What should you know about getting diagnosed with ADHD as an adult?

A clinician may ask about attention, organisation, restlessness, impulsive decisions, time management and emotional regulation across work, home and relationships. Adult ADHD symptoms generally need to trace back to childhood, even when nobody recognised them then. School reports, family observations and examples from different settings can help. Difficulty Concentrating, Irritability and Feeling Anxious can also occur with stress, sleep problems, mood conditions or other health issues, so one symptom alone does not establish ADHD.

Write down concrete examples: missed deadlines, lost items, unfinished tasks, driving risks, or difficulty following conversations. Note when these patterns began, where they occur and how they affect you. Bring a list of medicines, sleep concerns, substance use and relevant family or school history. A Mental Health Assessment can help organise this information and identify support needs. Do not stop prescribed medicine or start a supplement to test the diagnosis without medical advice.

Arrange an appointment if attention or impulse-control difficulties are affecting safety, employment, study, finances or relationships. Seek urgent help for thoughts of self-harm, severe agitation, inability to care for yourself or a sudden major change in concentration. These situations need prompt support regardless of whether ADHD is eventually diagnosed.

Ask: What information should I bring to an assessment? Could sleep, anxiety, mood, medication or another condition explain these difficulties? What support is available while assessment is ongoing?