ADHD Diagnosis & Treatment at Baltimore Psychiatry
Test Your ADHD Symptoms & Schedule An Online Evaluation Today!
Are ADHD symptoms preventing you from performing your best and achieving your goals in life? Baltimore Psychiatry can diagnose ADHD and provide medication management anywhere in Maryland where it is convenient for you. We accept new patients quickly, work with all private insurance, and our cash pricing is transparent and affordable. Baltimore Psychiatry has been offering reliable medication management services for adult ADHD and other psychiatric disorders throughout Maryland since 2019.
How Can I Test Myself for ADHD Symptoms?
The Adult ADHD Self Report Scale (ASRS) Symptom Checklist is one of the most widely used and respected clinical scales to help individuals identify ADHD symptoms. It was developed by psychiatrists, researchers, and the World Health Organization. This is an abbreviated version of the screening scale which only takes a couple minutes to complete. Please keep in mind that identifying with these symptoms does not necessarily indicate that you have ADHD. In fact, this scale is likely more useful in ruling out ADHD than confirming a diagnosis. This is because ADHD symptoms (or symptoms of another disorder mimicking ADHD) are easy to identify, but the diagnostic process is complex. If someone does not identify with the symptoms on this scale then it is very unlikely they have ADHD. The purpose of this self-report scale is to help you determine if the symptoms you are experiencing may indicate if further evaluation by a specialist for ADHD is warranted.
Click here to view or download the ADHD Adult Self-Report Scale Screener in PDF format.
This PDF is being shared with open permission. It is copyrighted © by the World Health Organization (WHO), New York University, and Ronald C. Kessler, PhD. All rights reserved. References: Kessler, R.C., Adler, L., Ames, M., Demler, O., Faraone, S., Hiripi, E., Howes, M.J., Jin, R., Secnik, K., Spencer, T., Ustun, T.B., Walters, E.E. (2005). The World Health Organization Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS). Psychological Medicine, 35(2), 245-256
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs an individuals ability to function socially, academically, and/or occupationally. While this is a complex disorder, symptoms occur primarily due to underdevelopment in an area of the brain known as the prefrontal cortex. This affects executive function, which is comprised of working memory, self-control, decision making, problem solving, planning, time management, and other related abilities.
What Are The Symptoms Of ADHD?
Someone may experience inattentive symptoms, hyperactive symptoms, or a combination of both. Not all cases look alike. To receive a diagnosis, symptoms must significantly impair ones ability to function in more than one setting or environment. When reviewing these symptoms keep in mind that most people will identify with these symptoms occasionally. However, for those with ADHD, these symptoms are chronic and disruptive to their daily functioning.
To assess for some common inattentive symptoms ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you have difficulty paying attention to others when they speak, even during a direct one-on-one conversation?
- Are you easily distracted by external stimulus such as noise or activity around you?
- Do you have difficulty with follow-through and completing one task before jumping to (or becoming distracted by) a different task?
- Do you have serious difficulty with sustained concentration and focus?
- Do you severely procrastinate or avoid in engaging in any activity that requires sustained mental effort?
- Do you struggle with organization and time-management?
- Do you lack attention to detail and often make careless mistakes in particular?
- Do you frequently forget important appointments or obligations?
- Do you often misplace or lose important items (keys, wallet, purse, phone, driving glasses, etc.)
To assess for some common hyperactive or impulsive symptoms ask yourself the following questions:
- Do you find it difficult to relax and unwind during free time in a calm and quiet manner?
- Do you frequently fidget or squirm? For example do you constantly move your hands or feet while sitting?
- Do you often feel restless or have a strong desire to move around as if you are driven by a motor?
- Do you have difficulty sitting still or staying seated even in formal settings when remaining seated is expected?
- Do you have difficulty waiting you turn?
- Do you find yourself talking too much in social situations?
- Do you find yourself finishing the sentences of others and/or verbally interrupting others when they speak?
- Do you find yourself interrupting other people when they are busy?
How Is ADHD Evaluated and Diagnosed?
