medical and family history. They will also use standardized behavioral rating scales and ADHD symptoms checklists. They will also ask for your consent to communicate with family members or friends to gain a better understanding of your performance in various contexts and environments. They may also give you psychological or neuropsychological tests to measure working memory executive function (ability to make decisions and plan), visual and spatial skills, and reasoning ability.
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 examine the time when symptoms started and whether they were present from childhood.
For adults for 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 the following symptoms to meet the diagnosis of ADHD:
Your doctor will prescribe medication for you to control your symptoms. There are nonstimulant and stimulant medications that can be prescribed, and it could take many attempts to find the right one for you. Make sure to inform your doctor if taking any other medications specifically for depression or heart issues. These drugs can interact with some ADHD medication. Many people also resort to complementary health approaches for aid with ADHD like herbal supplements. These interventions are not evidence-based since they haven't been proved to be effective in treating ADHD symptoms.
Counseling
There isn't a single test to determine if you have ADHD. However, a comprehensive test will consist of standardized tests and interviews. Mental health professionals such as social workers and psychologists or advanced practice nurses are most qualified to diagnose ADHD since they know how it impacts different areas of the person's life. They can also effectively rule out other conditions that could cause similar symptoms. In the course of an examination it is vital that the person be able to discuss their symptoms without fear of embarrassment. They should also be prepared answer questions from the healthcare professional, such as those regarding their childhood behavior and school experiences. Some therapists will ask permission to interview family members, friends and spouses to gain additional understanding of the person's condition.
Many people with ADHD do not remember appointments, fail to meet deadlines, and make impulsive choices that strain the patience of even their most forgiving co-workers or friends. Therapy that addresses these issues can help them understand how to manage their own behavior and devise strategies to reduce the impulsivity of their behavior and improve their efficiency in their work. adhd diagnosis adult could also benefit from classes that help them develop effective conflict resolution and problem-solving skills as well as couples' therapy or other programs that help improve relationships.
Counseling services for those suffering from ADHD are available in community centers, private practices and specialty clinics. Some offer group therapy, while others are run by licensed therapists. Some also provide support groups for families of children with ADHD as well as education on the disorder and treatment options, and other sources.
Counseling for ADHD is usually most efficient when it's paired with behavior therapy and medication. A therapist can employ cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to teach a person with ADHD how to recognize the negative mental patterns that cause their symptoms and how to change them. Counseling can help a person who is always worried about not completing a task on time, learn to reward themselves for completing the task. They can also create self-management techniques for routine activities, such as setting alarms to wake up, placing schoolbags and clothes in the same place each morning, and making a daily schedule.