ADHD can be difficult to assess and diagnose. Many symptoms of ADHD overlap with other conditions so it is important to get a thorough evaluation by a specialist.
Why Would I Consider ADHD Testing?
As a psychologist who is trained to perform ADHD testing, I have many clients showing up for an evaluation who report it is other people who have suggested they get tested. Many of my clients have been dealing with ADHD since grade school and the issues they struggle with have been life long and is all they have ever known. To many of them, this is just their normal. They never really gave it much thought and just assumed this is the way life is and have done what they can to adapt and adjust as best they can. Many clients tell me their spouse, friends, coworkers, or therapists have questioned them on whether they have ever been tested for ADHD. Many laughed it off and dismissed these inquiries and played them off as jabs and teasing. Often only after several or many people have pointed it out or questioned them, do they actually begin to wonder about it and start doing some of their own self research. I have many clients who reach a point in their self-research and are stunned to find most of the symptoms are exactly what they experience every day going back as far they can remember.
What Symptoms Would I have if I had ADHD?
ADHD symptoms are broken out into two main categories: inattentive symptoms and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms. Those with predominantly inattentive symptoms can often make it well into adulthood before discovering there may be an issue. Those with hyperactive symptoms are more likely to be noticed through school and have teachers that will approach parents about possible concerns. Hyperactive symptoms are also more likely to fade into late adolescence and early adulthood, where inattentive symptoms are likely to persist into adulthood. Inattentive symptoms include: being easily distracted, trouble sustaining attention, avoiding and procrastinating on tasks that require sustained attention, difficulty with organization, trouble with follow-through and completing tasks, making careless mistakes, losing or misplacing things, being forgetful, and receiving feedback from others telling you that it doesn’t seem like you are listening when they are talking. Hyperactive/impulsive symptoms include: being fidgety, always on the go, leaving one’s seat to move around, being restless, having difficulty doing leisure activities quietly, talking too much, interrupting, blurting out answers before questions are completed and trouble waiting your turn.
How Do I Get Tested for ADHD?
As many of the baby boomers have been retiring from practice, there is an increasingly fewer number of psychologists who have the training and experience to perform ADHD testing. Many people calling around are finding wait lists approaching one-year waits. Many clients call their insurance network to find providers who do the testing, or many ask their primary care physician (PCP) if they can get a referral for testing. There are certain providers and clinics that have psychologists that can do ADHD testing. Certainly, some do their own research online to locate providers. Try to avoid online assessments. Although easy and convenient, these assessments are not able to perform the cognitive testing batteries that most PCP’s and psychiatrists want performed. Your testing should always be in person.
If you want to get tested for ADHD, feel free to contact IPC so you can schedule an appointment. We are typically only booked out 2-3 months for testing. Please call us now at 763-416-4167, or request an appointment on our website: WWW.IPC-MN.COM so we can sit down with you and complete a thorough assessment and help you develop a plan of action that will work for you. Life is too short to be unhappy. Find the peace of mind you deserve.
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