How Do You Know If You Have ADHD?
You are constantly losing your keys. You can’t seem to finish a task before jumping to the next one. You find that your boss keeps calling you out on careless mistakes. A friend of yours keeps joking that your flightiness might be ADHD. Now you may be wondering whether you actually do have ADHD. If this sounds like you, it may be time to get tested.
ADHD can be diagnosed in children as young as four years old; however, most aren’t tested until they start to experience problems in school. Of course, while it’s more common to test children and teens nowadays for ADHD it wasn’t so common decades ago; however, ADHD isn’t just found in children and teens. Many adults deal with this problem as well. ADHD is made up of three classic symptoms,
- Inattentiveness: short attention span; often daydreaming; easily distracted; makes careless mistakes; forgets or loses things easily; jumps from task to task
- Hyperactivity: fidgety and constantly “on the go”; can’t seem to sit still
- Impulsivity: often interrupts others and has trouble waiting in line or waiting their turn; can’t play quietly; acts without thinking
It’s important to recognize that someone does not need to display all of these symptoms in order to have ADHD. ADHD looks different for everyone; some people may experience only one of these symptoms while others may display all three.
Diagnosing ADHD
There are several things that will occur when you come into our office. A comprehensive evaluation is required in order to make an ADHD diagnose, which means undergoing a detailed interview with our psychologist, as well as talking to sources such as friends, teachers and family members about behaviors and habits. We use checklists and behavioral rating scales designed specifically for diagnosing ADHD, and our psychologists have gone through extensive training to be able to provide this testing to children, teens and adults living in and around the Warwick area.
Treating ADHD
Children, teens and adults with ADHD are often treated with medication and therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven successful for helping those with ADHD cope with their symptoms and daily difficulties. CBT can help patients figure out how to best organize and plan their daily routine, whether for school or work.
We can focus on creating daily routines and putting certain strategies and behaviors in place to prevent forgetfulness, procrastination and distractions. A psychologist can also provide adults and children dealing with ADHD as well as their families with the counseling and support everyone needs.
Strategic Psychological Services provides comprehensive ADHD testing for children, teens and adults. If you or your child is experiencing symptoms of ADHD call us today In Warwick, RI at (401) 785-0040.