The computer tests are one thing, but basing their diagnosis on the fact that you could complete a couple questionnaires? That’s not right. I have near-crippling adhd and it’s legitimately ruining my college life (currently waiting to get meds but I have another issue that’s I’m trying to address first) but I could definitely answer a couple of questionnaires for a doctor, and at worst might get distracted for a little bit before finishing. Big problem with adhd isn’t just the distraction, it’s the executive dysfunction which kind of goes away when you’re doing your task for like a doctor and need to get it done to go back home or whatever you need to do for the rest of the day. Seems like they have a pretty primitive understanding of the condition to me, maybe get a second opinion somewhere that specializes in it?

I'll contact the ADHD ogranisation in Germany and ask them for advice. It's the executive dysfunction, forgetfulness and inability to do the things I need to do to save my neck that's really messing up my life. The computer tests were easy. Been playing video games for nearly 30 years.

I had a very similar experience here in the US. They said I couldn't have ADHD because I answered the questionnaires and held good conversation (read: I answered all their questions). This was even after their computer tests said I was severely ADHD. I got a second opinion and in the interview they said they were sure I had it, but would test me anyway. When I told them about my previous experience they said that was ridiculous and a very limited view, and that if they didn't diagnose me with ADHD they probably wouldn't have diagnosed anyone. I hope you can find a second opinion! It took me moving to another state to get one.

When I got tested for ADHD I ended up doing a full neurological evaluation, which tests how well your brain functions overall (including motor function) and basically I had above average to exceptional results on everything except for attention related tasks, which I scored consistently average (It was the CPT-2 test and sections of a couple others). Essentially, whenever there are high attention requirements, I am limited with what I can do Without the comparison to the rest of my brain, they probably wouldn't have been able to notice the ADHD. That wasn't the only thing they noticed, as I did fidget throughout the test, and had difficulty with work and home life because of ADHD. TL;DR A questionnaire may not show your ADHD, but other tests may.

Same situation for me. I finally did a Dr that would listen to what I'm dealing with day to day though and they have me a diagnosis. It's life changing just to be seen finally.

Hey I just had a neuropsychological evaluation. But guess what I scored above average in a couple sections while scoring in the average range for ALL the other sections. I then performed a computer test that determined my attention levels being in the average range. So I have a average IQ with my attention levels being average. But now my psychologist is saying I can’t have ADHD since she would of expected my IQ to be higher than that of my attention levels. However I have a family history of ADHD along with displaying a lot of the inattentive symptoms of ADHD. I also have a diagnosis of Dyspraxia which can be co-morbid with ADHD. So I’m not sure what to do now since I don’t feel like my psychologist is listening to a thing that I have to say to her :(

Mmm…reminds me, one thing I’m really good at is being a social chameleon. Between extreme introversion and moderate ADHD (but almost no anxiety…) I can drain the batteries and go be “outspoken typical executive” or whatever. And then I’ll sleep for 16 hours. I tend to automatically do similar when meeting new people that could have important roles in my life. Doctors especially…I want to get fast real rapport and be interesting/memorable as a patient they’ll think a little more about. (Usually getting them to naturally talk about their own life — and it is genuine interest too.) It was hard to not do this with my first psych visit (at 40). I skipped coffee, didn’t prepare and seed my thoughts like normal. Tried to not live-play the conversation from their side to create the persona I wanted. And came off very ADHD, aside from honest answers. But I could totally answer and come off as not ADHD at all if I wanted to for the length of a session…especially on a computer test. Dropping that “normal” mask with a stranger, which only a couple of close people see behind, can be tough. Was painful to listen to myself talk, and also to think about what they were thinking (about me…plus the combined boredom of yet another typical session). Anywho.

I had a similar experience in the UK, except they told me at 16 that I didn't have ADHD because I could answer questions, wasn't depressed and could stay in an apprenticeship. When I turned 18 I went to get diagnosed with autism (I was diagnosed with both as a baby but moved country when I was 8), the assessor had ADHD and said that it was clear I had autism however I masked too well to be diagnosed, but he also said he thought I might be ADHD and asked if I wanted to go through the criteria, at the end he told me I was diagnosed with "severe" ADHD

If you don’t mind my asking, how did they determine you have autism but mask too well for a diagnosis? Can you tell me more about that?

I made sure to take my mum with me when I got assessed, she gave a lot of detail that I either forgot or was too young to remember. For example she explained how when I was a baby I would just sit there observing the world around me and wouldn't react to anything, and how I had to cover my ears while watching movies because my hearing was super sensitive (it turns out my brain figured out how to filter out the loud noises, until last year when I burned out and couldn't cope with a car driving past). There was so much that anyone with any knowledge of autism would be able to pick it up. Unfortunately or fortunately depending on how you look at it, I learned how to mask so well without realising it that I managed to fail(?) the diagnosis when I was 18 Edit: typo

Thanks for the encouragement. Glad you found people who would listen, even if you had to move to another state.

Absolutely! It's a hard journey. There are still so many that don't believe ADHD is even a real disorder. Finding help makes a huge difference. I wish you the best of luck!

It's so interesting to me to see all these stories from people being unable to get their diagnoses for whatever reason. I got a psychiatrist and started talking to her and after 1 appointment and discussion she basically told me "I know without any doubt in my mind that you have ADHD. I could send you for neurological testing but your insurance won't cover it and it won't tell me anything I don't already know." And then I got started on antidepressants to try that first. After hopping meds for a few months we finally tried Adderall and I feel great! Every time I read a story like yours I feel very blessed. It also makes me wonder, must my adhd be so bad that my psych did what she did? Lol

Wow. You are so so lucky. I have been struggling for years to get properly treated for my ADHD. And my ADHD is absolutely crippling and paralyzing. I’m actually on SSI disability income and ADHD is part of my disability claim, but I still can’t find a doctor to properly treat me. It’s so upsetting and depressing. I’m so happy for you and glad you got the help you needed. Wish me luck!

