The assessment is carried out by first forming a picture of the relevant challenges in childhood, growing up and in adulthood. If there are sufficient signs of ADHD symptoms in the initial interview, we will conduct a thorough diagnostic interview over 2-3 sessions. This is a kind of ADHD test where we ask many questions about childhood and adulthood. Here it is an advantage if a parent or someone who knew the person growing up can participate.
The results of the diagnostic interview are calculated by the psychologist and explained in a summary interview. Here the person can choose whether they want to continue in a therapeutic course to get tools and strategies to live as best as possible with their ADHD diagnosis. Advice will also be given on how and when to begin treatment with ADHD medication with a psychiatrist, as well as on the effect of this.
Get an ADHD diagnosis and start therapy now
Although there may be a long waiting time for a psychiatrist in the public sector, the challenges can be improved by working therapeutically with ADHD. One advantage is that there is no waiting time to do an assessment at Bemerk. We can therefore get started relatively quickly with starting the therapeutic work. The psychologist will also be able to advise on starting with a psychiatrist in the private sector with a limited waiting time, if this is desired.
There are many examples of ADHD being overlooked in children and adolescents.
It is therefore very common for many people to be diagnosed with ADHD as adults. It typically goes under the radar when you don't see obvious signs of hyperactivity or risk-taking behavior, or because you can read a book and make well-considered decisions.
But ADHD can manifest itself in many ways. For example, as recurring periods of low mood and depression, or as an almost constant restlessness or tension in the body. Many people experience a need for 'something new to happen' relatively often. Frequent changes or many projects can act as stimuli to stay engaged in everyday life. ADHD can also be the reason for a constant feeling of fatigue, difficulties in being an active part of the community, or frustration at not being able to get started with or finish things.
Family life as an adult with undiagnosed ADHD can be challenging
It is especially within the context of family life that untreated ADHD becomes limiting. This is because family life consists of many different tasks that must be remembered, coordinated and completed within a given time frame. Family life also entails emotional expectations regarding presence, attention and commitment.
For adults with ADHD, this is a challenging lifestyle if you lack knowledge about your problem. Many may feel that they are not coping with family life, do not have what it takes to be a good parent, and therefore feel that they are not good enough.
ADD is a subgroup of ADHD and is ADHD without the hyperactive component. This is a type of attention disorder that many people can go undetected because they do not attract attention by, for example, being the loudest girl in class or the young man who frequently seeks new challenges. In fact, you will often see the opposite of this type of ADHD, where changes and new elements in one's everyday life are avoided. ADD is also called 'The Silent ADHD', and is the type of ADHD that most often goes under the radar. In addition, people with ADD can often appear calm and relaxed. However, inner unrest can in many cases create tension, nervousness and difficulty relaxing. Challenges in getting things done in the right order or prioritizing your tasks so that you can achieve the most important things can be very energy-consuming. Many people find that they are constantly 'at work', and at the same time miss important details, as well as presence in their relationships.
Signs and symptoms of ADHD can be difficult to detect even by yourself
It is crucial that professionals are aware of signs of ADHD in general therapeutic treatment. In many cases, it can immediately appear as periodic depression, stress, or an anxiety disorder. In these cases, the symptoms mentioned are side effects on a more fundamental attention problem, and will remain until the underlying attention problem is addressed.
There is great potential in treatment of ADHD/ADD, with the aim of experiencing an upturn in energy, mood and general quality of life. The challenge is often to discover that one's difficulties point in this direction and to seek the right help.
Signs of ADD
ADD is also ADHD, but it manifests itself in a different way. Here are some examples of how ADD can appear and be experienced.
- Lack of attention and concentration. For many, this can be an almost constant problem. It therefore becomes a very big challenge to complete everyday chores and activities, and a continuous struggle to keep up. Naturally, this is exhausting and draining.
- Shifting focus. Your focus jumps between internal and external stimuli. You become easily distracted and have difficulty finding the thread after being interrupted.
- What other people consider routines doesn't flow as easily for you. You have to remind yourself of the same things over and over again, and daily tasks don't fall into place as you would like.
- A poor sense of time. You repeatedly make misjudgments about how long things take.
- Many people with ADD can wait their turn, postpone their needs, avoid interrupting others in their speech or activity, and are able to sit still for shorter or longer periods of time.
- Many people with ADD will describe a mental hyperactivity. This means that they have an inner restlessness and tension that can be difficult to get rid of. This is often not visible to others.
- A constant stream of thoughts that requires energy and attention. This can make it difficult to concentrate on your tasks, as well as make it difficult to fall asleep
- ADD symptoms will often sap one's energy and mood. For some people, this results in irritability and a short temper.
- Due to many distracting thoughts and low energy levels, many people will seem absent or inattentive in social situations.
- You often see a hypoactivity in people with ADD. This is the opposite of hyperactivity. This is expressed, among other things, in inactivity and general passivity. You will have difficulty taking the initiative for activities and getting started with what you have set out to do.
- Due to a tendency towards a generally weakened energy level, people with ADD are at greater risk of 'going cold' in the activities they are doing. There is a greater risk of running out of energy before the task is completed.
- When you have a lot of experience of not having an overview or maintaining structure, some people will compensate for this by getting into the habit of being extra careful. Therefore, some people with ADD will be controlling, detail-oriented and very circumstantial.
- When it is difficult to establish a natural structure, many with ADD will try to establish and maintain rigid routines that require them to check tasks many times. Here you can see a tendency towards perfectionism.
- Due to impaired attention and concentration in everyday life, it takes a lot of energy to stay alert enough to cope with everyday demands. This drains one's batteries and makes many with ADD feel tired and unmotivated. Dealing with situations with many impressions, or situations or people that are new to one, can be particularly energy-intensive.
- Among people with ADD, many report being particularly sensitive to sensory stimuli, and may react to impressions that others barely notice. This may include a tendency to be startled by sudden noises, intense reactions to one's own emotions, or being particularly affected by things one observes around them.
- The ADD brain has difficulty prioritizing impressions. It is as if there is a missing filter that sorts out the less important. The amount of 'essential' input becomes large and overwhelming.
- The ADD brain is typically on overtime and is therefore often described as a tired and overloaded brain.
""Do I have ADHD?""
Some of those who have reached out to Bemerk with questions about ADHD testing and ADHD therapy have expressed the following:
“I had taken an ADHD test online but was unsure if it was the problems I was imagining!”
“I didn't know if my ADHD symptoms were just how everyone else felt, or if there was something more to it”
“I'm unsure if I want to take ADHD pills, so I didn't know if it made sense to contact a therapist for that reason”
“My mother says I was just a completely normal, quiet child, so I doubted my feeling that there was something more”
There are many myths and ambiguities about ADHD in society, and therefore many people are very uncertain about whether they have ADHD symptoms or not. This can be clarified in a conversation with a psychologist with knowledge and experience about ADHD.