first ADHD assessment this week , any tips ?!

I have my first assessment this week at the hospital and I am very anxious . Would it be better to start making a list of things to take in with me , ie examples of things that I can relate to from the forms I filled in and how how it’s affecting my day to day life ? I can’t really recall from when I was little In school but can recall from the last 25 years or so . Thanks In advance ! 😊

[STEM_Dad]

Absolutely make a list of ways that ADHD affects you in your daily life, with examples.

Do you have any documentation from your childhood, such as report cards from school that have teacher comments on them? Teacher comments saying things about you getting distracted, not paying attention, not applying yourself, needing to try harder, unable to sit still, etc.

[Hidden in reply to STEM_Dad]

Hi no nothing from when I was younger my mum didn’t keep anything and we have no contact and my dad took his own life 18 years ago so nothing from when I was little . I have completed all the forms prior

To my assessment on Wednesday and put this on my forms so hopefully Concrete on my adult hood . Thank you

[STEM_Dad in reply to Hidden]

Do you remember any stories that your mum had told about the way you acted as a kid? If so, do any of them seem like examples of ADHD behavior?

When I was going through my ADHD assessment, I shared examples that were stories my mom shared with me after I was grown up, like how I could be so focused on watching TV that she could wave her hand in front of my face and be calling my name to get my attention, but I'd just keep staring at the TV screen.

[Hidden in reply to STEM_Dad]

I have lots of examples that stand out from age 15/16 onwards always under age drinking , ran away , smoked ,and took drugs boyfriend after boyfriend then ran off with a boy when I was 17 to England then to Portugal and literally didn’t know him met one night and that was week we hopped on a bus ! My life has been relationship after relationship then I get bored . But I am now in a long term one but I find myself having them feelings so not sure if that’s me or part of maybe adhd ! I have no friends as always avoided social situations as avoid going into busy places , haven’t slept in years and I’m doing a job with less folk around me I loose keys , phone , bags you name it on a daily basis and have ocd and body image problems . Will drive to a supermarket that’s 20 miles away so I don’t see anyone rather than 5 miles away . So hoping this assessment will show up something ? That’s just a few things 😂 . Got this far ! So we are all doing ok really !

[STEM_Dad in reply to Hidden]

The behavior you described does seem like it could be ADHD, with lots of examples of Impulsivity, and losing things frequently is definitely something that people with Inattentiveness (like me) are prone to doing.

I do know that there are other conditions that can exhibit ADHD-like behaviors such as impulsivity, but might be a better match to the body image issue. Borderline personality disorder (BPD) comes to mind. It's more rare than ADHD, and people with BPD often also have ADHD.

Then again, body image issues can affect anyone at any time in their life, and might be due to various conditions (e.g. anxiety, depression), which could be comorbidities with ADHD.

Most of what you described sounds like ADHD to me. Hopefully, the person you are going to for you assessment is insightful about both ADHD and comorbidities.

(A comorbidity is another condition that is present along with the primary condition. For example, I have ADHD with a comorbidity of anxiety.)

[Hidden in reply to STEM_Dad]

Thank you so very helpful 😊

[MaudQ]

I would definitely write down all your current examples/data. Try if you can to remember anything from childhood. An official ADHD diagnosis usually requires that the symptoms have been present since before age 12. I didn’t have documented examples from childhood - largely because my parents were very busy with their own issues and because no one really thought girls could have ADHD at the time. But if I look back I can see the signs. If you go to ADDitude.com, they have lots of articles, lists and quizzes. Look at the stuff for kids and see if any of it rings a bell.

[STEM_Dad]

Also, try to think of any childhood nicknames or labels that followed you into adolescence and adulthood. Some may have become labels you use for yourself now.

(My apologies if any of these are triggering. I've seen and heard these used for people with ADHD, or seem like they do. Some refer to Inattentiveness, some to hyperactivity or impulsivity.)

Examples might include:

Lazy, procrastinator, daydreamer, forgetful, squirrelly, space cadet, absent minded (professor), chatty Cathy, chatterbox, talkative, wiggle worm, Tigger (because he's always bouncing around), whirlwind, bundle of energy, slow as molasses, underachiever, oblivious, motor-mouth, fidgety, flaky, flighty, oversensitive, too touchy, klutz, clumsy, oddball, weird/weirdo, inconsistent, unreliable...

Or phrases like the following might have stuck with you:

"Try harder", "you'd lose your own head if it wasn't attached", "you talk to much", "pay attention", "head in the clouds", "you don't apply yourself", ...

[Hidden in reply to STEM_Dad]

Do you know if OCD is a trait of ADHD ? Thanks

🙏

[STEM_Dad in reply to Hidden]

OCD and ADHD are separate. Neither one is caused by or a trait of the other.