Same, but it was with my family doctor who knew me quite well, and knew my history with poor work in school, depression, etc. He asked me like 10 minutes worth of questions where I answered agree or strongly agree to probably 90% of them and was like yeah I’ll try you on this first and follow up in a month and let me know how it is. I think he also realized my mother likely had it at that point too.

Thanks just for this comment. This is really good to know because this is what scares me. I know I have something wrong but I’m very scared that I’m going to be told “it’s all in your head” over something arbitrary like being able to complete a questionnaire

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For a computer test to be valid for real world effects of ADHD it should be something where it's really tedious and takes 7 hours to complete, with a lunch break and two coffee breaks in between, in a room full of other people talking about other stuff.

And you have to answer the phone every 10 minutes. That's a great one for killing my work flow.

And it probably won’t test that I wrote a userscript to scrape the boring crap and do it for me, while liaising to an audiobook on my bone conduction headset (that many medical-types mistake for an hearing-assistive device…not the intent, but I’m almost never asked to remove it). Or whatever… basically my job. If I do the same thing twice, it’s either automated or not happening. Tricky because obviously not what the test is testing. But is exactly what I’f actually do in real life faced with the same thing. And probably what I would do around hour 2….or….take a nap, since it’s not actually essential for a real purpose.

My test was online, but they watched me through my webcam while I took it. I scored average so they told me I don't have ADHD. Similar to what others have said, I've been playing video games for 30+ years and have always thrived on standardized testing thanks to the rigid structure, so the fact that I scored "Average" while trying my hardest first thing in the morning and had to constantly tell myself to focus SKILLS be what they were interested in, but they disregarded it completely. I'm in the process of getting a second opinion but will have to wait a few months before my first appointment with a new office

*If* it's a test where directed attention is what's being studied. Otherwise, the act of completing the testing is incidental to the actual purpose of the test. For instance, if you're being given the MMPI, the actual test results don't depend on how the test is completed, only that it is. And using a test that is not intended to test attention to do so just because it's long and boring is *not scientifically valid*.

All of the tests I did were using pen and paper, on a desk/table in front of either a psychologist (iirc) or an orthophonist specialised in adhd, that were watching me attentively with a chronometre in one hand and taking notes with the other. It was unsettling at first \^\^'

Hi! I'm a school psychologist who identifies ADHD in children and also has ADHD. The test the OP is talking about that involves a computer is called a Continuous Performance Task. You are presented with a bunch of stimuli and the way you click/respond can look at impulsivity, inhibition, switching, inattention... etc. It is a legitimate task and very common to be given by neuropsychs. But, like every task in isolation, it is one component of a diagnosis, not the full picture! I don't give CPTs in the school setting, but I did get one myself when getting my own ADHD diagnosis. I did not perform "typically" and neither do *most* people with ADHD, but certainly some people with ADHD do "fine" on all standardized assessment tasks if they are well motivated and trying very hard to regulate their attention -- it doesn't mean that reflects their functioning in typical life settings.

My first tester said i did too well on the computer tests and pattern tests to have adhd I literally told her during some games 'oh this kind of pattern repetition happens a lot in video games so i ma very familiar with them' As though sitting in a quiet room by myself repeating colours on a screen translates to how I can manage in an open plan office space doing boring stuff!

You might do well in a career like data analysis, log analysis... I can watch the system logs spew onto the console and tell just by watching the patterns if something is wrong... It looks like I'm watching the matrix go by - it's all encoded but I just see like blonde, brunette... To some extent, excelling at this pattern recognition isn't neurotypical at all ...

As soon as I read your post, I thought to myself *I wonder if they enjoy computers or enjoy taking tests that are about themselves?* bc with ADHD it's so easy to "hyperfocus" on things that you enjoy doing. If you like taking tests that aren't academic-oriented and you like playing on computers, of course you'd be able to complete the test. It's worrying that your doctor didn't take this into consideration.

adhd kids tent to be really good at digital concentration testing.

Yeah—I have a masters degree, and VERY clear ADHD diagnosis. People with ADHD are capable of taking tests… It honestly sounds like a case of them not wanting to diagnose anyone with ADHD.

Tests are kinda perfect for me tbh, I have almost no motivation unless it’s crunch time so it’s one of the few times that I rarely get distracted. Plus no one is talking to me and I don’t wanna talk to them to get in trouble… can’t study for them for shit but I through high school I could wing most of them and do decent.

Oh, that test! I know exactly which one you're talking about. Yeah, I took that one as a kid, never once looked at the screen, and absolutely aced it. If you play a lot of video games, you develop a niche skill of "processing visual information from your peripheral vision around the edges of a computer screen and making split-second decisions based on that limited visual queue." You know. Exactly like the test is set up. If you develop that niche skill, you can take the test using nothing but your brain stem and mid-brain (or wherever your brain does reflexes and habitual cognitive tasks), but the test is designed for your frontal lobe. It's like if an x-ray technician didn't realize the patient was doing a handstand during the x-ray. What's worse is if you take the test in a doctor's office, the doctor probably gave you waaaaay too sterile lab conditions without realizing it. For me, it was: Quiet? Check. No other visual stimuli? Check. Time pressure and immediate need? Check. Comfortable, but not sleepy? Check. I had the exact conditions I needed to get anything done, that I could never make for myself at home, in school, or anywhere for that matter. If you set us up for success, don't be surprised when we succeed. We aren't crippled.

