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testing for adhd in adults – Important Steps in Diagnosing Adult ADHD In an ADHD screening the doctor will talk to you about your family and personal background, your work environment and school performance. They will also ask for your medical history and conduct an examination of your body. A full ADHD evaluation will include questions regarding childhood and any alcohol or drugs use. Your clinician will ask you about any comorbid conditions that might be similar to the symptoms associated with ADHD. Signs and symptoms If an adult suspects they might have ADHD, it is important to talk with a primary doctor. They can help you understand what it means to be diagnosed with ADHD and refer you to mental health services if required. You can also find an ADHD-specialist in your area. To diagnose ADHD, a medical professional will employ an evaluation tool. This usually involves a thorough interview and several questions about the symptoms. The examiner wants to know about your past and determine if there were any significant childhood events that may have caused your symptoms and behavior. For example the event that you were exposed to trauma or suffered from any medical illnesses in early childhood. The evaluator will then determine the severity of your symptoms. This is determined by how much your impairments interfere with your everyday functioning. For instance, if you are having a difficult time maintaining a job or getting along with your family members, this could be considered to be an impairment. This is an essential part of the diagnosis process because it makes sure that your ADHD symptoms aren't explained by other mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression. The evaluator is also able to administer ADHD symptom checklists or behavioral rating scales. 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. If necessary, the evaluator can also conduct neuropsychological, psycho-educational or learning disability tests. These tests can reveal information about working memory deficits, executive functions ability, visual and spatial skills and other factors. It is possible that you'll be diagnosed with mild, moderate or severe ADHD symptoms in light of your interview and symptom assessment. These levels are determined by how ADHD symptoms affect you. For instance mild ADHD symptoms will have minimal effect on your social and work activities. Moderate ADHD symptoms will have a greater effect on your life, while severe ADHD symptoms can impact every aspect of your life. Diagnosis Finding out if you have ADHD can be difficult especially for adults. While a lot of Internet sites offer symptom checklists and questionnaires, the most valid diagnosis of ADHD is made by a licensed mental health specialist or a doctor (psychiatrist or neurologist, or family doctor). The evaluation process involves an interview with the patient by a physician, typically in together with a person who is close to the person like a spouse, sibling, parent, teacher or coach, or babysitter. Other important steps include evaluating the individual's symptoms in work, at school, at home and among friends. Taking a complete medical record is also an important step. When evaluating adults, the physician will review the symptoms of a patient against those listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. This guide contains the symptoms used to diagnose ADHD in children and teenagers. But, due to differences between adults and children, these criteria are not always applicable to diagnosing adults suffering from the disorder. The clinician may also use the Brown Attention-Deficit Test for Symptom Assessment Scale for adults, which is a self-report questionnaire of 40 items that assesses different aspects of the symptoms of ADHD. During the interview, the clinician might also be interested in knowing more about the child's history. Many adults with ADHD have inconsistent or poor memories of their childhood behaviors, and the clinician will seek as much information as possible from teachers and relatives as well as other individuals who have known the person in the past. The clinician will also require the patient to fill out a questionnaire that looks at how the person responds to certain situations, such as having keys stolen or missing appointments. The doctor will also discuss the individual's lifestyle and work and family history. Additionally, the doctor will ask for a list of medications that the individual takes and the symptoms they are experiencing at the moment. The clinician will determine if the symptoms are due to other conditions such as anxiety or depression, and then decide on the appropriate treatment plan. Treatment A clear diagnosis of adult ADHD is an essential step in obtaining the right treatment. Some people with ADHD may also suffer from comorbid disorders such as mood disorders and anxiety that require treatment. Other people have physical ailments that can affect their symptoms. Whatever the cause of symptoms is, most adults suffering from this disorder will benefit from the combination of psychotherapy and medication. In general an expert in mental health will conduct the assessment for ADHD. The doctor will inquire about the medical history of the patient, and ask about their work, school and private lives. The doctor may also request to talk to your spouse, parent, child, or your significant other to gather more details that cannot be obtained through a questionnaire. 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 interview family members, teachers or co-workers for additional details. He may ask you or your child to recall how you acted 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 test and cognitive behavioral therapy to address issues with behavior or thoughts, such as “thought distorsions” or self defeating beliefs. A cognitive behavioral therapist will help you or your child replace these unhealthy habits and beliefs with healthier ones. Your therapist can help you develop strategies to improve your organization skills, such as using an everyday planner or creating lists of tasks. They can teach you how to control your impulsive behavior and reduce the risk you take. They can also recommend support group for you, such as an ADHD or life coach. Adults with ADHD may find relief from stimulant medication like amphetamines and methylphenidates. These drugs are thought to boost the brain's natural levels dopamine, a neurotransmitter that affects motor coordination and attention. These drugs are only prescribed to patients with a clear diagnosis of the disorder and who meet certain criteria. Counseling In some cases, people might be referred specialists for ADHD without having the disorder. This can cause stress to those who are referred to, waste of healthcare resources, and higher costs. Inappropriate referrals may also cause overdiagnosis of ADHD (increasing the likelihood of stimulant use, which could be a source of diversion and abuse in some cases) and can increase the number of people diagnosed when their symptoms are related to other psychiatric disorders, such as anxiety or depression. A complete ADHD evaluation should include a detailed diagnostic interview with a certified professional. This could include questions about the person's everyday life, school, work, relationship with friends and family or friends, alcohol or drug usage, driving history medical issues, as well as mental health history from the time of their childhood. The examiner will look to see if the individual meets the criteria for ADHD diagnosis (inattention hyperactivity, inattention, or impulsiveness). They will also look into whether their symptoms can cause impairment. Standardized questionnaires and ratings scales could be useful in to assess ADHD symptoms. These can be administered either by the person who is evaluating, or by an outside source like a spouse. These tests are particularly useful for those who aren't certain about their symptoms or suspect they may have other reasons for their problems. The evaluator can also ask the person to complete a retrospective ADHD profile of their childhood behavior. Psychological testing is a method to determine a person's mental functioning as well as their emotional state and behavior. It can involve clinical interviews, rating scales, behavioral observations, tests for neuropsychological intelligence, and mood tests. This provides a more comprehensive perspective than a diagnostic interview by itself, and can be used to inform accommodation treatments, and interventions.