Despite common misconceptions, there is no single definitive ADHD test. Again, there is no single conclusive test for ADHD. Even brain imaging scans alone cannot provide conclusive evidence of ADHD. Professional neuropsychological testing (a series of cognitive and behavioral tests administered by a neuropsychologist) can provide strong supporting evidence of ADHD and lead to a diagnosis. However, even these assessments may be inaccurate at times due their weakness in accounting for underlying medical diagnoses. Symptoms mirroring those of ADHD can have numerous underlying medical and psychiatric causes that must also be ruled out (differential diagnosis). Focusing only on symptoms alone is much more likely to lead to a misdiagnosis and counterproductive treatment. Clinical screening tools like the Adult Self-Report Scale are very useful in helping identify the existence of ADHD symptoms. Identifying the existence of these symptoms is the first step in a complex diagnostic process.
A diagnosis can only be made by a licensed clinician who conducts a thorough history and evaluation. A diagnosis is made by collectively reviewing medical and psychiatric history, extensive interviewing of the patient (and sometimes others in their life), observation, use of clinical screening tools, and ensuring symptoms align with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders without a more appropriate differential diagnosis. Click here to schedule an online adult ADHD evaluation with medication management.
What Are The Treatment Options For Adult ADHD?
Once someone reaches adulthood and brain development has stopped, this a chronic and lifelong disorder. The good news is there are extremely effective and affordable treatment options available that can help most with ADHD significantly improve their quality of life.
Medication
Medication is typically very effective and by far the most effective treatment for ADHD. Individuals with ADHD experience symptoms in large part because they do not adequately produce and/or utilize dopamine (or a secondary neurotransmitter synthesized from dopamine) in the prefrontal cortex. Medication can help improve the production and transmission of these neurotransmitters to temporarily correct the deficit and reduce or even eliminate symptoms.
Therapy
Therapy can be beneficial for some symptoms of ADHD, but may not be necessary or helpful for other symptoms. It may be particularly useful for those needing assistance coping with emotional lability, hyperactivity, impulse control, or the consequences of unmedicated ADHD symptoms. Certain types of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) may help one obtain a better grasp of ways to prevent or mitigate some of their symptoms. Therapy can be helpful with other mental health disorders that are commonly comorbid with ADHD as well. However, outside of learning basic coping skills and strategies, therapy alone is a reactive treatment to mitigate symptoms and its overall effect is likely to be limited.
Natural Treatments
Adequate sleep, exercise, and healthy eating habits are fundamental and absolutely crucial to all mental and physical health. For someone who naturally has poor habits, correcting those poor habits could potentially have a major impact on symptom severity. There may be some natural supplements that early research suggests could be helpful for ADHD (such as omega-3 fatty acids), but they have not been conclusively proven. While they may provide some adjunct benefit as part of a comprehensive treatment plan, any benefit when taken alone would be extremely small.
Is Adult Onset ADHD Possible?
ADHD in adults is fairly common. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, it is believed that 4.4% of the adult population ages 18 to 44 in the United States has ADHD. However, this is a developmental disorder that begins in childhood. If you are suddenly noticing symptoms of ADHD as an adult for the first time, it likely means one of two things.
The first possibility is that you had ADHD as a child that went undiagnosed. ADHD may not have been recognized or diagnosed in childhood for myriad reasons. Lack of ADHD awareness and stigma, above average intelligence, strong coping skills, milder symptoms, strict environment, or other factors may have masked ADHD symptoms in childhood. As children becomes adults hyperactive symptoms may lessen. However, they also face more challenging tasks and typically have fewer resources and less structure to fall back on. When this happens they may begin to notice inattentive symptoms are more pronounced.
The second possibility is there is something other than ADHD that is causing the onset of these symptoms. Numerous medical and psychiatric disorders may imitate or contribute to symptoms similar to those of ADHD. Natural cognitive decline due to aging may also be a factor, particularly for older adults.
What Causes ADHD?
We understand that ADHD is caused by a lack of development in certain areas of the brain, but we do not yet understand what causes this specific lack of development. ADHD appears to be highly genetic and epigenetics may play a major role too. This means that someone may have a genetic predisposition for ADHD, but their environment and behaviors will play a significant role in determining whether they actually develop ADHD. More research is necessary to provide concrete answers.
References: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). National Institute of Mental Health. Retrieved from https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd