Diagnosing Adult ADHD
Jeff* is a 46-year-old executive at a major technology company. He is successful, healthy, active, and has a supportive family.
However, despite these accomplishments, Jeff struggles in many areas of his life.
Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, he is convinced he also has had ADHD throughout his life. He continues to experience symptoms that hold him back at work, at home and in everyday life. Although he’s achieved a great deal, Jeff feels that he has yet to reach his full potential.
Jeff doesn’t doubt that he has ADHD, but what he does worry about is whether it can be accurately diagnosed in adulthood. This uncertainty raises many questions for him.
One of Jeff’s concerns is his disorganization. He also battles high levels of stress and wonders how these issues—whether they’re related to ADHD or something else—can be teased apart. Is it possible to separate these factors, or are they all interconnected?
Indeed, ADHD often co-occurs with other mental disorders, including anxiety and depression. Sleep problems are especially prevalent, affecting up to 70% of adults with ADHD.
Jeff’s Next Steps:
Jeff decided to pursue an evaluation to determine whether he meets the criteria for Adult ADHD, other mental health challenges, or a combination of both.
Diagnosing Adult ADHD
The process typically involves several steps:
Clinical Interview In this first step of the process, the individual’s history is reviewed in terms of focus, academic history, mental and physical health, and how current concerns are affecting daily life.
Collateral Interviews
With the permission of the client, there are times a partner, family member or friend may be contacted to gather additional perspectives. School reports or other childhood records may also be reviewed for evidence of past ADHD symptoms.Completion of Behavior Rating Scales/Checklists
The individual will be asked to complete several objective rating scales to assess symptoms. These scales typically target:
ADHD Symptoms: Difficulty with sustained focus, distractibility, low tolerance for boredom, carelessness, and trouble regrouping after being sidetracked.
Executive Functioning: Challenges with starting tasks, following through, staying organized, managing time, and meeting deadlines.
Anxiety and/or Depression: These symptoms may stem directly from ADHD, other life stressors, or a combination of both.
Other Personality Factors: This may include issues such as lack of motivation, past traumas, or coping skills.
Jeff’s Diagnosis and Treatment:
After undergoing testing, Jeff received confirmation that he had lifelong ADHD, which continued to impact his functioning as an adult, both at work and at home. This lead to higher stress levels, diminished self-confidence and often frustrated family members. He worried about job security and feared “messing up” on a regular basis.
With this knowledge in hand, Jeff could immediately take action. His ADHD symptoms diminished significantly and no longer interfered with his daily life. He developed a successful organizational system, feels more in control of his daily life. His mental health improved, as did his relationships with his spouse and children. He no longer stressed about his job and began taking steps to advance in his career.
It’s never too late to seek a diagnosis or treatment for ADHD and any other related mental health condition.
Effective treatment can make daily life easier and more manageable. For adults with ADHD, treatment may include medication, psychotherapy, better sleep habits, organizational training, or a combination of these approaches.
To book a testing appointment or to speak further about my services, please feel free to contact me at 973-908-4860 or you can fill out our contact form here.
* All client names have been changed