ADHD For Adults Test
If you have symptoms of ADHD, a health care professional can help. They can work with you to find coping strategies, hold you accountable, and assist you in addressing the areas of your life that require improvement. This includes keeping jobs or smoothing relationships.
To be diagnosed with ADHD the symptoms you experience must cause significant impairment in two places, such as at home and at school. Your doctor may also review your medical history and talk to people who are close to you.
Signs and symptoms
In an ADHD assessment, health care professionals use information you provide about your symptoms and how they impact your life. They might also ask you to discuss your family, education and work history, as well as your physical and mental health. Bring any documentation you might have, including performance evaluations at work or psychological tests you've had in the past. A doctor can also use standard ratings scales to determine if you suffer from ADHD and how severe your symptoms are.
In order to be diagnosed with ADHD it is necessary to exhibit symptoms in two different settings such as school and home, as observed by at least two persons. Your symptoms must be severe enough to cause problems with your daily activities. Impairment is an important part of the diagnosis as it can help determine whether your symptoms are related to ADHD and not something else, like anxiety or depression.
You must have six or more established symptoms in one of the two major categories of ADHD -- inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity -- over the past six months to be diagnosed with the condition. The healthcare provider will look for a predominance of one of the presentation types and also for signs of comorbidity, which is when you have more than one disorder.
Adults with undiagnosed ADHD can find it difficult to stay organized and follow through on their tasks and stick to their schedules. They may also have issues with their relationships or at work because they are unable to manage their time and their tasks.
Self-assessments or online ADHD screening tools can aid in determining if your symptoms are linked to the disorder. These tools aren't precise enough to determine ADHD in adults, and provide only general information.
You must be truthful with the examiner about your symptoms. Adults may feel ashamed or embarrassed by their symptoms. This can affect the quality of their answers, and make it difficult for them to receive an accurate diagnosis. You can work to overcome this issue by talking to someone who has worked with adult patients suffering from ADHD.
Diagnosis
To diagnose ADHD the patient must meet certain criteria. Adults must exhibit symptoms that cause significant difficulties in at minimum two areas of their lives, like work, school, or relationships. The symptoms must be present from the age of 12 (technically prior to the age of 12).
The doctor will ask you about your symptoms and the impact on you. They might also inquire about your family history because ADHD is usually inherited. They'll be interested to know if you have siblings suffering from ADHD or if you have other mental disorders similar to ADHD.
A thorough evaluation can take a while. Bring a list of symptoms and examples to demonstrate how they have affected you. The doctor can also employ a symptom rating scale, such as the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS) that will ask you to rate the frequency with which you suffer from each of the symptoms. They may also use a questionnaire that looks for other conditions that may have similar symptoms similar to ADHD such as an anxiety disorder or a learning disability.
During the assessment the specialist will also talk to those who know you, such as your parents, colleagues, and teachers. They might also do an examination and inquire about any medical issues you've had in the past. They'll want to rule out medical illnesses that could be causing symptoms, for example, seizure disorder or thyroid disease.
They may also conduct a brain scan, because research has proven that the brains of those with ADHD have lower levels of arousal in the frontal areas. They also tend to be more theta-waved, which are brainwaves that are slower.
You might not meet all the requirements for a correct diagnosis. The specialist might not be able to provide you with one. If this is the case, a medical professional may refer you to a coach or therapist to help you improve your coping skills and find ways to manage symptoms.
Treatment
A person with ADHD may experience a broad range of symptoms, from issues at school or work to difficulty in social situations. Finding a professional in health care who can perform comprehensive evaluations and determine ADHD in adults is the key to obtaining help. A health care professional can also recommend ways to treat ADHD and strategies for coping.
To begin evaluating adult ADHD, it is important to gather information from the patient, as well as anyone else who knows the person. This can include family, colleagues and friends. The doctor will also examine a person's past experiences including their early teens and childhood years. In some instances a health specialist may talk to the patient's spouse to learn more about how ADHD impacts the relationship.
To confirm the diagnosis, the doctor will usually use psychological tests, like a behavior rating scale or the Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scales (BAARS). These tests include self-reports and observer ratings for specific problems like impulsivity, trouble keeping track of time, not remembering items and organizing things. The results of the tests can be compared to the results of those who don't have ADHD. A physical exam is typically also required, since certain medical conditions like seizure disorders or thyroid disorders may be a source of symptoms similar to ADHD.
Adult ADHD is treated mostly with medication and therapy. They can aid in improving concentration, reduce hyperactivity and increase productivity by affecting the levels of norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. The medications are available orally, as injections as well as in combination. Behavioral therapy helps people learn better organizational skills, and enhance their ability to control the impulsive behavior. There are many kinds of therapy available, including cognitive-behavioral dialectical behavioral and neurofeedback.
Lifestyle changes are also an important part of the treatment for adults with ADHD. A consistent routine, and eliminating foods high in sugar or artificial colors, flavors or preservatives can help reduce symptoms. It is essential to get enough sleep since a lack of rest can make symptoms worse. Yoga or meditation can relax the nervous system and help to maintain mental balance.
Support
There are a few online resources that offer self-assessments that can help determine the symptoms of ADHD in adults. These tools are easy to use, quick and can help you determine whether you should seek the advice of an expert in mental health. These tools are not designed to diagnose ADHD, and they shouldn't be used as a substitute for a medical evaluation.
Screening instruments and rating scales aren't able to grasp the subtleties of how people with ADHD live their lives. For example the current diagnostic criteria for ADHD outlines that a person must have significant trouble with "difficulty planning/organizing tasks" and "delayed the initiation of activities." While many of these screening tools can identify such issues, they do not typically consider how these problems affect the person's life in general.
Other limitations include that most of these tools are dependent on subjective ratings. It has been recognized for an extended period of time that people suffering from ADHD are able to screen positive using these tools. This is due to the fact that the symptoms of ADHD exist along a continuum. Those who suffer from ADHD tend to experience elevations in various areas of functioning, but this is hard to identify with a tool for rating.
My Web Site to assessing ADHD includes neuropsychological tests or continuous performance tests. For example an assessment such as the TOVA (Test of Vocational and Observational Ability) can be administered on a computer screen. The test participant must press a button every when they see certain symbols or letters on the screen. The test will then measure their reaction time and other factors that affect attention.
Another benefit of this method is that it provides a more objective measure of an individual's performance over a conventional interview. The person evaluating the test can also observe the behavior. Lastly, these tests generally have higher internal validity than interviews in clinical.
Functional lab testing can evaluate the underlying biochemical imbalances which could cause ADHD in adults and help determine the direction of care. We make ordering these labs and other essential functional medicine tests for your ADHD patients simple.