Have you ever asked yourself, “Do I have Adult ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)?” Have you ever wondered if a loved one has ADHD? Often, adults with ADHD have a limited awareness of how adult ADHD behaviors cause problems in their lives. Does anything on the list below sound familiar?
- Do you forget to pay bills, lose your car keys, or have difficulty staying organized or getting things done around the house?
- Do you interrupt others or say things without first thinking about them?
- Do you frequently say things you regret?
- Do you and your loved ones fight about not completing tasks or forgetting important things?
- Do you get upset easily over minor things?
- Is your home messy?
- Do you procrastinate frequently?
- Do you have trouble getting started on tasks?
- Do you easily get distracted, and have trouble finishing projects on time because you were distracted?
- Do you have trouble with time management or have difficulty being on time?
- Do things usually take you longer than they think?
- Do you have a history of poor academic achievement or lackluster career achievement, but really don’t understand why?
- Is your job performance inconsistent or do you quit or lose jobs frequently?
- Do you often feel like a failure because you’ve let others down, failed to accomplish goals or failed to meet responsibilities? Does this get you down on yourself or make you feel like a failure?
- Do you experience chronic and intense feelings of frustration, guilt, or blame?
These are some of the common characteristics of adults with adult ADHD. If some of these ring true, then you or your loved one may have ADHD. However, in order to confirm an ADHD diagnosis, you would need an evaluation with a qualified professional.
We help adults determine whether or not they have ADHD through a thorough evaluation. Past clients have commented that finding out they had it was life changing, and was the start to many positive changes in their lives.
ADHD evaluations for adults can usually be completed in one session. The evaluation includes learning about what you were like as a child and teen, exploring areas in your life where you’ve had successes and struggles, having you and someone close to you such as a spouse, parent or sibling fill out surveys, and an assessment administered on the computer. It’s important to include input from loved ones because often, adults with ADHD do not realize the full impact their behavior causes on those closest to them. During the evaluation process, it’s common for other concerns to arise, such as feelings of anxiety, sadness, or worthlessness. When that happens, we add other evaluation tools to discern the degree of these concerns. We integrate all of the information that has been collected and provide you with a written summary of our diagnostic impressions, along with robust recommendations.
Once diagnosed with ADHD, if desired, adults can see their general practitioner or a psychiatrist for medication. Additionally, we recommend several sessions with a trained therapist/coach to learn better ways to manage all of the ADHD behaviors that impair your life. It’s important for adults with ADHD to learn systems and solutions to help with things like planning, organizing, prioritizing, procrastination, paying attention to what’s important, time management skills, minimizing distractions, and managing emotions. Medication can improve focus and decrease impulsivity, but it will not fix all of the habits and behaviors you learned as a result of your ADHD. That’s why spending several sessions with a trained therapist/coach will help you to learn new, positive behaviors that can be life-changing.
I am currently taking a hiatus from psychological testing, including IQ testing and ADHD evaluations. If you would like names of other local providers, please see this page for options.
https://heatherengland.com/colleagues/
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