ADHD symptoms have become a focal point, and unfortunately, the waiting time for an assessment can be long. At Orange Psychiatry, we offer fast, reliable assessments with short waiting times.
Undergoing an ADHD assessment involves several key steps to ensure a comprehensive understanding of your symptoms and needs. Here’s an overview of the process:
Anamnesis (Medical history)
This step involves reviewing your life history, including your living conditions during different periods, the stability of your environment, and your health history. Physical illnesses, psychological issues like depression or trauma, and the presence of supportive individuals are all considered, as they can influence ADHD symptoms. If possible, a relative, preferably a parent, is included to provide their perspective on your functioning.
Psychiatric evaluation
Current psychiatric symptoms are assessed, focusing on conditions such as anxiety, burnout syndrome, and depression, which can affect present symptoms. A thorough evaluation helps distinguish ADHD from potential comorbidities.
Somatic evaluation
A physician evaluates your physical condition to determine if any physical symptoms might be influencing ADHD symptoms. If necessary, various examinations and tests are conducted.
Semi-structured interview for ADHD
This crucial part of the assessment involves discussing all ADHD symptoms experienced during childhood and adulthood with a doctor or psychologist. Each criterion is systematically reviewed to ensure nothing is overlooked, with room for you to provide personal examples. Personalization is essential for an accurate ADHD assessment.
Self-assessment, questionnaires, and testing
Depending on the need, testing, self-assessment, and various questionnaires are utilized to gather relevant information about your health. Neuropsychological tests measure different cognitive functions, such as memory, speed, visual, mathematical, and verbal abilities. While there are no tests that directly measure ADHD, these assessments evaluate related functions like memory.
Diagnostic conference
After completing these steps, a discussion between a specialist doctor and a psychologist takes place to evaluate and integrate the information into an assessment. This evaluation determines the presence of various diagnoses and examines other characteristics, such as personality. Recommendations for actions are developed based on current guidelines.
Feedback
In the final meeting, you receive information about the assessment’s conclusions. A plan is established with your active participation. If an ADHD diagnosis is made, treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), structural interventions, or ADHD medication may be considered.
If you’re interested in learning more, don’t hesitate to contact us