Find Out if You Have ADHD

A proper diagnosis for ADHD should take a while, many conditions can look like ADHD and these need to be ruled out before you can be diagnosed.

Steps

 * 1)  Visit your local doctor GP.  [[Image:Diagnose and Treat Borderline Personality Disorder Step 3.jpg|center|550px]]
 * 2) Explain to them that you are concerned that you might have ADHD. If you think you might not know what to say when you get there, write down on a piece of paper your areas of concerns.  [[Image:Diagnose and Treat Borderline Personality Disorder Step 5.jpg|center|550px]]
 * 3) * Your doctor may do the diagnosis themselves but more often they will send you to a specialist doctor, psychologist or psychiatrist.
 * 4)  Have a full medical check up to ensure your problems are not caused by other issues.  Tests must include a blood test to rule out thyroid problems, lead poisoning or hypoglycemia.  [[Image:Detect Cataracts Step 3.jpg|center|550px]]
 * 5)  If you want a thorough diagnosis also have a hearing and vision test a brain scan and an EEG.  These rule out other possible problems that may seem to be ADHD.  [[Image:Detect Cataracts Step 4.jpg|center|550px]]
 * 6)  In the diagnosis your doctor will ask lots of questions about your life and your symptoms, answer them as best you can.  Bring copies of school reports or letters of when you were suspended or expelled, sent to court, traffic violations and so on as examples of problem areas.  [[Image:Find Out if You Have ADHD Step 5.jpg|center|550px]]
 * 7) Have the doctor interview others like a parents, spouse or teacher who can give a report on the areas you are struggling with.  If this is not available they can fill out a questionnaire given by the doctor.  [[Image:Determine if Your Partner Is at Risk for HIV or AIDS Step 5.jpg|center|550px]]

Tips

 * Once a proper diagnosis is complete your doctor should be able to tell you if you have ADHD, what type of ADHD you have, if it is mild, moderate or severe and if you have in existing co-morbidity conditions.
 * If the doctor diagnoses you in one day it isn't long enough. It should take a while to get a proper diagnosis.  If it happens to easily seek a second opinion.

Warnings

 * Internet quizzes can not diagnose ADHD and are almost always wrong.

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