However, it is possible for a person to have both.

About 80% of people with ADHD have at least one other condition, such as: OCD, ASD (autism spectrum disorder), anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, learning differences, dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia (characterized by coordination difficulties), Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (characterized by hyperflexibility), etc.

At least 50% of people with ADHD have at least two comorbidities.

~~~~~

For me, in addition to ADHD, I regularly struggle with anxiety. I have also had struggles with depression several times in my life (one of the worst times was this past winter & spring).

I used to think I had a mild form of dyslexia, but ADHD medication made that almost completely disappear. (What seemed like dyslexia was an effect of my ADHD inattentiveness and poor working memory.)

I also used to have struggles that seemed to be like a form of OCD known as scrupulosity. (I self-diagnosed after-the-fact, when it seemed to have finally gone away, after living with it for 30+ years.)

[Maghdalena]

I'm still waiting on my assessment, so still nervous. My S.O. is an extremely private person, so I'm a little nervous about getting a psychologist, though I know I need one, lol. I can remember my folks criticizing me for losing my mittens every winter, I must have lost at least 5 pairs, maybe more, I don't really remember.

My folks never shared my report cards with me, but my mom always complained that my writing was all disorganized and I never followed through with anything. I was terrible at keeping my room clean, and organizing my time. 3 hours would seem like half an hour to me. I have no idea what teacher told me, so, at least that's my experiences from childhood. I can remember better when I was a teen or in my early 20's and my mom would say I was too sensitive. She was verbally and psychologically abusive, so idk if it's an abuse thing or an ADHD thing or both.

Since I haven't been through it, but been through other things, try to relax. I know that when I tense up, it's harder for me to remember things and easier to get get more tense and upset, which really doesn't help. Hope this helps somewhat. Good luck on your assessment and diagnosis!

[Hidden in reply to Maghdalena]

Hi Maghedalena

It’s after 4am and my mind is racing feeling sick with anxiety and worrying about my assessment today but waking at this time is very normal for me . Thanks for sharing your personal stories and I can relate to some of this . My mum always used to make me cry telling me I was Adopted to make me cry and tell me she would get the bucket from under the sink to catch my tears as I would cry so much . But no wonder I’m sure any child getting told this would react in the same way even if she was joking !? She is still says horrible things in a joking way but I’m very sensitive and these things upset me and I’m in my 40’s now . My dad would say I was in world of my own but don’t recall a lot else of my childhood that stands out and she never kept any report cards nor went to any parent evenings . But I do remember all school reports said I needed to try harder and pay more attention. I was a good pupil I’m primary school so no issues until I went into secondary school but more outside school well and I suppose In school at times but the usual smoking behind the bike sheds etc ! Thank you and hang In there too ! Do you have a date for an assessment yet ? I’ll keep you posted how it goes 😊 . Take care be kind to yourself .

[Maghdalena in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the kind thoughts. No, I don't have a date yet. They want me to do a sleep study for Apnea. Problem is, I have trouble sleeping (bad habit reading my mail before bed. I know I'm not supposed to do it but...still there is improvement. I'm waking up between 11 AM and 12, but I need to wake up earlier, Argh!) So I have to do that before anything else. Of course Apnea doesn't discount my other ADHD symptoms. I'll get there. Meditation helps somewhat, when I remember to schedule it in, lol!

Your mom sounds like she has a lot of issues! Catching your tears?! That's a little weird and unsettling. I also have Cretinism and learning disabilities (math and science, so I guess it's discalculia(sp?) too, and spatial relationship issues, so there's definitely some co-morbid stuff going on there. I'm trying to accentuate the positive. It's easier, but distractibility doesn't make studying easier (I'm studying for a metaphysical ministry through an online degree program, but it does help to blog about what I'm studying and learning. I'm writing as a person who *might* have ADHD and as therapy. The problem is knowing when to stop!

Hang in there and I'll do the same. Let us know how it went.

[wtfadhd]

hey waves- the whole ideal about adhd needing to be present/diagnosed in childhood is ANTIQUATED n laughable. we are in our 40’s- No female was diagnosed or thought to be adhd in those days!!!!

i just read this super interesting article about how females with trauma n undiagnosed adhd get all kinds of negative “ labels n diagnosis” later in life like borderline personality disorder n bipolar disorder. private message me if u want me to send ya the article. it was intriguing to me.

if your evaluator for adhd expects you to walk into that office with self awareness, great organization and scientific, peer reviewed proof that you are neurodivergent ( adhd) then that evaluator knows zero about adhd !!!!!