You can start with free online self-assessments like the ASRS (Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale) for initial screening, found on sites like ADD Association (ADDA), Mental Health America (MHA), and others, but these aren't diagnostic; for an official diagnosis, you need a professional evaluation with a doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist who can conduct a comprehensive assessment, often involving forms, interviews, and ruling out other conditions.
Your appointment will be with an ADHD specialist such as a psychiatrist. They'll ask about the history of your symptoms, particularly if they started when you were a child, and how these symptoms affected you at school. The assessment will focus on different areas of your life, including: work and education.
The ADHD "2-Minute Rule" suggests doing any task taking under two minutes immediately to build momentum, but it often backfires by derailing focus due to weak working memory, time blindness, and transition difficulties in people with ADHD. A better approach is to write down these quick tasks on a separate "catch-all" list instead of interrupting your main work, then schedule specific times to review and tackle them, or use a slightly longer timeframe like a 5-minute rule to prevent getting lost down "rabbit holes".
The cost of an ADHD assessment in Australia varies significantly, from around $300 for basic screening to over $1800 for comprehensive assessments, with most full diagnostic pathways costing $600 to over $1200, plus potential out-of-pocket expenses after Medicare rebates for psychiatrists. Fees depend on the clinician (psychologist, psychiatrist, paediatrician), session length, and inclusion of detailed reports or testing, with Medicare rebates often available for psychiatrist consultations but limited for direct ADHD assessments.
The ADHD "30% Rule" is a guideline suggesting that executive functions (like self-regulation, planning, and emotional control) in people with ADHD develop about 30% slower than in neurotypical individuals, meaning a 10-year-old might function more like a 7-year-old in these areas, requiring adjusted expectations for maturity, task management, and behavior. It's a tool for caregivers and adults with ADHD to set realistic goals, not a strict scientific law, helping to reduce frustration by matching demands to the person's actual developmental level (executive age) rather than just their chronological age.
The only way to know for sure is to see a doctor. That's because the disorder has several possible symptoms, and they can easily be confused with those of other conditions, such as depression or anxiety. Everyone misplaces car keys or jackets once in a while. But this kind of thing happens often when you have ADHD.
Option 1- NHS Assessment
To get an ADHD assessment through the NHS, you will first need to go and speak to your GP about why you think that you have ADHD. Your GP should take you seriously, and ask why you think you might have ADHD.
ADHD symptoms typically fall into inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, with common signs including difficulty focusing, disorganization, fidgeting, excessive talking, interrupting, restlessness, losing things, poor time management, and trouble completing tasks, often causing significant challenges at home, school, or work. These symptoms vary but usually include difficulty with sustained attention, being easily distracted, impulsively blurting out answers, and constant motion or fidgeting.
In the U.S., Medicare coverage for ADHD testing depends on the plan: Original Medicare (Parts A & B) covers diagnostic tests if medically necessary, but usually requires a referral and may have deductibles/copays, while Medicare Advantage plans often include more mental health benefits, potentially covering assessments with in-network providers, but you must check your specific plan details for ADHD assessment coverage, as it varies.
The 5 C's of ADHD, developed by psychologist Dr. Sharon Saline, is a framework for parents and individuals to manage ADHD challenges, focusing on Self-Control, Compassion, Collaboration, Consistency, and Celebration. This approach builds skills for better emotional regulation (Self-Control), empathy (Compassion), working together (Collaboration), establishing routines (Consistency), and recognizing progress (Celebration) to foster a supportive environment and reduce stress.
Unlike traditional ADHD, which is characterized by visibly disruptive behaviors and severe impairments, high-functioning ADHD allows individuals to maintain a semblance of control in daily life. However, this comes at a cost.
For adults, 7-8 hours is recommended. Try to avoid napping during the day. Optimise your sleep environment. Make sure your environment is quiet, calm and comfortable.
Adults can have ADHD.
Inattention: Difficulty paying attention, staying on task, or being organized. Hyperactivity: Excessive activity or restlessness, even at inappropriate times, and difficulty engaging in quiet activities. Impulsivity: Acting without thinking or having trouble with self-control.
The "4 Fs of ADHD" refer to common, often subconscious, survival responses triggered by overwhelm or perceived threat in individuals with ADHD: Fight (anger/aggression), Flight (avoidance/withdrawal), Freeze (shutdown/blanking out), and Fawn/Fib (people-pleasing/lying to deflect issues), which stem from the brain's amygdala overreacting in modern contexts, explains ADDitude Magazine and NeuroDirect. These responses, especially Fibbing (lying), help self-preserve when facing difficulties with executive function, emotional regulation, or rejection sensitivity, notes CHADD and Brookhaven Psychotherapy.
Instead, adults with untreated ADHD often struggle with focus, organization, planning, and time management. They are more prone to forgetfulness, difficulty prioritizing tasks, and procrastination.
Dislikes or avoids activities that require paying attention for more than one or two minutes. Loses interest and starts doing something else after engaging in an activity for a few moments. Talks a lot more and makes more noise than other children of the same age. Climbs on things when instructed not to do so.
Increase stress relief by exercising outdoors—people with ADHD often benefit from sunshine and green surroundings. Try relaxing forms of exercise, such as mindful walking, yoga, or tai chi. In addition to relieving stress, they can teach you to better control your attention and impulses.
The 20-minute rule for ADHD is a productivity strategy to overcome task paralysis by committing to work on a task for just 20 minutes, leveraging the brain's need for dopamine and short bursts of focus, making it easier to start and build momentum, with the option to stop or continue after the timer goes off, and it's a variation of the Pomodoro Technique, adapted for ADHD's unique challenges like time blindness. It helps by reducing overwhelm, providing a clear starting point, and creating a dopamine-boosting win, even if you only work for that short period.
ADHD
Symptoms
The main difference between 'ordinary' laziness and ADHD is that lazy people don't make an effort to complete the tasks, and they don't feel guilt or anxiety when they don't complete the task. Laziness is defined as an unwillingness to work. People with ADHD put effort and care into their work.
The 1-3-5 Rule for ADHD is a task management strategy where you choose 1 big task, 3 medium tasks, and 5 small tasks to accomplish daily, preventing overwhelm by structuring your to-do list into manageable categories, focusing on impact, and providing quick wins for motivation. It helps with ADHD by imposing structure, reducing decision fatigue, and breaking down overwhelming projects into actionable steps, making productivity feel less daunting.
There are no specific tests used to diagnose ADHD. The diagnosis is made by a qualified healthcare professional with training and expertise in ADHD (such as a Paediatrician, Psychiatrist or Clinical Psychologist).