ADHD assessment - question about diagnosis

ClaraS
ClaraS Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
edited April 2022 in Autism and neurodiversity
Hi there,

I've just been referred for an adult ADHD assessment. I know waiting times are long and I'm wondering how certain I can be that I have ADHD based on the questionnaire's used by the GP and the online tests I've done? Is it common for the assessment to show you don't in fact have ADHD after all? I want to do lots of research and get help managing symptoms but I'm also worried I'll go all in thinking this is it then be told it isn't.

Many thanks for any input

Comments

  • L_Volunteer
    L_Volunteer Community Volunteer Adviser, Scope Member Posts: 7,922 Championing
    Hi @ClaraS

    Welcome to Scope's forum. It is great to see you have joined us. How are you today?

    Thanks for reaching out to us to ask us your questions. Generally, I have identified three questions and I will address these in turn.

    The first question I have identified is how certain can you be that you have ADHD based on the questionnaires used by the GP? Generally, the GP cannot formally diagnose ADHD. This reduces the certainty if they use questionnaires but it is likely to be more reliable than external (non-authorised) resources. The GP might instead refer you for a specialist assessment, if necessary. You can view this link for more information about this.

    The second question I have identified is how certain can you be that you have ADHD based on the online tests you have identified? Again, online tests are usually not diagnostic so you cannot be certain that you have ADHD based on the online tests you have identified. However, the online tests may have helped you to highlight the areas you might want to focus on exploring when you speak to your GP - which could inform the referral for specialist assessment.

    The third question I have identified is is it common for the assessment to show you don't in fact have ADHD after all? It could do but it also might not. This varies from person to person. However, apart from where symptoms can overlap and mimic other conditions, I always say you know yourself best.

    Also, I don't think you can do any harm approaching symptom by symptom. Although we don't provide medical advice, I am wondering if you would like to share more with us about your current symptoms? Sometimes we can recommend some strategies or external resources that might be able to support you further. A general resource you might find helpful with navigating the ADHD process overall is the ADHD Foundation.

    I hope this helps but if you have any more questions or want any further support with this, please don't hesitate to reach out to us again soon. We are all here for you. You don't have to go through this, or anything else, alone if you don't want to  :)
  • Jo_2022
    Jo_2022 Online Community Member Posts: 295 Empowering
    Hello @ClaraS! Thank you for this post. Well done for taking the first step towards getting an ADHD diagnosis. Yes, frustratingly the waiting list can be too long. I hope you receive the help that you deserve. 
  • D2323
    D2323 Online Community Member Posts: 17 Connected
    The online tests are a way of finding out if there is a possibility you are ADHD

    Talk to gp about the tests and ask for a referral to MH services. 

    They assess your history (school, medical, life!), some talks with Mental health professionals.

    If they agree you should be sent on to ADHD service. 

    This could take months to years. Depending on your local services. 

    So start with your GP. 

    It's not easy, but worth the finding out if you are ADHD. 

  • shiz
    shiz Online Community Member Posts: 1 Listener
    hi i want to find out if i have adhd and dont have a clue how to go about finding out
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    shiz said:
    hi i want to find out if i have adhd and dont have a clue how to go about finding out

    You will need an assessment and the waiting times are exceptionally long. A few years is quite possible. You can speak to your GP to ask if they can refer you. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/diagnosis/

  • Middleton
    Middleton Online Community Member Posts: 258 Empowering
    ClaraS said:
    Hi there,

    I've just been referred for an adult ADHD assessment. I know waiting times are long and I'm wondering how certain I can be that I have ADHD based on the questionnaire's used by the GP and the online tests I've done? Is it common for the assessment to show you don't in fact have ADHD after all? I want to do lots of research and get help managing symptoms but I'm also worried I'll go all in thinking this is it then be told it isn't.

    Many thanks for any input
    I had to wait for a year for an Autism assessment.
  • bg844
    bg844 Online Community Member Posts: 3,883 Championing
    A year for an Autism assessment is very lucky nowadays. With COVID amongst other factors, people are waiting many many years. 
    I wish more support was given to people who are going through the assessment process for both ASD/ADHD but unfortunately the backlogs are too huge to manage unfortunately.
  • Tori_Scope
    Tori_Scope Scope Posts: 12,464 Championing
    Welcome to the community @shiz :) Would you feel comfortable speaking to your GP about this? 

    As the others have said, it can unfortunately take a little while to get an assessment, but it's worth getting the ball rolling if you think it'd be helpful. 

    Would you like to tell us a little bit about the challenges you face? 

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