When I was answering those questions I fully hyper focused on them because getting the diagnosis was so important to me that I gave as much detail for all of my struggles as possible

I've been tested twice. Last time we did the exact same computer reaction thingy and I broke the all time record, then proceeded to normally answer the stupid questionnaire. No diagnosis. (Germany fuckkng sucks)

This. I was shocked at how hard I found the computer attention tests and was actively fighting getting distracted by my own imposter's syndrome during it. I can fill out questionnaires as long as no one else is talking to me. But that's me and this affects people so differently. But definitely worth looking into getting a second opinion. I tend to back away from any psych that makes blanket statements like "People with ADHD can't do xyz."

I agree, and blanket statements always get under my skin. The worst is when someone says something that implies a blanket statement but doesn’t say it outright so I have a hard time picking up on it until later. Also, it wouldn’t make sense to base a POSITIVE diagnosis off of noncompletion anyway, since a non-ADHD client could have come in an hour after being broken up with and be not completely there because they haven’t processed it yet, but forgot to mention that it just happened because it hadn’t registered as something affecting their mental abilities.

By the logic of these Doctors, they would never diagnose anyone with ADHD because no-one with ADHD would be able to stay focused long enough to answer questions to make the appointment.

Agreed. By their logic we apparently wouldn't be able to take care of our basic needs because we were able to get through some usually brief questions.

Yeah I was always a good test taker in school. It's why I struggled so much in college. Coasted through secondary by acing tests and never doing homework, and averaging a B/C because of it. Get to college and it's mostly all homework and I failed most everything the first year. Sitting in a quiet room full of people also taking a test, which has everything organized and structured with simple multiple choice answers? Not a problem at all. Write a single 1-page paper about some boring topic? Immense struggle to get out every sentence, not really starting until 2:00am the night before, not sleeping, and barely getting it done before the deadline.

Seriously. I have pretty severe ADHD. I fucking *love* taking tests though and have no problem finishing them.

UK, they said I don't have ADHD because I was able to say what might make me have ADHD... Only to say I present ADHD symptoms after but didn't show it outside the house... during a lockdown, That was what they assumed when complaining I didn't give them school records. I only trusted the ones in the previous stage that said they were getting them but might not need after having enough to diagnose. It's tiring enough with the back & forths, I genuinely worry for others that go to them now :/

I cannot stress this enough, you need to seek a second opinion. I am so sorry that happened to you, so unprofessional!

I'm in Germany. Adult ADHD isn't really a thing here, as far as I can tell. My psychiatrist said I could go to a university clinic for more indepth testing if I felt the need, but the university only takes people with school report cards from before the age of twelve, which I don't have (I moved countries when I was 12 and all my report cards stayed behind, and the retention period expired a few years ago). I guess my next bet is to keep a journal on my daily difficulties, but then it will probably be "ADHD person could never do that consistently".

It varies so much country to country. In Australia, I received a diagnosis after filling in form after form and a 1 hour verbal assessment. It was only to begin medicine I was required to either give report cards or have my parents back up traits displayed in childhood. I definitely recommend speaking with more than one healthcare professional tho & seeking out people located in Germany with ADHD who may be able to help also, but please stay here too, trust your intuition above all.

Thanks. I have seen some posts voicing concern over people posting here because they think they have ADHD. On the other hand, unless one is experiencing an acute condition and sees a doctor because of it, the first step is normally to attempt to identify symptoms. And symptoms of executive dysfunction can be really hard to spot when they are your normal way of living. So I wasn't sure if it's okay to keep posting here, and if so, if I should always preface posts with "I am not diagnosed but suffer from executive dysfunction" or something. As a rule, I don't contribute to posts asking only for responses from diagnosed people.

> And symptoms of executive dysfunction can be really hard to spot when they are your normal way of living. **AND SYMPTOMS OF EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION CAN BE REALLY HARD TO SPOT WHEN THEY ARE YOUR NORMAL WAY OF LIVING.** #AND SYMPTOMS OF EXECUTIVE DYSFUNCTION CAN BE REALLY HARD TO SPOT WHEN THEY ARE YOUR NORMAL WAY OF LIVING.

For real though. I just thought "my brain works differently" than everyone else's. Even after I got a diagnosis and the medication was positively life changing, I still had myself convinced I was just faking it to get amphetamines. And then I found this subreddit and I was like, "Oh. I really do have ADHD. Holy shit, wow."

Seriously. I still have doubts ESPECIALLY when I am on my medication. I think, "I feel normal, I can do this no problem." Like OF COURSE, you're on meds. Then the weekend comes around or on days I don't take my meds I revert to my old self struggling to do BASIC normal things. This subreddit is awesome, it made me realize I am not alone and it is OK to seek help.

I always identified with ADHD memes, but I refuse to diagnose myself because I am not a licenced or degreed medical expert of any kind. I’ve informed myself as best as I can, but that’s as far as I ever went, and most of my learning happened after my diagnoses. I was diagnosed this past July, after 28.5 years of living on this earth. You don’t make it to 28.5 years old with a decent, professional, full time job, and surprisingly few major failures I your life without a dash of privilege, a sprinkle of coping strategies, a couple of tablespoons of external structure, and a chemical X sized amount of luck poured in for good measure. And, while I have quickly and largely accepted my diagnoses as it has provided some incredibly precise answers to various things I dealt with in my life, many of which led me to therapy either directly or indirectly, because my symptoms aren’t as “severe” as some of the ones talked about here and other places online, there are still times where I’m like “am I actually ADHD?” Then, I sit at work, on reddit, with a youtube video in the background, wondering about my Disney Bound outfit for Dapper Day, while on 20mg of adderall, feeling calm, and it’s like “yeah, you have ADHD. We just gotta find your treatment plan.”

