ADHD Online Test - Symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
ADHD can cause trouble at school and work and is a disorder that should be assessed at any age. This online test that is based on the screening tool developed by Amen Clinics, can help you assess your symptoms.
This quiz is not an indication of a diagnosis, but it can help you find an expert in mental health who can analyze your symptoms.
Symptoms
Hyperactivity, inattention, and impulsivity are the most frequent symptoms of ADHD. People who suffer from ADHD have difficulty remembering tasks, making impulsive mistakes at work or at school, and feeling overwhelmed.
Everybody has trouble paying attention or controlling impulsive behavior occasionally but for adults and children with ADHD the problems are persistent, frequent and significant enough to interfere with their personal life, work, school and social relationships. ADHD can cause issues at work and home and can cause unstable relationships, a poor performance at school or at work as well as low self-esteem and feelings of despair and worthlessness.
There are three main types of ADHD: primarily inattentive, mainly hyperactive/impulsive, and combined. The signs of predominantly inattentive ADHD are a difficult time sitting still as well as difficulty following instructions and paying close to what others are saying. This kind of ADHD could cause children to have difficulty organizing their work or home environment, slipping up easily, and making careless mistakes at work or in school.
Those with mainly hyperactive/impulsive ADHD are fidgety, cannot sit or stay quiet for long, have excess energy and talk excessively. They are often pushed by their peers to act without thinking about the consequences. Children with this kind of ADHD also have difficulty being attentive and interrupting others. Those with mainly combined ADHD have a mix of inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive symptoms.
The symptoms of each subtype differ however, all types of ADHD can cause a lot of problems. test for adhd in adults can identify the condition by assessing the severity of the symptoms, how they impact the person's home and school life, and the length of time they have been occurring.
While you can take a variety of online tests that measure the severity of certain symptoms, a diagnosis can only be confirmed by a mental health professional who has examined your child or adult. To be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD, a person must have six or more of the following symptoms in at least two settings (home or school) and cause impairment:
Diagnosis
ADHD diagnosis can be challenging, especially for children and adults. The symptoms of ADHD aren't always apparent, and can be confused with other conditions like anxiety, depression, learning disabilities or trauma. The first step in getting help is to take an ADHD assessment or screening test. You can find many of these on the internet, however you should always get an appropriate evaluation from a mental health specialist to determine if your symptoms are due to ADD/ADHD or another disorder.
In general to be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, you must show a consistent pattern that interferes with your daily functioning. The symptoms must be apparent in more than one setting and have been present since childhood. These symptoms must also be deemed debilitating by at least two people and cannot be caused by a different disorder like anxiety or depression.
People with ADHD/ADD often have difficulty separating their thoughts and feelings from the events that occur in their lives, which makes it easier to get overwhelmed by stress. Trauma and ADHD frequently co-exist. People who have a history of trauma might have trouble paying attention, controlling their impulsivity, or managing their hyperactivity.
RA Barkley points out that it's not uncommon for ADD to go undiagnosed for years or even decades, particularly in adults who don't realize they have problems until their children are diagnosed and they notice their own symptoms. Take our ADHD test for adults to find out whether you are suffering from the inattentive form of ADD, which is more commonly diagnosed as ADD, or another disorder.
Treatment
Treatment for ADHD is different based on the individual and their symptoms. It could include therapy, medication, or adjustments to routines or habits. The goal of any treatment program is to improve the ability of the individual to concentrate, control impulsivity, and manage their emotions. In most cases, ADHD is diagnosed in childhood, but it can persist into adulthood. ADHD symptoms can co-exist alongside other mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
Self-assessments can be a great initial step for those who are interested in getting diagnosed as having ADHD, particularly the inattentive type (previously known as ADD). However, it is important to remember that an accurate diagnosis is only performed by a licensed mental health practitioner.
Online tools like the adult ADHD self-report scale and Conners rating scale can aid in determining whether people have symptoms of ADHD. There are also platforms that let users test their cognitive abilities, such as the ability to focus and impulsivity, using games and tasks. These tests, like TOVA and QbTest can reveal whether ADD symptoms are present on a person's profile.
A test for ADD can help people determine whether their symptoms are due to a mental health problem such as anxiety or depression or are part of the normal development process. A therapist can aid in this process, and could suggest that the patient seek medical advice from a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Websites such as Klarity and Done provide a quick diagnosis for a small fee. These sites will use data on the person's symptoms, their family history and other aspects to determine if they are suffering from a disorder such as ADD or ADHD. They will then recommend an appropriate treatment plan, which may include counseling or medication.
Amen Clinics are a well-established mental health provider that offers various services for teenagers, children and adults. Their ADD screening includes a brain SPECT scan to look for different types of ADHD. The test is accessible to anyone and the results can be viewed within hours.