You’ve read up on ADHD and taken some quizzes that point you to ADHD. Or maybe your child’s teacher called about their behaviour in class and advised you to seek professional help. What is the next step?
1. Create a list of symptoms you and people around you have noticed. Write it down on a piece of paper or on your phone.
First of all, congratulations on reaching this point. ADHD is a chronic mental health disorder of poor self-regulation and self-control, including poor self-awareness. As a result, people with ADHD are not aware of the severity of their symptoms and often do not report their symptoms accurately. Instead children, adolescents, and adults with ADHD are often labelled as “lazy” or “procrastinators” but that is simply incorrect. For example, a person with ADHD may claim they are excellent drivers but their driving record shows otherwise. Being aware of your symptoms is the first step to managing ADHD.
summary: self-awareness = diagnosis = treatment
2. Make an appointment with your family doctor or go to a walk-in clinic.
Getting a diagnosis for ADHD is a long and frustrating process. There is no shortcut to seeing an ADHD specialist and psychologists can be expensive without a referral. Remember to bring the list of symptoms to the appointment.
3. Ask for a referral to see an ADHD specialist.
The family doctor may ask you questions or ask you to complete a brief questionnaire. At this point, the doctor should write a referral to see a psychiatrist or an ADHD specialist. If they dismiss you, insist on the referral. It is important to see a specialist who can accurately diagnosis your symptoms. ADHD has common symptoms with other mental health disorders and needs to be accurately diagnosed. ADHD can also co-exist with other types of disorders such as anxiety or conduct disorder. There are great resources online, but be wary of where you are getting your information from. ADHD should only be diagnosed by a medical health professional with a strong understanding of the neuro- developmental disorder.
4. Go see the specialist.
The process to receiving a diagnosis should be completed by a medical expert, but ADHD specialists and psychologists are a rarity. Therefore, the appointment to see one can take weeks to months. The only advice I can give at this time is to be patient.
At the appointment expect to go through extensive questioning. This is to help the doctor understand your struggles and symptoms. Also, you may have to see the specialist more than once.
The arduous process of receiving a diagnosis for ADHD is beneficial in the long run, because ADHD is highly treatable.
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