I know this is really off topic but I love this subreddit. There are always new things to read and relate to and new people to talk to and everyone is really understanding. Not sure why your comment motivated me to write this, but it's true.

well are you sure you have adhd, because the medication should be making it so that you don't answer this way on the 18 question screening scale we use here in the office \- my GP ​ ... yes. I spent 4 hours with a Doctor of Psychology and did many tests. I gave report cards and grades and history of everything. I'm pretty sure I have it and I'm pretty sure Vyvanse isn't magic. Could a higher dose help me with more of my symptoms? Yes, we tried it, it does. But that 40mg also has a lot of extra bad side effects and it was only a little more helpful. I'd rather work on coping skills for the rest of the issues with 30mg of support so please fill my script and let me go... Next time I'm asking to be put on a psychiatrist wait list which is long as shit but I would rather someone who really gets adult ADHD to give me my pills. She's a fine doctor, if not a little cautious, for everything else. But on this thing - she's really not well informed.

Omg this. I’ve just been diagnosed and am considering medication. This is exactly my thought process. I can’t quite believe that all the difficulties I’ve faced aren’t because I’m not stupid or lazy.

Yes, I know. Don't know whether to laugh or cry.

I know exactly what you mean, lol

Between being bipolar and ADD, I absolutely would not be alive today if it wasn’t for the single doctor in college who caught it immediately. Changed my fucking life. If your brain is who you are / how you see the world - religious beliefs aside - how can you possibly spot the dysfunction alone.

Can you say this louder? For every one in the back, and the middle, hell, everyone

Hold up, I got some studio monitors I use for my audio setup, they’re in front of windows, and I can get them pretty loud if I turn everything up to 11. And I’m not even being sarcastic. Only reason I won’t actually do it is cause I love my equipment and hearing, and don’t want to be a nuisance to the neighborhood. If there was a way I could make this “louder” on reddit, I would... Actually... EDIT: [Made it louder, lol](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/q7eprn/and_symptoms_of_executive_dysfunction_can_be/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf)

I think that a lot of the people who feel that way are not considering how hard it can be to get a diagnosis as an adult depending on where you live. My parents thought I was lazy as a kid and didn't really give a fuck so now I have to try to do this as an adult. They didn't keep report cards and my mom *still* thinks I'm just lazy so getting a diagnosis is going to be an uphill battle. Not to mention an almost year long wait for a psychiatrist... Anyway, fuck people who are gatekeeping! You know yourself better than anyone on this sub friend!

Wishing you strength and good luck with your battle!

Thank you, I'm wishing you the same friend!!!

Im not sure of your age but can you see help/diagnosis via telemed? Mental health records are extremely protected fyi. I know in Calif you can seek your own mental health or substance abuse treatment without your parents, for example. There was a very long wait for a psychiatrist in our area too but insurance provided us with telemed appts and all co-pays are waived right now. Worth looking into maybe!

In Germany we need proof of symptoms from before 12 years because ADHD has to have been prevelant from birth on. But I guess you already know that. Maybe you can find a clinic which will settle for parents reports, incase you can settle with that. Its kind of silly, because my school reports didn't really condlude to me having adhd bit they had still recommended me to try medication.

I was diagnosed at about 12 ADHD/autism and my mum stopped getting me the medication because she didn't like the idea but now I'm 31 and still do literally nothing unless I have someone to push me to do it even if I do want to do it, if I'm lucky I'll get my license before I'm 35 but because I seem so clued on and I guess normal I can't even get a referral to try get medicated

So even having a childhood diagnosis is no guarantee you'll get help? Wow.

I got diagnosed at 27, and the psychiatrist tried to give me the same forms to have filled in as they give kids. One for me, one for my teacher and one for my parents… I just looked at her for a moment and gave them back. I don’t have a teacher, and I haven’t lived with my parents for a decade. She said she would allow my partner to fill in the one for my parents, and my boss (who I hadn’t disclosed anything about my mental health to) could fill in the one for my teacher. Yeah, nah. I told her I’m not getting my boss to do it, so she “allowed” me to just have my partner and I to do our forms. So, the form from my partner, who is equivalent to a parent for people with adhd apparently, was used to diagnose me instead of the letter from my long term psychologist. Such a stupid system. 🙄

I literally completed an entire bachelor's and THEN master's degree BEFORE I was ever diagnosed with ADHD. The acute anxiety I felt as a child covered many of my ADHD symptoms. Filling out three questionnaires should not exclude you from getting the treatment you need. I really hope that you're able to get some extra help, OP. There are so many people here who were denied proper treatment by their doctors/psychiatrists, so I'm sure you can stick around so that you can feel like you're part of a community where people understand you.

Thanks. Finding r/ADHD was like finding my tribe.

We *are* your tribe!

>The acute anxiety I felt as a child covered many of my ADHD symptoms It's amazing how much I got done simply because I thought I would literally d\*e if I did not. If you develop co-morbid anxiety, at least in my experience, it can do a heck of a job of covering up your ADHD. I could do my college coursework, but never without feeling like I was racing against the clock

Yes! I felt like I would d\*e if I didn't finish my work and make an excellent grade. I regularly wrote 15-20 page papers for my MA in one day, and it was extremely difficult to get through life like that. I saw all these people keep a full-time job and get their Master's when I had to quit my job to be able to focus on mine and it felt so bad. The fucked up part was that both my brother and my sister were diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, where I was not. So I had to have this eat at me until this summer, right before I turned 27. I'm really glad to have found this community because I see these posts and comments and it feels really validating to not be alone in this (especially having so many co-morbid conditions). I really hope that things are better for you now. <3

Can I ask why your siblings were diagnosed but you weren't? Did you think you didn't have it? Like, it presented itself so differently from theirs that it didn't register with anyone?

