How do I know whether I have ADHD?

It can be very hard for someone to admit they might have ADHD. This article is aimed at motivating you to ask that question to someone who can help, and then to start a journey towards seeking a diagnosis/or not.

For people with ADHD, procrastination is common. Procrastination is not being able to start doing something and stop just thinking about it. This might explain why you are finding it hard to pursue an understanding of your ADHD-type symptoms.

Unfortunately, the only way to know whether you have ADHD is to get a formal diagnosis from a psychiatrist via a GP or privately. A first step might be sounding out with family and friends- do they think you show many of the following symptoms?

Do you also recognise them in yourself?

Common symptoms (these are a few)

 Inattention

• forgetful
• appear to lose interest in a conversation
• may not complete monotonous tasks
• can find organisation difficult

Hyperactivity/impulsivity

• gets up and leaves meetings or events suddenly
• fidgets
• talks a lot, or interrupts with random/odd statements
• appears constantly on the go

Time management

• Poor sense of time - good at knowing how long something will take (sometimes called time blindness)
• Procrastination- difficulty in using time to achieve goals
• Leave things to the last minute - time pressure to be immense before it triggers you to finish a task
• Miss deadlines

These symptoms also exist for those without ADHD but to a lesser extent and fewer of them. This is why a diagnosis by a qualified professional is essential.

These statements might indicate you have ADHD 

• I get obsessive about things, but the obsession might not last very long before I move on to something else
• I struggle to do anything that doesn’t interest me
• I forget things
• I am impulsive
• I don’t consider the consequences of my actions
• I take risks, or I remember taking risks as a child.

Ways that ADHD might impact on work

•  I am not motivated to work hard unless I am really interested in what I am doing
• I work really hard at my job, possibly at the expense of my well-being
• I might miss deadlines, or need deadlines to get things completed
• I have to take a lot of notes when those around me seem to remember everything
• I move jobs a lot, often because of dissatisfaction

Ways that ADHD might impact relationships

• I don’t do the things my partner wants me to do because I forget, or they are not important to me
• I feel misunderstood
• We argue and I feel unable to change
• I feel bad that my partner does things when I forget to
• I am often late for things even when I am reminded.

How will a diagnosis of ADHD help me?

If you have coped with ADHD all your life, you might believe having a diagnosis won’t change anything, and therefore, seeking one is a waste of time. This is a common belief, but evidence indicates a diagnosis and receiving the right help can improve your quality of life.

Advantages of diagnosis

• Access services that can support you in your job role. Your employer has a duty of care to facilitate you in your role
• Access to medication that can improve the symptoms of ADHD for example anxiety, and unable to think clearly
• A sense of relief
• A change of strategy to work with your ADHD rather than against it
• Friends and family can understand better why some of your behaviours may be ‘frustrating’ to them
• It can help identify other resources more specific to your needs
• It may identify other, treatable, causes for your symptoms

Disadvantages

• There is still a stigma attached to mental health issues, and this does prevent people from accessing the best care
• If you believe a diagnosis won’t change anything, then there is a big question, is the effort worth it

Effective treatment can improve your well-being and have a significant impact on your relationships. Treatment does not necessarily mean medication, although this is very effective. There are ways to train your attention and use tools to help with planning and time management. There is increasing evidence that specialised mindfulness practices can help too.

The role of counselling

• Counselling can help you explore the pros and cons of a diagnosis. It can also help with understanding yourself and managing the fall out of any stigma or shame that might be felt.
• Counsellors with an interest in ADHD and neurodivergence can help further by exploring with you, strategies to help with the things you find difficult.
• Some counsellors have specialist training and will have greater knowledge to help you explore medications, access to local services and employment law as well as strategies to help with day-to-day difficulties.

Action points

1. Speak to someone about your concerns regarding whether you have ADHD, friends, family or a healthcare professional (counsellor)
2. Make an appointment with your GP- because of long waiting lists this is important even if you haven’t decided to get a formal diagnosis
3. Begin to explore resources available to help you
4. Understand your ADHD
   1. To help manage some of the difficulties- planners, journals, and visual aids.
   2. Talk to friends and family about what you might need from them. For example patience, clarity when asking things of you, constructive reminders/prompts, and understanding.

You are not alone

*Attention deficit/hyperactive disorder ADHD, also attention deficit disorder ADD