ADHD Adult Test - Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD
During an ADHD screening the doctor will talk to you about your family and personal history, work environment and school performance. They will also ask for your medical history and perform a physical examination.
A full ADHD assessment will include questions about your childhood and a review of any drug or alcohol consumption. Your physician will inquire about any comorbid conditions that might be similar to the symptoms that are a result of ADHD.
Signs and symptoms
It is important for anyone who is concerned that they might have ADHD to talk to their primary doctor. They can assist you to understand what ADHD is and refer you to mental health care, if needed. You can also find an expert local counselor who specializes in ADHD.
A healthcare professional will use an instrument to diagnose ADHD. This typically involves a thorough interview and an array of questions regarding symptoms. The examiner will want to be aware of your past and whether there were significant events in childhood that could have influenced your behavior and symptoms. You can tell the evaluator whether you were the victim of trauma or a medical illness in your early childhood.
The evaluator will then assess the severity of your condition. This is determined by the extent to which your impairments interfere with your everyday functioning. For instance, if are having a difficult time maintaining a job or getting along with your family members, it could be considered an impairment. This is an essential aspect of the process of diagnosing as it ensures that your ADHD symptoms can't be explained by mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
In addition to an in-depth clinical interview, the examiner may also use 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 psychological, neuropsychological or testing for learning disabilities should it be required. These tests can provide information regarding working memory deficiencies, executive function ability and visual and spatial skills.
You could be diagnosed with moderate or mild ADHD symptoms, based on the interview and the assessment of symptoms. These are different levels of the disorder, and they show the way your ADHD symptoms affect you in your life. For instance, mild ADHD symptoms will have a small impact on your work and social interactions. Moderate ADHD symptoms have a greater impact on your life. The most severe ADHD symptoms can impact all aspects of your daily life.
Diagnosis
It can be challenging to determine ADHD especially among adults. While many Internet sites offer symptom checklists and questionnaires, the only valid diagnosis of ADHD is made by an accredited mental health professional or physician (psychiatrist or neurologist or family doctor). The process of evaluation includes an interview with the patient by the doctor, usually with someone else in close contact with the person like a spouse, parent or sibling or teacher; or a babysitter. Other important steps include evaluating the person's symptoms at work, at school at home, as well as with friends. A complete medical record is also an important step.
When conducting an evaluation of an adult medical professional, they will compare the patient's symptoms to those described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. adhd adults test contains the symptoms used to diagnose ADHD in children and teenagers. However, because of differences between adults and children, these criteria are not always a good way to diagnose adults suffering from the disorder. The doctor can also use the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder Symptom Assessment Scale for adults. This is a self-reporting, 40-item test that measures different aspects ADHD symptoms.
During the interview, the clinician might also want to learn more about the child's history. Many adults with ADHD don't remember their childhood well or even at all. The doctor will have to gather as much information from the individual's relatives, teachers, and others who have been around them in the past.
The clinician will also ask the patient to fill out an assessment of how the person responds to certain situations, for example, having keys stolen or missing appointments. The doctor will also discuss the individual's life style and the family and work history. The physician will also ask the patient to list the they are taking medications and the current symptoms. The clinician will determine if the symptoms may be related to other disorders like anxiety or depression and then determine the best treatment strategy.
Treatment
A precise diagnosis of adult ADHD is a critical step in getting the appropriate treatment. Certain people suffering from ADHD have comorbid disorders like anxiety and mood disorders that also require treatment. Other people have physical issues which affect their symptoms. Whatever the reason of symptoms is, most adults who suffer from this disorder can benefit from an individualized psychotherapy program and medication.
In general, a mental healthcare professional will conduct the ADHD assessment. The doctor will review medical history and ask questions about work, school and personal issues. He may conduct an examination of the psychological or ask to speak with a spouse, parent or sibling for additional information that can't be gleaned from questionnaires. A physical or a neurological examination may be required, based on the case.
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 co-workers for additional details. He may ask you or your child to recall your behavior as when you were a child. Some experts believe this interview is a crucial part of a thorough ADHD assessment for adults and children.
Other tests could include a psychological exam and cognitive behavioral therapy to address issues with behavior or thoughts such as "thought distorsions" or self-defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will assist you or your child replace these destructive habits and beliefs with healthier ones.
Your therapist can assist you to create strategies to improve your organizational skills, like using an everyday planner or creating lists of tasks. They can help you learn to control impulsive behaviors and reduce risk-taking. They can also recommend support groups for you, such as an ADHD or life coach.
Some people suffering from ADHD get relief from taking stimulant medications like methylphenidates and amphetamines. These medications are believed to increase dopamine levels in the brain, a neurotransmitter that affects attention and motor coordination. However, these drugs are only prescribed to people who have a specific diagnosis and meet specific criteria for the disorder.
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 a rise in costs. Inappropriate referrals could result in an overdiagnosis of ADHD which could increase the risk of stimulant abuse and diversion in certain cases.
A thorough ADHD assessment should include a detailed diagnostic interview conducted by a qualified professional. This can include questions about the person's life in general whether at work or in school as well as their relationship with family and friends, drinking and drug usage and driving background, medical issues and their mental health history since childhood. The examiner will want to see how many of the criteria used to diagnose ADHD are applicable to the individual (inattentiveness hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention). They will also examine whether the symptoms are leading to impairment.
Standardized questionnaires and scales of ratings can be useful in the assessment of ADHD symptoms. These can be administered by the evaluator or filled out by an outside source like a spouse. They can be particularly useful in cases where the person is uncertain of their own symptoms or believes they have other causes for their issues. The evaluator can also ask the person to complete a retrospective ADHD profile of their childhood behavior.
Psychological tests can be used to determine a person's mental functioning, behavior and emotional state. This may include behavioral assessments ratings scales, neuropsychological tests. This provides a greater view than a diagnostic conversation alone, and can be used to inform accommodation interventions, and treatment plans.