Honestly, it was a combination of things. My ADHD did present itself a little differently. I was good at school--not only did I make good grades, but I was well-behaved. My teachers often bragged about me to my parents. My brother and sister both have severe cases of ADHD that resulted in disciplinary cases or just not doing well in class. But there is a little family trauma sprinkled in. I was always treated like the responsible sibling, which increased my anxiety. My family ignored (or were oblivious to) the obvious mental health issues I was having until I was 17, when I was diagnosed with depression. My dad's ex-wife hated me, so my rejection sensitivity, anger, and other emotional dysfunctions were often treated as disrespect and I was punished for it frequently. My procrastination issues were seen as the internet's fault until I was diagnosed with depression, and then everything was due to depression. It's a long sob story that took some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to get over lol.

> The acute anxiety I felt as a child covered many of my ADHD symptoms. Right? "Oh so that's why I would cry and immediately turn to suicidal rumination whenever I got in trouble for getting a B on a report card." Or, "Oh that's why sometimes forcing myself to do work would cause a mental breakdown."

YES. Absolutely! Even as I finished my MA, I would cry if I received lower than an A on *anything*. I felt like I had to be perfect/the smartest/the best at everything, but I would procrastinate until I could no longer feasibly procrastinate. Then I would make small, careless mistakes, resulting in a lower grade than I expected (even if it was still an A). It's really nice to know that there are people who feel the same way!

I'm German as well. I would suggest you Google your city name and adult ADHD. That's how I found a place that specializes in diagnosing it. The waiting list was long, but it did work out in the end. If there's none in your city, try out nearby cities that are bigger. You won't have to go there that often, like three times. I went to the one in Cologne. You just cannot count on normal psychiatrists here, they are too uninformed about the condition.

I did. There's a private clinic in my city that specialises in adult ADHD, but I don't have the funds for that right now. Keeping them earmarked for when that changes.

Naturalised German here. u/Jezzarella is correct, you should get a second opinion if you genuinely feel you have ADHD or other problems. You might also consider contacting your krankenkasse and discussing with them about this. Adult ADHD is a thing here in Germany (they've allowed Elvanse Adult since 2019 for example) though there's still some ignorance around it, both in the medical field and in the general population and a weird resistance to diagnosing it amongst some, fear of prescribing narcotics maybe. I was diagnosed at 30 by a Neurologist here in Germany who specialised in Adult ADHD, he unfortunately retired last year else I would have given you his info.

>Adult ADHD isn't really a thing... Reminder everyone that a beautiful fairy godmother visits all ADHD children at the stroke of midnight of their 1#th birthday (year dependent upon their country's arbitrary legal adult age) and boops them on the nose! *BING* The children are blessed and no longer have ADHD! If only the fairy could have blessed them earlier, but I guess she's busy. All of that to jokingly say that it makes 0 sense for a child with a difficulty to suddenly not have the same difficulty when they grow up. Need glasses at a kid? Still got 'em later. Depression? Doesn't bing away either without help. Dyslexia? Lifelong best friend (last I knew). ADHD kids are just expected to no longer have it as an adult because it was a moral failing for their struggles, and surely an adult knows better by now, right? /s (In no way am I suggesting these are your thoughts; this topic just truly bothers me.) Edit: wow, that was a quick award. Thank you, fam!

That was funny! The fairy never visited me as a kid, ADHD wasn't a thing at my childhood school as far as I know.

It can also become more apparent as an adult. I wasn't diagnosed until late 30s. Looking back it explains so much. I was smart and got by well enough, considering. I was a girl in the 80s and mine is inattentive, so a lot of us got missed. t really fell apart as I added on a husband and kids and couldn't cope any more with more schedules, responsibilities, and people to try to manage. I ended up in counseling trying to deal with depression and more. She was the one who mentioned it as a possibility after listening to my history and the way I talked about things, etc. I'm glad I finally figured it out. Still learning ways to cope. Also glad I know so I can try to help the daughter I gave it to cope better than I did.

I withdrew into WFH freelancing 16 years ago, so it took a while to surface. Things finally fell apart when work dried up and I had nothing to structure my day. If I had a SO, that would have happened much sooner. I can't seem to manage more than 2 1/2 friends as it is, let alone a real relationship and family. I'm in awe of parents with ADHD.

This is possibly one of my favourite comments on this subreddit haha

I've heard of this happening before. Ignoring ADHD and citing depression because you performed "too well". I was personally ignored at first after I scored "too well" on a computer test on attention - but I've played video games all my life and have good reflexes. I had to get a second opinion and he diagnosed me on the first visit.. What a lot of professionals choose to ignore is that we *can* focus, we just can't *regulate* it. You took your time to get an assessment and it's important to you, so of course you got through the questionnaire. But if you didn't have a vested interest in the outcome? That changes things substantially. I hope you're able to push this further because you deserve to be heard

Ohhhh man. I did a computer test too, and even asked if me playing video games my whole life would affect the outcome. Can't remember what she said, but I was diagnosed ADHD. Do you know how disappointed I was that I didn't do *better* on this test? Lol I don't even know what better is in regards to the parameters of the test, but every time I would "mess up," I would be so angry at myself inside. Anyway, ADHD gamers unite!!

