A guide for an adult ADHD diagnosis

While the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) typically start in early childhood, it is possible for ADHD to go undiagnosed and become problematic in adulthood. Undiagnosed ADHD is typically more common in women due to the differing ADHD symptoms the genders may experience. Symptoms of ADHD women experience can present differently in males, making the condition more difficult to spot, leading to a later in life diagnosis.

Adult ADHD symptoms are commonly seen when someone starts university or employment, and the symptoms of ADHD impede upon their functioning. As people with ADHD don’t have problems in IQ, hence are able to function relatively well in school, the increasing need to be focused and organised in adulthood can prevent them from fulfilling their potential.

Thankfully, there is an ADHD assessment for adults available so that ADHD can be diagnosed later on in life.

If you are experiencing symptoms of ADHD in adulthood, there are steps that you can take to get an ADHD adult diagnosis and seek treatment, so that it doesn’t affect your ability to function in your day-to-day life.

How to get an ADHD assessment

Diagnosing ADHD can be a difficult and lengthy process, so only mental health professionals who are experienced and trained can assess and diagnose the symptoms.

Visit your GP

When you want to know how to get diagnosed with ADHD, the first step you should take is to book an appointment with your GP. Discuss how you are feeling, the symptoms you are experiencing and the impact that they are having on your life. Your GP will then be able to look into the treatment available within your area.

Speak to a specialist

Your GP may be able to refer you to a private specialist such as a Priory hospital or wellbeing centre for an assessment. If you wish, you can also contact Priory yourself to organise an appointment with one of our accredited ADHD consultants, who specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD.

Receive an ADHD assessment

Before the assessment, you and a close family member, partner or close friend will usually be asked to complete a questionnaire. This is straightforward and involves rating certain behaviours at different stages of your life and across a range of social situations.

ADHD assessments can take place online or face-to-face. Online appointments offer flexibility and convenience, allowing you to attend from home and reduce travel time, while still providing a structured and in-depth clinical assessment. Face-to-face assessments are also available for those who prefer in-person discussions or feel more comfortable meeting a clinician in a clinical setting.

The ADHD assessment itself is slightly longer than a routine psychiatric assessment and may take up to two sessions to come to reach a clear diagnosis. It involves a structured clinical interview with a specialist. Having a family member present to provide additional background information can be helpful, although it's not essential.

The assessment will explore your experiences in childhood, including school age, as well as adulthood. It focuses on different areas of daily functioning, and how your symptoms affect your life now. During the structured interview, you'll be asked for examples of certain types of symptoms, for example, difficulty in organising tasks or meeting deadlines.

Signs to look out for

While most adults will experience some of these symptoms from time-to-time, when these are persistent, impacting on your day-to-day life and are something you’ve experienced since childhood, this could be a sign of ADHD.

Some common symptoms of ADHD in adults include the following:

• Struggling with organisation and managing responsibilities
• Difficulties in prioritising tasks
• Procrastinating and finding it difficult to finish tasks and keep to deadlines
• Struggling to focus in busy or noisy environments or for a long time
• Being forgetful and struggling with your short term memory
• Losing keys, wallet, work papers and forgetting appointments
• Being restless and finding it difficult to relax
• Having difficulties listening, and speaking out of turn in conversations
• Experiencing mood swings, irritability and extreme impatience
• Struggling to cope with stress
• Taking risks and having a reduced sense of danger

Next steps after being diagnosed with ADHD

If you receive an assessment and a positive diagnosis, you will be able to talk about next steps with either your GP or the specialist who provided you with your diagnosis. There are a number of options that are available to you:

• Medication – your specialist will be able to discuss medication options that are available if needed. They will be able to explain how they work, talk about their effects and support you through the process. ADHD has an extremely good evidence of being managed with medical treatment, where the person’s quality of life significantly improves with medical treatment
• CBT – cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is often recommended for adults with ADHD. It can help you to change negative thought patterns, giving you the opportunity to better manage how you think and feel about your ADHD
• Group therapy – this can help people who are struggling to cope with their everyday life. It gives you the opportunity to explore your experiences and emotions in a safe space, and work on developing skills and processes as a group
• Couples and family therapy – this can help people to address adult-specific issues associated with ADHD. It can allow a person and their loved ones to work through their emotions and feelings, so that they can improve communication, build trust and find solutions to help everyone manage family life with ADHD

At Priory, a post-diagnostic package of care can be put together to provide you with the appropriate therapy and medication to help you manage symptoms of ADHD better.