Many Adults with ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder don’t know they have it.
I’ve lost track of how many people who’ve told me directly that when they told their doctor / psychiatrist / psychologist they “thought they might have ADHD” they were quickly and often rudely dismissed.
“You can’t have ADHD, You’ve done well in school” they claim. I have ADHD and I made the Dean’s Honours list. There are Ph.D.’s with ADHD. “You can’t have ADHD, you doing well at work” they insist. There are 3 billionaires who’ve gone public with ADHD. Then later they find a professional who is actually trained in ADHD and get diagnosed with ADHD.
90% of ADHD adults are undiagnosed and untreated. Dr. Russell Barkley, Monitor on Psychology March 2012, page 70
Here are some real world examples of common problems many adults with ADHD have.
Here’s a simple Adult ADHD Screening Test that you can complete in 5 minutes, from Harvard University, New York University and the W.H.O. World Health Organization (Used with permission). The Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1) Symptom Checklist.
It’s not designed to diagnose if you have ADHD, for that you need a clinical diagnosis. The purpose of the Adult ADD screening test is simply to see if you have enough symptoms (and severity of symptoms) of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder that you should seek a proper diagnosis for Adult ADHD. By a medical professional properly trained in ADHD.
Sadly, few are in BC. Some doctors had zero training on ADHD in medical school. UBC medical students only get one hour of training on ADHD. Want to change that?
Tell your BC MLA why they should stop neglecting and discriminating against us and give us access to proper diagnosis and treatment for ADHD
Or write an op-ed to your local newspaper or blog, post about it on social media etc.
Harvard Adult ADHD Screener Test
Where Can I get a Diagnosis of Adult ADHD?
Make sure the person you see for the diagnosis is knowledgeable and experienced enough to properly diagnose ADHD in Adults. Do NOT assume this is always so. Many have little to no training in ADHD. At UBC medical school, students only get one hour of training on ADHD. Totally inadequate.
If you live in the Metro Vancouver BC area, I have a list of Vancouver area medical professionals known to diagnose ADHD. Contact your local ADHD support group to find out who knows enough about ADHD to be able to diagnose you in your area. Check my list of Canadian ADHD support groups, Or try my list of US ADHD support groups or International ADHD support groups.
If you do have Adult ADHD, you might consider Adult ADHD Coaching to deal with the practical day to day challenges of dealing with ADHD at work, home and in relationships. ADHD pills are useful, but pills don’t teach skills.
If you do have Adult ADHD, here are the Top 10 Ways to Manage Adult ADHD
Show the flat earth people who tell you ADHD doesn’t exist, or the doctors who say they don’t believe in ADHD as if it was a matter of faith versus science this page
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