Testing for ADHD - What Will It Involve

We spend a lot of time focusing on what we are supposed to be instead of celebrating and understanding who we are. However, learning to understand who we are doesn't come with an instruction manual. However, in the mental health industry, the closest we get to an instruction manual is through testing.

If you believe that either you or your child has ADHD, you might wonder how you can learn more about it and how it impacts your own life. Let's talk about ADHD testing and how it can help you learn to celebrate who you are.

Initial Assessment

 Testing for ADHD begins with an interview process where we’ll explore the various traits associated with ADHD, and which ones may resonate with you. As part of this process, we’ll also explore how ADHD may be impacting how you navigate daily life— professionally or personally.

 We encourage people to start with a self-assessment so that they can come to the assessment with a general idea of how ADHD traits show up for them. There are a variety of ADHD self-assessments online, all of which can help you get started. It's also important to have knowledge of the traits associated with ADHD, both related to the DSM-V criteria, and traits that have not yet been formally captured or recognized by our field’s current understanding of ADHD. For example,

●      Time blindness/perceiving time in a way that isn’t linear

●      Engaging in body movements or stimming to regulate, focus, and release energy

●      Differences in regulating focus/attention

●      Tasks easier to engage in when it is a topic of interest or stimulating/challenging

●      Differences in filtering sensory input that may appear as “distractibility”

With that in mind, it’s critical to remember that ADHD presents differently for everyone. It looks very different in men and women, and often goes undiagnosed in women because their traits and experiences are unique.

Individualized Approach

  One of the things people don’t often realize about ADHD—especially ADHDers who have been managing it on their own their whole lives—is that it presents differently in men and women, and children and adults. It’s also important to know that ADHD doesn’t exist in a vacuum; it’s critical that any assessment takes into account your personal history as well as any other medical conditions you may have.

 As a result, when looking into ADHD testing it’s important to find a provider that takes a tailored, individualized approach that honors each individual's unique experience with ADHD.

Guided Assessments

 Most ADHD testing can be done remotely, and takes the form of guided assessments. When we conduct ADHD testing, we do so through a series of telehealth appointments that dig into your personal history. Over the course of the testing process, we talk about what ADHD is, and work to identify patterns and traits from your life that may indicate an ADHD diagnosis.

 These guided assessments usually take the form of three to five sessions, each lasting up to two hours. During those sessions, an examiner will explore what role ADHD plays in your family dynamic & professional life. You may also be asked to talk about how ADHD has impacted your self-confidence and self-esteem. In addition, you and your examiner may work through activities designed to assess how your brain approaches & processes different kinds of tasks.

Strategic Planning

 While ADHD testing should ideally provide you with a clear diagnosis, good testing processes should also include recommendations and strategies. It's not easy for ADHDers to exist in a world that’s built to tame our neurodivergent ways of being—especially when neurodivergence helps fuel our productivity and creativity. After your ADHD testing is completed, it’s important for your examiner to provide feedback and guidance for next steps.

Schedule an Appointment

 At Neuron & Rose, we believe it’s important to acknowledge and explore the differences in how our brains work. If you’re struggling to squeeze yourself into the box society picked out for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about ADHD assessment.