Adult ADHD Diagnosis - what is the process like?
Adult ADHD Diagnosis - what is the process like?
For those of you who weren't diagnosed until adulthood (I'm in my late 40s), what was the diagnosis process like? Are you just given a written test, or does someone evaluate you more thoroughly? Do they try to understand your symptoms, or is it more of a checklist? If anyone has personal stories they'd be willing to share, I'd love to hear them. I'm also just curious about what to expect during the appointment. Who do I make it with? A psychiatrist?
I also wonder if there are other related conditions or learning disabilities that I might have, such as dyslexia. Do I need to be proactive in asking for multiple diagnoses? Or will they be able to evaluate me for anything/everything?
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I was diagnosed about a year ago. I’m mid-60s. I was given a preliminary inventory to complete and then met with a psychiatrist for further evaluation. She asked me questions and we dug into some topics more than others. Most were about challenges I’ve had in life. At the end she prescribed a medication. I followed up monthly, had a med adjustment and now follow up every 3 months.
As far as other symptoms, I’ve dealt with low thyroid, low testosterone as well as depression. When my child was noted in school to have dysgraphia (poor or illegible handwriting) it brought into focus that I had the same learning disability. This was previous to my adhd diagnosis so I can’t comment on that issue. I work in IT so I’m not bothered by disgraphia as I type everything anyway.