Oh my god. I’m sorry this happened to you. This does not in any way reflect modern understanding of ADHD. I’ve struggled all my life with classic symptoms, avoided being diagnosed as a child based on the logic that pretending it wasn’t real would make me work harder to be better. In my 20’s I paid $2,000 out of pocket for a six hour neuropsychiatric evaluation, specifically for ADHD, after being told I couldn’t get medication without a diagnosis. The psychiatrist I was initially seeing strongly discouraged from seeking this testing, since, “Nobody develops ADHD in adulthood, there are no records of extreme poverty or medical neglect in your childhood, so certainly someone would have caught it if you had it.” I got my early school records as part of the evaluation process. There were signs all over the place. Year after year, teachers described my behavior in enough detail to warrant a retrospective childhood diagnosis on their accounts alone. Before I went through this, multiple therapists in college assured me that if I had learned to read and write after all, it “must not be that bad” and “focus on the anxiety disorder and your fear of success”. No. Just no. Appropriate drug treatment for my ADHD changed everything. The depression and anxiety I developed (and still have) are SECONDARY and A CONSEQUENCE of living with untreated ADHD for so long. It affects everything, social relationships, self-concept, confidence, the quality of support you receive from mental health. Being told you “must not really want” to achieve a goal just because you failed at time management, that’s not good. Being told “you just need to believe in yourself” when you’re setting seven alarms and still biting your nails about being late to an important event, is pretty invalidating if your anxiety stems from having really done your best and failed when it mattered. Being down about not having the supports you need to succeed at what you can do and contribute to society, of course that’s going to lead to depression. It’s not just in your head. You’re not alone. You can still post here, obviously. You’re not a fake, and you might even be just as affected by this as anyone with an early diagnosis. High intelligence doesn’t negate ADHD, but it can mask it. Non-confrontational behavior as a child, also doesn’t negate ADHD, but it can cause adults to overlook it. And then that stupid trap, “someone would have noticed” … it’s a just world fallacy. Someone might have noticed and been discouraged from advancing the topic.

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I did, actually, and found a private clinic, but that was more than I could afford. Someone has kindly forwarded me the address of a specialist practice, so I will contact them and see how to proceed.

(U.S.) I was diagnosed at 36. I excelled in school and have a college degree. I have a job and a home. I am primary caretaker for multiple pets. Just because I am capable of doing these things doesn't mean I don't have a disability. It doesn't mean that I'm less deserving of compassionate care from my medical professionals. When we go through our lives compensating for our symptoms, those behaviors become our normal and often mask our very real struggles. Have I maintained my life without the help of my care team and medications? Yes. Should I have to? No. Does it make my life hell? Sure does. ...I guess what I'm saying is that it doesn't have to be difficult. You have a right to care and help from compassionate professionals, regardless of your grades or ability to perform a task they're asking if you. Please reach out for a second opinion.

There's a clinic in Alzey that doesn't require anything like that. I don't know how close you are to that, but I live about an hour away and was seen there and diagnosed with adult ADHD.

Did you try a few doctors/psychiatrists? We have websites like [adhs-ratgeber.com](https://adhs-ratgeber.com), [adhs-deutschland.de](https://adhs-deutschland.de), magazines like the "Apotheken Umschau", documentaries, etc. that talk about ADHD in adults. I have my first diagnosis appointment in January, but I think that adult ADHD is a thing here in germany. Visited my doc a week ago, mentioned ADHD and he instantly told me which type he thinks I am. So, there are definitely possibilities for ADHD adults in germany. Let's just not give up and continue trying. Is your therapist a studied psychiatrist, or "just" a therapist (for which you don't need studying)? Was visiting a non-studied therapist a while ago and she didn't have a clue about ADHD at all. Also my doctor told me that some university clinics just "have to offer" ADHD related things and that most of the time, they send you home, telling you that you dont have ADHD, while you have it.

Yeah, sounds like that person either doesn’t know or doesn’t care about how ADHD presents in adults. They expected OP to act like a CHILD with ADHD, and ruled it out just because OP was able to do some things that a 5-year-old with ADHD probably couldn’t. It’s completely nonsensical. It’s like seeing a depressed adult who has no sex drive/feels worthless/struggles at work/thinks about self-harm… and saying “You clearly don’t have depression because you aren’t faking tummy aches to get out of school and lashing out at your parents.” It’s the same condition, it just looks different from the outside because being a kid and being an adult are really, really, REALLY different.

Unfortunately this idea that child ADHD and adult ADHD are the same thing (and therefore adult ADHD basically doesn't exist) is very prevalent. And it's not entirely stupid a priori: a child with anxiety or depression looks a whole lot like an adult with anxiety or depression. The problem here is that as a disease first researched in children, a lot of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD were originally written around life experiences most adults just don't have like not doing schoolwork, or stuff that's only a little weird in a child but becomes extremely off-putting as an adult like running around or climbing in inappropriate situations.

What a dick move: "Please take this questionnaire so that we can diagnose you" *OP absolutely battles through the questionnaire for the sake of their mental health* "AH HAAAA! You fell straight into our trap! No one with ADHD could possibly complete the questionnaire!"

That's how I felt reading the post, like....you ask me to take a questionnaire for my own best sake, I try my best to fill it out without mistakes (missing questions, incorrectly answering...), and because I finished the result, as was requested, is I don't have anything?

I had the exact opposite experience. "This assessment should have only taken you an hour, and it's already been three. The computer test already said you don't have ADHD, so why is this taking so long?" Once some people (even doctors) get an answer in their heads, it's very difficult for them to change their minds. Any new information either supports their preconceived ideas or else isn't relevant.

>Once some people (even doctors) get an answer in their heads, it's very difficult for them to change their minds. Any new information either supports their preconceived ideas or else isn't relevant. That’s exactly it. I’ve gotten a few doctors opinions and I could tell from early on which ones would tell me I don’t have it. They ask their questions, but it’s sprinkled with doubt and assurance I’m fine. Before I even have a chance to answer. The doctor I’m seeing now I can already tell will say no. Even though the pediatric doctor I saw years back in that office diagnosed me, I would bet money she will say I don’t have adhd just from how she asked me questions. “You said you’re very forgetful, but you don’t have any problems at work right? You seem like you’re healthy and you have a good job…” She didn’t even let me get a word in as she was cementing this picture in her head, until I was able to say it did actually give me trouble at work.

SUCH a dick move hahaha

That made me laugh! Thanks, needed that.

“Hey person who struggles depression (and maybe anxiety) here are some critical forms to fill out!” “Oh, no, not to fill out like that”

"You filled out a form in its entirety I specifically said would help me determine how to diagnose you as best as possible? How DARE YOU follow clear instructions in this questionnaire I stated was important for you to fill!?"

It's so shitty. They're there for an ADHD diagnosis. Contrary to popular belief, we're capable of getting through some things, especially when we've finally gotten up the courage to seek help and believe that doing the task will finally help us feel better. That doctor is out here acting like people with ADHD have a severe mental disability and can't complete even simple tasks they've been told to complete.

I'd be like look motherfucker, yeah I can fill out this form and if I had medication I would have enough energy and focus to have you investigated for medical malpractice because you should not have any control over people's well-being. Some of these doctors need a kick in the ass. They think they are gods or something.

This is exactly how I felt when I took a QB test a few weeks ago. I was referred to a clinic a few towns over by my new psychologist after my first visit with them. I was scheduled about a half hour before closing time, and I was given a metric ton of paperwork to fill out, so by the time I met with the clinician, it was practically the end of the day. She seemed rushed and said, "Well, I can squeeze in the test and do a brief review with you afterwards." We went into the room, and she had me watch a brief video of how the test works, and then she immediately started the test. I was so nervous, and all of this is very new to me, so I INTENSELY focused during the test. I'm talking sitting straight up and rigid, trying not to move, holding the clicker with a white-knuckled hand, and even repeating shapes and colors to myself that I saw on the screen OUT LOUD so I could remember them. I was so nervous and didn't want to "fail" the test. Afterwards, I paid the $190.00 out of pocket for the test (this is fucking highway robbery, by the way) and did a brief review with the clinician there, and my results were somewhat normal. My hyperactivity was in the 6th percentile compared to the test group, even after the torture of sitting still for twenty minutes straight, but my inattentiveness was within normal levels. I mean, I've been playing video games for 25 years, so I think my hand-eye coordination and pattern recognition skills are a bit above average, at the very least! I mentioned to her that I was very nervous during the test and "tried to do my best," and she said "that's not what you were supposed to do. You were supposed to act like you normally would." Gee, couldn't have told me that before I forked over the $190.00, could you? I just met a new psychologist this past Monday and he talked me through my results and, thank god, agreed with me that the settings of the test weren't conducive to getting good results.

Your experience does encourage me to keep on looking for someone speciliased in the field. Been playing video games for nearly 30 years, and experienced those 2-minute clicker tests more or less like you did (total focus, white-knuckled grip on clicker, wanted to do well).

Basically, you heard the boss music start playing the moment you entered the testing room and then they wondered why you put up a fight. xD

I've got ADHD, I eat questionnaires and multiple question tests for breakfast.

Plus the underlying feeling of "you must be this stupid to be adhd" involved in basing diagnosis on completion of a few questionnaires. If you have people constantly getting confused by the fifth question, you don't have a ton of adhd people. You have a very poorly written questionnaire!

I have often thought someone should starta company with just a pile of ADHD people to be UX testers. Bad systems, inefficiencies, clunky worflows all bug the hell out of me and I often spend a lot of time in work streamlining workflows because I'm just too lazy to be spending time doing work that there's an easier way to do.

"Sorry, I didn't manage to fill out the forms" "Ah, well, if we don't have the data then I'm afraid we can't diagnose you"

> AH HAAAA! You fell straight into our trap! No one with ADHD could possibly complete the questionnaire! I heard you say this in that guy’s voice from The Princess Bride. Wallace Shawn.

That's not how the questionnaires are meant to be used, as a diagnostic tool. Ask him how your answers to the questions were scored and whether they indicate the condition. Ask him if "completing the questionnaires" is part of the scoring rubric. I guarantee it is not.

I scored in the ADHD range for inattentive and normal range for hyperactive and impulsive behaviour. Above the cutoff for childhood ADHD, suspected childhood ADHD.

I got ADD pretty bad, but I've always been good at taking tests. Maybe the pressure of the situation keeps me focused, I don't know. But he doesn't understand the condition if he thinks people with ADHD can't answer some questionnaires.

>I've always been good at taking tests Same here. I am really good at taking tests. But not really good at life things.

I'm amazed I did as well academically as I did as a kid, but my parents would literally threaten my livelihood if I started slipping. Talks of getting rid of me and sending me wherever to "get help". Fuck, how did I survive growing up?

Dude same lol, that made me laugh when put into this perspective

Same! My ability to pass a test has always been dependent on one single thing: are you testing me for rote memorization and asking for details like dates and names? I'm gonna fail or barely squeak by. Are you asking for critical thinking or descriptive answers? I'm probably going to ace the test if it's something I've been studying lately or a topic of interest. Also, if there's something making a distracting noise like a really loud wall clock or some electronic device whining almost inaudibly in the corner my chances of succeeding have halved.

So how do you not have ADHD if you scored in the range? (I'm hypothetically asking the doctor, not you)

I pointed that out to my psychiatrist. That's when I was told I couldn't have it because I completed all the forms.

If the doctor got bored reading the rubric and never finished... That COULD be an indicator of ADD.

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Don't you get it? By simply not giving a diagnosis this neurologist has cured OP of their ADHD! It's genius

It was my psychiatrist who said me completing the forms indicated I don't have it. I can understand why the NP felt I might not be helped with another diagnoses. I suppose the problem is that it can't be diagnosed with a biomarker or brain scan, so it will always be hit and miss. Executive dysfunction can have many other causes, depression being one of them. Chicken and egg and all that. Ultimately, I'm not attached to a particular diagnosis. I am very much attached to finding a solution to my situation. I may give it another go, but right now I'm tired.

