For those of you who weren’t diagnosed until adulthood (I’m in my late 40s), what was the diagnosis process like? Are you just given a written test, or does someone evaluate you more thoroughly? Do they try to understand your symptoms, or is it more of a checklist? If anyone has personal stories they’d be willing to share, I’d love to hear them. I’m also just curious about what to expect during the appointment. Who do I make it with? A psychiatrist?
I also wonder if there are other related conditions or learning disabilities that I might have, such as dyslexia. Do I need to be proactive in asking for multiple diagnoses? Or will they be able to evaluate me for anything/everything?
Late 30s for me as well. I’d been struggling to get things done at work and around the house and reached out to a counselor/therapist to talk it over. He immediately identified ADHD symptoms and helped me 1) connect with a psychiatrist 2) lay out and practice the language I’d need to accurately communicate it to the provider and, maybe most importantly, once I started medication…3) help me identify, practice, and reflect on systems in my life to make the most of my new brain chemistry like productivity tools, meditation, etc.
Highly recommend adding some sort of therapy visits to your care if that’s feasible.