ADHD Assessment For Adults - What You Need to Know If you suspect you might have ADHD It is essential to speak with your GP. But only a psychologist or psychiatrist can diagnose ADHD. Waiting times for specialist services are often very long. This is damaging morale and impacts the quality of care. It is crucial to address this situation. However, it will require massive funds. What is an ADHD assessment? An ADHD assessment is a specialist appointment with a psychiatrist or psychologist. They will discuss your symptoms with you and ask you questions about how your symptoms impact your work or relationships. They may use rating scales or questionnaires to determine the severity of your symptoms. They will also test for other conditions which could be causing the symptoms, such anxiety or depression. If your GP suspects that you may have ADHD they will refer you to a professional mental health professional for an assessment. GPs can report your symptoms and enquire about any comorbidities, but they are not allowed to make a diagnosis themselves. Your assessment will take place with a specialist psychologist or psychiatrist, since they are the only healthcare professionals who are qualified to diagnose ADHD in the UK. The assessment can take place in person or by telephone. We use the Diagnostic Interview of Adult ADHD (DIVA), that is a well-known questionnaire to evaluate patients suffering from ADHD at the London Psychiatry Clinic. This is a widely-used questionnaire that can be easily adapted for each patient. In some instances, we could also utilize the Neuropsychiatric NEBA System to better understand the way your brain works. Your assessment will include interviews with you and your family members. Answering questions with honesty and providing as much information as you can is important. It is also beneficial to carry any health or school reports that are available because they could provide useful information about your health problems when you were younger. Your evaluator will take the data you've provided and compile a thorough report. They will let you know what they observed and how they can address your symptoms. If they think you are suffering from ADHD, then they will talk with you about the best medication for you. The next step is entirely up to you. What happens during an ADHD evaluation? For an ADHD evaluation, you'll typically meet with a psychologist or psychiatrist. They are the only healthcare professionals who are qualified to diagnose ADHD in the UK. The test can be conducted in person, but it is not uncommon to have the test conducted via video conference. It takes 45-90 minutes and will include discussing your mental health overall as well as any family history and symptoms you may be experiencing. If someone in your family has ADHD, it can be beneficial to mention this during the evaluation, since it can be genetic. You will be asked to fill in questionnaires and rating charts to help you identify the symptoms. These are designed to assist your doctor determine how many symptoms you are experiencing and the severity of them. You will be asked about your lifestyle and your medical history. You can inform your doctor about any issues you're experiencing at work or at home. It is essential to be open and honest with your physician. If you don't, it can be difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis. Depending on how complicated your situation is, your doctor might be able to ask you to talk to people who are familiar to you. Teachers and colleagues, or even relatives may be included. You may also be asked to bring in any documents such as old reports cards or performance appraisals at work. They might also conduct a neurodevelopmental or physical exam to determine if you have any comorbid disorders that could look like ADHD. If your doctor doesn't think you're suffering from ADHD, they will explain why. They may not have gathered enough data or believe that a different condition is more likely to cause your symptoms. They may even suggest that you seek treatment elsewhere. In England you have the right to see a private psychiatrist or psychologist through the NHS 'Right to Choose' route. This is a great way to speed up the process, particularly if you cannot wait for an NHS appointment. How long will an ADHD assessment take? The assessment can take anywhere from 30 minutes to three hours, depending on the practitioner. During this time, the doctor will interview you about your development, health and family history. They may also ask others, such as coaches, teachers, or friends, to explain your symptoms. These questions will cover things like how often you stop tasks before you've completed them, how much trouble you have in remembering appointments, and how frequently you lose things. Your specialist will ask you about the symptoms you experienced when you were younger. According to current guidelines, an adult's diagnosis of ADHD is not confirmed until symptoms started before the age of 12. It is important that the doctor understands your current challenges and past struggles. If you have any documents, like performance evaluations or previous psychological tests, it's an ideal idea to bring these along with you. It's also helpful if you have any information regarding your life, like work or school performance, relationships and sleep patterns, as well as eating habits. The information you provide will be used by your expert to determine if you're suffering from an illness such as ADHD. After the doctor has completed their review, he or she will provide you with their thoughts. https://www.iampsychiatry.uk/private-adult-adhd-assessments/ could include a possible diagnosis as well as a description of your treatment plan. If ADHD is not diagnosed, the specialist will talk about alternative options for care and support. If you do get an diagnosis of ADHD, the specialist can provide recommendations for your school or workplace. These services will be charged an additional fee. Before you make any requests, your specialist will discuss the additional cost with before you make any requests. They will also discuss the additional cost of subsequent appointments. How much does an ADHD assessment cost? It is important to know that the cost of an ADHD assessment will differ. The cost of the assessment will depend on several factors such as whether medication is prescribed and how many sessions are needed to diagnose. It will also depend on the amount of time you spend reviewing and discussing your treatment options. In general, private ADHD assessments are cheaper than those provided by the NHS. Furthermore, private ADHD assessments tend to offer reduced waiting times, which allows individuals to be seen faster. The first step in getting an ADHD assessment is to speak to your GP about your concerns. Your GP should be aware of your concerns and ask you questions about your symptoms as well as family history and history. You may then be asked to fill out a questionnaire or complete a scale of symptom severity as part of the initial consultation. Your GP may also refer you to a psychiatrist in order to receive further evaluation. On the NHS website there is an approved list of psychiatrists who can perform an ADHD assessment. The psychiatrists listed on this list have extensive experience in treating ADHD and other mental health conditions. They also evaluate for co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or OCD. A qualified psychiatrist will review your medical history and symptoms to determine whether ADHD is the reason behind your problems. This is a lengthy procedure that may require several sessions. A specialist will look at when your symptoms started and how they impact your daily routine and if there are any other underlying reasons, like addiction to drugs or other medical issues. Your clinician will recommend a treatment plan based on the results of the ADHD assessment. This could include lifestyle changes or psychotherapy, as well as medications. If your physician recommends medication, you will need to attend titration appointments until the correct dosage is reached. The cost of these visits can differ and the medication will also be an additional expense. Certain providers of ADHD assessments charge a flat fee for the test, while others offer sliding scales or pro bono alternatives depending on income levels. In addition, some universities have testing centers on campus that provide lower costs for students.