Getting ready for your assessment

At its heart, an adult ADHD assessment is a conversation about your life, now and when you were growing up. It helps to walk in with real examples, rather than trying to remember everything on the spot.

Getting ready isn’t about learning the right answers. There aren’t any. It’s about making your own life easier to remember when someone asks about it.

If you’re feeling nervous, you’re in good company. CHADD, a US ADHD charity, notes that most people feel a little nervous about being evaluated.

Collect everyday examples

NICE guidance describes an ADHD assessment as one that includes discussion about behaviour and symptoms in the different settings of a person’s everyday life. The NHS lists the areas it focuses on: work and education, family and friends, and medical history, including any mental health issues.

So think about work or study, home, money, relationships, friendships and time. A short note like “Left the oven on twice this month” says more than a general “I’m forgetful”.

For each example, jot down what happened, roughly how often it happens, and what it cost you: time, money, sleep, a friendship. NIMH’s tips for talking with a health care provider suggest being specific about when things started, how severe they are and how often they happen.

Specific beats general. One real example says more than ten adjectives.

Small moments count. The reply you meant to send for two weeks, the keys you found in the fridge, the appointment you remembered an hour after it started: write those down too.

Childhood counts

Expect questions about when you were younger. The NHS says the specialist will ask about the history of your symptoms, particularly if they started when you were a child, and how they affected you at school.

NIMH explains why. Adults need to have shown symptoms before age 12, so a diagnosis relies heavily on past reports of behaviour.

Old school reports can help, if you can find them. NIMH says a provider may look at school reports or other childhood records.

You could also talk to someone who knew you then, like a parent, an older relative or a family friend. Ask what they remember about you at school and at home, and write it down in their words.

Some assessors want to hear from that person directly. The NHS says the specialist may want to contact someone who knows you well, such as a family member or close friend. It’s worth asking early whether they’d be happy to help.

If there’s no one to ask, or the reports are long gone, that’s okay. Tell the assessor, and share what you do remember.

The practical bits

You may be asked to fill in questionnaires. NIMH lists clinical interviews and behaviour rating scales among the things a provider may ask you to do, and CHADD says many professionals ask people to fill in questionnaires before the appointment.

They’re easier with your notes beside you and a bit of quiet time. If a question doesn’t fit your life neatly, answer as honestly as you can and mention it on the day.

It also helps to bring a short list of any medicines you take, and anything you know about your family’s health. NIMH’s tips for talking with a health care provider include both.

If you’ve been assessed for anything before, those reports may be worth digging out. CHADD mentions bringing reports from any earlier psychological testing, and work evaluations, like performance reviews, if work is where things get hard.

Bring your questions

It’s your appointment too. NIMH points out that health care providers have limited time for each appointment, and suggests making a list of what you want to discuss and any questions you have.

You might want to ask what happens next, when you’ll hear the outcome, or what support there is either way. Put the question that matters most at the top, so it doesn’t get left until the door.

Some people bring a friend or relative along. NIMH says a companion can be there for support, help take notes and remember what was discussed.

On the day, bring your notes, your questions and anything you’ve gathered, like school reports. Leave more time than you think to get there, or to log on if it’s a video call.

You can read from your notes in the room. Your memory doesn’t have to do all the work. If something is hard to say out loud, it’s okay to write it down and hand it over.

Afterwards, jot down anything you want to remember while it’s fresh: what was said, what happens next, and anything you wish you’d mentioned.

General information, not medical advice. Talk to your prescriber or doctor about your own treatment. How we write

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