You keep losing your keys, feel you can never finish anything at work, or maybe have had a family member say “do you think you might have ADHD?.” You've had a child or adolescent assessed and diagnosed with ADHD only to find out its genetic and wondered about yourself.

​Whatever the reason, getting a specialist assessment is the first step towards getting some answers and potentially explaining what you've been experiencing since childhood.

​Getting an assessment and diagnosis of ADHD often helps you to understand there is a reason for many of your current and past difficulties can be an enormous relief.
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Although there is no cure, there are different types of treatment to suit the individual and range from medications to help stimulate the control centre of the brain to tried and true strategies and techniques to help manage ADHD. Treatment can be tailored to you and should address all areas you may need support with.

When it comes to an assessment and potentially the eventual diagnosis of ADHD, psychiatric medical doctors categorise ADHD according to a set of criteria that all appropriately trained specialist doctors and Psychologists use.  The diagnostic system used in New Zealand is called the DSM-V, and we share the use of this system with most of the English speaking world (except Europe).

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Finding a qualified mental health professionaL

Finding a healthcare specialist who is knowledgeable about ADHD is key to a good assessment and diagnosis.

Generally, GP's are not able to assess and diagnose ADHD as they are general practitioners, not mental health specialists.

However they can guide you as to the appropriate specialist to see and make other suggestions i.e. paying with your insurance.

So in New Zealand, getting an assessment and diagnosis means seeing either a Psychiatrist or a Clinical Psychologist with a specialisation in ADHD. Both can assess and diagnose ADHD but only a Psychiatrist, who is medically trained, can prescribe medication.  

Alternatively, you may find suggestions from support group members, or finding a healthcare professional near you are all ways to start your search. 

The assessment process: overview

Before seeing you, it's likely your specialist Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist will send you one, or some, questionnaires to complete.

• These are usually professional, standardised assessments that have been rigorously tested to ensure they help with a diagnostic process.
• They can help your specialist narrow down their questions to what's relevant. 

Your specialist will score and read this data before meeting with you for your face-to-face assessment.

• This usually takes 60-90 minutes.
• Every care will be taken with you. It's their job to be supportive and non-judgmental while also getting to know and understand you and any challenges you may have.
• You'll be asked a series of questions relating to your concerns, your development from childhood to now, any struggles you had/have, what your parents, teachers and others said or remarked about you.
• Your specialist will also ask about how things are for you now, ensuring nothing is missed and that they're getting both a broad and detailed understanding of you now and over your neurodevelopment.
• If you have any old school reports or information from parents about your development this can be useful to bring along to the assessment appointment.

Interview of a loved one

It's often very useful to bring your partner, a friend and/or parent to your specialist assessment appointment.

​They'll be able to provide a history and their own perspective on what they have observed over time, usefully adding to the information you can provide. 
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SCREENING FOR CO-EXISTING CONDITIONS

While your specialist is getting to know you and your concerns, they'll also be gaining more and more diagnostic clarification, working out which co-existing conditions you may or may not be experiencing.

• This is in order to provide an effective treatment for you.
  
• There are some mental health conditions that can also have some ADHD symptoms but not fully be ADHD. It's important to understand and be clear on this.
• It's also important to check if you have any other mental health difficulties that they may also help you with.

If you do have a co-existing condition, but it's not treated, then your treatment for ADHD will not be as effective.

​Similarly, if you (or your family member) is treated for ADHD but the symptoms are not caused by ADHD, the treatment is not going to be successful.  
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​COMMON COMPONENTS OF A TAILORED ADHD TREATMENT PLAN

Towards the end of your assessment, they'll share their thoughts with you around a diagnosis and then together you can discuss your treatment plan.

This may include referral to a Psychiatrist for medication (if that is not who you are seeing at this appointment), a Clinical Psychologist for therapy or Coach for support.

These may include questions regarding depression and anxiety (two relatively common conditions that have difficulties in attention and concentration as core symptoms) as well as looking at stressors that may be influencing the description of your symptoms. ​

A treatment plan may also include one, or some, of the following:

• medication
• support groups
• ​education about ADHD
• behavioural management strategies
• coaching (such as an ADHD or Life Coach)
• vocational counselling and employer support
• consultation with appropriate specialist Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist (NB: only a Psychiatrist can prescribe medication after an assessment), or
• psychological therapy to learn tools and strategies to self-regulate emotions and behaviour, to support relationship and social skills, to address any underlying distress from the past and help develop a more supportive external environment (usually done with a Clinical Psychologist).

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