ADHD Diagnosis - The First Step to Finding Out If You Have ADHD
Adults often seek ADHD tests because they feel that something isn't just right. adhd diagnosis in adults uk may be concerned about their relationships or work.
Under current NHS guidelines in England and Wales you are legally entitled to receive an ADHD diagnosis. Your specialist will follow NICE Guidelines and may request reports from observer people who know you well, especially as you were a child.
What is an ADHD assessment?
Your child or you can find out if they have ADHD by getting an ADHD assessment. You will be questioned by a licensed specialist psychiatrist or psychologist, who are the only healthcare professionals who are qualified to diagnose ADHD in the UK. They can use checklists and behavior ratings scales in order to determine your symptoms. They may also ask those who know your condition. They may also request an examination of your body and medical history to rule out any other conditions that may be a precursor to ADHD like anxiety or depression.
It is essential to be honest and forthright in your evaluation. If you're not, the evaluator might think that you're not interested in getting diagnosed or the symptoms aren't too bad. In the course of your assessment you'll likely be asked about your family and personal mental health history, as well as any issues at school or at work. You might be asked to fill out a questionnaire or to complete an assessment of your behavior. It is also important to pay attention during the examination.
To be diagnosed, you must have at least six signs of ADHD that appear in more than one setting such as school and home, and disrupt your life. These symptoms must have been present in the early years of your life before 12 years of age and cannot be explained by other conditions, like depression or anxiety. You could be referred back to your GP for treatment, or you could opt to consult an independent psychiatrist that specializes in ADHD.
You'll find that waiting times are much shorter if opting to opt for private. It's not uncommon to have to wait for more than a year on the NHS and that can be a huge blow to those who are struggling in the meantime. Some people who were on the waiting list for NHS committed suicide as a result of the stress and frustration of waiting. The private route usually allows you to start treatment fast, and many private psychiatrists have a lot of experience in treating adults with ADHD. They are also able to screen and treat co-morbidities like depression or an anxiety disorder.
What is the reason I need an assessment?
If you believe that you may have ADHD or are having problems in your life due to it, you will need to have a professional mental health assessment. It is best done by a psychiatrist that has worked with neurodevelopmental issues and ADHD specifically. Psychotherapists and psychologists can also do this type of evaluation. If you're unsure of which one to pick, it is often best to seek advice from your general practitioner or another therapist that you are familiar with. You can also use the internet to locate professionals in your area who have an excellent reputation. Some insurance plans also provide lists of professional who are qualified.
A structured interview and questions will be part of the process to determine a complete clinical diagnosis. The main focus will be on your symptoms in the present work, family and social setting. The psychiatrist will inquire about your past symptoms as an adolescent or child. He will also concentrate on the impact of your symptoms in adulthood. They will also check whether you suffer from any other mental health issues such as anxiety or depression.
Depending on your identity and circumstances, they may request details about your family and friends. You may also be asked to bring old school reports or documents to be examined. This could be a stressful aspect of the process, as it may be difficult to remember details about your difficulties in adolescence or childhood.
If you're part of an ethnic minority or gender non-conforming, the process can be more difficult. In the UK, for example there is still discrimination against people of color, GNCs and females being diagnosed with ADHD even though the symptoms are obvious. This makes it difficult to receive a diagnosis however, it is possible for doctors to refer you an individual specialist like a Wellbeing Centre or Priory Hospital for an evaluation. It is also possible to get an agreement for shared care with your GP for your medication, which could make the process easier, but not all GPs will accept this.
How can I arrange for an assessment to be conducted?
Your GP is your primary health care provider and is the best in the position to refer you to an assessment. You can also contact an individual specialist, such as Priory, and arrange an appointment. Priory's expert psychiatrics have decades of experience diagnosing ADHD in adults and provide a range of treatment options.
If your GP decides that you should be referred, they will ask you and a friend or family member (if you have one) to fill out a few questionnaires prior to your appointment. You can access these through your portal dashboard. They should be completed 24 hours before the appointment. These are designed to highlight behavior that could be indicative of ADHD. Your GP will then arrange for an onward referral to a commissioned adult ADHD service.
It is usually provided by the local community mental health team, assuming that you live within the catchment area offering this service. They will conduct a comprehensive mental health and psychiatric assessment and will also look at other conditions that can sometimes be similar to the symptoms of ADHD, such as anxiety and depression.
You should also provide details of any mental health issues you may have experienced or had in the past. These could affect your ability to be assessed for ADHD. Also, you can provide any feedback or reports from your teachers, supervisors, and colleagues. Additionally, you can give details of any assistance you receive at home, for example through your GP or a non-profit organisation like EmployAbility.
After the psychiatrist has completed the assessment, they will discuss their findings with you. If they determine that you have ADHD they'll give you a care plan that may include suggestions for medication. The care plan will include any other services they think you would appreciate, for example, an appointment with counseling or talk therapy.
We recognise that it can be difficult to access the assistance you require when your health or social healthcare needs are complex. This is why we provide a free, confidential phone consultation with an assistant psychologist to help you determine what assistance might be available to you. This could include a referral to an ADHD support group in your area, or an assessment of eligibility for government-funded schemes like Access to Work.
What happens during an assessment?
A correct diagnosis of ADHD can assist you in controlling symptoms, which can create issues in a variety of settings, from the workplace to at home. A thorough interview conducted by an experienced professional and a variety of psychometric tests are typically part of an evaluation. The results can be used to determine how symptoms affect an individual and if they are caused by medical issues or other conditions.
A thorough evaluation involves collecting detailed information about the person's background, especially when the symptoms began and the length of time they have been present. In addition to discussing the current effects of ADHD symptoms, the professional will want to know how the symptoms have affected their lives in general as well as in major settings such as work, school and relationships. This will be based on a definition of impairment that considers whether the person has been fired because of their difficulties with time management, experienced an excessive amount of conflict and stress in their marriage or been put on academic probation due to poor grades.
A qualified psychiatrist or psychologist certified to evaluate ADHD will conduct an interview. While the professionals may vary slightly in the methods and materials they use Certain protocols are essential for a comprehensive evaluation. This includes a detailed interview, standardized ratings for ADHD and other psychometric tests. In certain cases the specialist will administer a series of tests specifically designed to screen for ADHD symptoms and other conditions, such as learning disabilities or anxiety disorders.
Consult your doctor or contacting a local mental clinic could be beneficial if are unsure where to begin or have questions regarding the right health professional. Many adult ADHD support groups are in a position to provide you with information on qualified professionals close to you. Certain health insurance plans include qualified professionals by specialty and can assist you in finding the right specialist for your evaluation.