ADHD Symptoms in Adults Test
You may be asked about your childhood (technically at the age of 12) by a mental health professional who is conducting an ADHD assessment. They could use ADHD symptoms checklists or standardized behavior ratings scales.
Psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists and some doctors are qualified to diagnose ADHD in adults. They'll be looking over your medical history and assess how your symptoms impact your life.
Symptoms
If you are concerned about your memory and organization skills, or are noticing that you are struggling to keep up with home or work tasks, talk to your doctor. You could be scheduled for a psychological evaluation to determine if you are ADHD. These tests can include an assessment questionnaire or rating scale to determine symptoms, or specialized cognitive behavior tests. The test will also look at your medical history and family history as well as any other issues that could be a cause of ADHD symptoms or coexist with them, for example, learning disabilities or depression.
The psychiatric guideline used by health professionals, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), defines the criteria for diagnosing adults suffering from ADHD. For an adult to meet the diagnosis, several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms must have been present before age 12 and be persistently present for at least 6 months. These symptoms must have impacted the person's social, school, and work functioning.
Many adults live with undiagnosed ADHD even when their symptoms are evident and interfere with the majority of aspects of daily living. As children, they might have been able compensate for their symptoms, but as adults, their ability to pay attention and remain organized is dramatically increased.
People with ADHD often have more difficulty controlling their emotions than those who do not suffer from the disorder, and they tend to have less self-control. This means they tend to react on impulse and make decisions based on impulsiveness. They can also lose the track of important things, forget appointments, and forget important documents. Adults who suffer from ADHD are classified as moderate, mild or severe.
Diagnosis
Adults are more difficult to diagnose than children because adult symptoms are more focused on social and work interactions. Doctors rely on the history of a patient and their current problems in order to determine if they have ADHD. The symptoms must also be serious enough to cause disruption to the individual's life.
A health professional will first need to complete a thorough examination in order to diagnose ADHD. This includes examining hearing, vision and thyroid function. The provider must also review the patient's health history, family history as well as school records and any other pertinent records. This information can be used to determine if the patient suffers from any other mental disorders or learning disabilities.
A qualified mental health professional or physician will interview the person. During this time, the clinician will ask questions about the individual's symptoms and how they impact their lives. The clinician will also ask for a rating of the symptoms over the course of six months. The person's responses will be compared to the criteria for diagnosing ADHD in adults, as established by the American Psychiatric Association.
To be diagnosed with ADHD, a person must have at least six inattentive and/or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms that are not caused by a medical condition or another mental illness. Several of the inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms must have been present before age 12. The person must also show significant impairment in two aspects of their everyday life.
Online resources can be used to determine if you suffer from ADHD symptoms in adults. While these tests and scales can provide an idea of the situation but they should not be used to diagnose yourself or determine the treatment plan you will follow. If you suspect you have ADHD, it is best to talk to a trained and experienced health care professional for a thorough assessment.
Treatment
A primary care doctor will test you for ADHD if you have difficulty remembering things, always seem to lose your keys or struggle to keep up with school. Finding the best solutions for you and your family members begins with a diagnosis.
A thorough examination will include a physical examination and a discussion of your symptoms, including the history of your symptoms in childhood and any problems they've caused in adulthood. Your doctor may ask to talk with your partner or close friends, too to get a complete picture of your personality and background. They will also look for a medical condition which may be causing your symptoms.
Adults are screened for ADHD using standardized behavioral ratings scales and ADHD symptoms checklists. They'll also administer psychological tests to test your working memory, executive functioning skills (planning and decision-making), visual and spatial abilities and reasoning. These tests can help them determine if you're an inattentive, hyperactive/impulsive or combined type of ADHD.
The most frequently prescribed medication used to treat ADHD is stimulants, such as dextroamphetamine, methylphenidate and others. Non-stimulants like atomoxetine and clonidine are also available. However, they could cause side effects and can take longer to effect.
Your doctor might recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It assists people in learning to change negative thinking patterns and manage their emotions and develop strategies for coping. CBT can also be used to improve relationships and performance. If your physician has no experience in treating adults with ADHD they might refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist. You can also search for a specialist in the online directory of your health insurance company or by searching a list of specialists at your local support group.
Medication
ADHD can affect adults and can be treated with counseling, medication, or lifestyle changes. Your doctor can help discover solutions that will work for you. Consult your primary care provider to refer you to a specialist, or look up doctors listed in your health insurance plan's directory. A coach or therapist may provide advice and tools to help manage symptoms.
ADHD symptoms female adults includes medical examinations, a history of your family, reports of school or work problems as well as alcohol and drug use and your relationship with friends and family members. A mental health professional may require you to keep a record of what you did and where you went and what you ate for some time. This is because people with ADHD tend to forget things. They'll also look into whether you suffer from any other medical conditions which may cause similar symptoms. For instance seizures, thyroid problems or thyroid disorders.
There is no definitive ADHD test, but a mental health professional or health professional will need to carefully review your situation in order to determine the problem and the best way to treat it. If you were diagnosed with ADHD as a kid and it caused problems in your adult life the doctor is likely to be interested in how your symptoms affect you on a an everyday basis.
The first medication is typically the primary treatment recommended for adults with ADHD. The most commonly used medications are methylphenidate (Ritalin) and the lisdexamfetamine (Adderall) and Atomoxetine. These drugs increase the levels of certain chemicals in your brain and help you concentrate and control impulsive behavior. The extended release and long-acting versions of these drugs stay in your body for a longer time which means you don't have to take medications more often and minimizing the effect of rebound when it is finished.
Counseling
If your symptoms are severe enough, your doctor will refer you to a specialist who will diagnose and treat you. These specialists include psychologists who are trained to treat adults suffering from ADHD and also psychiatrists and therapists. Ask your primary care provider to refer you or search online for mental health professionals in your area. Your health insurance plan might provide an alphabetical list of specialists.
It's important to discuss any problems that your ADHD symptoms have caused at school, work or at home. You might feel embarrassed about the impact of your symptoms on your coworkers, teachers or supervisors. However, these people might be able to make minor adjustments to help you perform better at your job or in class.
The use of medications is often to treat adult ADHD. Stimulants improve attention, decrease impulsivity, and enhance working memory in adults suffering from ADHD. They can also cause adverse effects. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of medications with therapy to manage your symptoms. Your doctor will look over your medication history to ensure that the stimulants prescribed do not interact with any other medication.
Other treatments for ADHD in adults include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) or mindfulness meditation or brain training. CBT can help you overcome negative thought patterns, and change the way you think about your ADHD symptoms. Mindfulness meditation can sharpen self-awareness as well as reduce emotional sensitivity. It can also improve impulse control.
Other behavioral therapies are promising for adults who don't respond to medications. Included are motivational interviewing (MI) as well as family and couple counseling and dialectical behavioral therapy for adults as well as mindfulness-based cognitive treatment (MBCT). MBCT incorporates cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) with mindfulness meditation in order to increase your ability to focus and control your impulsive behavior.