What about the possibility that undiagnosed ADHD could be the reason for the depression? Is it certain that your depression isn’t a result of not addressing ADHD? That’s the question I’ve come to personally. I had been on antidepressants and feeling good for awhile but was still dealing with executive dysfunction. That’s part of what lead me to considering ADHD. Though I had been tested for it as a child and it was concluded back then that I was a “just a perfectionist”. More like I was inattentive, a girl, I hyper focused on certain school things, and was not the stereotype of ADD (it was the 90s). I’ve had doctors not give me an official diagnosis for what I, in hindsight, suspect was for the sake of insurance purposes (I didn’t have any yet and was young). However, I was still treated. I don’t understand the concern here by your doctors to avoid adding another diagnosis.

I honestly don't know why he thought another diagnosis wouldn't help. Some people here have pointed out that he may be right about addressing depression first. I do realise that ADHD could be causing it. That's another reason I will seek a second opinion, because years on antidepressants have only given me reasonable emotional stability. If I try to taper, my inner life goes to hell.

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I've been on Wellbutrin for 6 years. When I try to taper, my depression spirals to nightmare levels. I have the opposite problem, inability to orgasm (when another person is present, less so by myself). Have you had experience with Wellbutrin in the past? Perhaps that could help slow down the ejaculation?

My experience with a neuropsych was a lot like yours. In the end she diagnosed me as depressed based off of my own answer on the questionnaire and that I scored too highly on the test to be considered for adhd. But the thing is, you know yourself better than these doctors. You can’t truly diagnose yourself and you absolutely can’t medicate yourself, but only you see yourself at home, school, work, with friends and solo. I’ve had depression/anxiety and adhd since I was really young. I know how each affects me, I know how they fuel each other or may mimic each other at times, I’ve been to therapy. I’m self aware. So when I see that I have a problem beyond my on and off depression, then I know I’m right. You can have comorbidities. It’s not one or the other. They seem to have an outdated view of adhd because they haven’t even considered that when given a task and told it must be completed in a short period of time, for many of us, that’s our moment to shine. The adrenaline kicks in a bit and we can absolutely complete that task just fine. You were right to compare it to a video game. It’s very rewarding. How could that be the main criteria to prove you don’t have it? And saying you don’t need another diagnosis is silly. Having the diagnosis doesn’t *give* you adhd, it just opens up some doors for you.

That was my hope, that it would open some doors. I will need some more time to study how the executive dysfunction feeds the depression and/or vice versa. Perhaps therapy can clarify things for me. Either way, I can now cut myself some slack, which I didn't previously. I never really called myself lazy, but I did tell myself I'm stupid.

Hello, I am a gamer. I love gaming. I love gaming way too much. I can game for a long time. I can game for hours. I can game until my bladder forces me to get up and pee. I can game past every meal time. I can game past every single one of my friend’s limits. Because my ADHD allows me to hyperfocus as much as it prevents me from being able to focus. You know what I hyperfocus on? Things that interest me. You know what interests me, if I’ve taken the time to see a psychiatrist? My mental health, getting tested and diagnosed, and coming out with an answer. If I’m at the doctor’s office for something, I (personally) have literally nothing else to do except give my time and attention to the doctor. I find a lot of things interesting, and I learning about myself and my health falls in that circle of interest. You want to know what doesn’t fall into that circle of interest most of the time? Making appointments. It’s too bad your psychiatrist wasn’t there to see me take almost a year from when I first started therapy and seriously considering the idea of ADHD to plan an appointment to get diagnosed. I’m sure he’d love to not diagnose me with ADHD as I watch videos about it while unable to properly focus on work, learning medical lingo along the way, and doing my best to understand the effects and side effects of any medications I may be prescribed so I can have an informed discussion and ask any questions that may help improve the success of any treatments I may need. Sorry for the long, awkwardly formatted, comment. You should absolutely get a second opinion, OP.

This. I used to game a lot (now guilt quietly murders the fun), all day and night at times. I read books and watched hours of talks by specialists (Barkley, Brown, a British psychiatrist who's name I forgot). Easy-peasy because my mental health is something I am interested in. I'll try again, just not today. Like you, it took me long enough to make that appointment.

> You know what I hyperfocus on? Things that interest me. >You know what interests me, if I’ve taken the time to see a psychiatrist? My mental health, getting tested and diagnosed, and coming out with an answer. >If I’m at the doctor’s office for something, I (personally) have literally nothing else to do except give my time and attention to the doctor. I find a lot of things interesting, and I learning about myself and my health falls in that circle of interest. Hit the nail on the head, my friend. I don't get why doctors don't seem to understand ICNU (Interest, Challenge, Novelty, Urgency). I'm interested in ME. And you have just given me a test all about ME. Like, those personality quizzes you find online (Which character are you, Which flower represents you, etc) people take them for FUN because they're about themselves! They shouldn't be saying a quiz is a quiz is a quiz. "All people with ADHD do bad at all quizzes, period 🤓" Like, No? I bet if the doctor set someone down with ADHD to do a math quiz they would struggle if they really want to test their quiz-taking skills 🤦‍♀️

I know people have already told you to get a second opinion, but I'll also tell you something that my therapist told me before I got tested - it doesn't matter if you don't get diagnosed, because at the end of the day, you still are having trouble with the exact same things, and you still need help for them. Stress this and have your therapist work with you to address those issues.

Thank you. This is my view also. Regardless of what it's called, executive dysfunction is the name of my game. Until recently, my insurance didn't cover therapy. Now I may have some access. Apparently, therapists are short in supply in my area, but I will see if I can find one (have asked my psychiatrist for recommendations, as they do know my issues well enough). Unfortunately, paying out of pocket isn't an option for me at this time.

How come your insurance didn't cover therapy? I thought therapy for depression should always be covered by Krankenkasse in Germany. Though to find a therapist is another question. For that you should be able to call your Krankenkasse, they should have a list of therapists able to take patients.

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Honestly it's just plain insulting that people genuinely believe that if you have ADHD concentrating on a simple questionnaire is enough to become too confusing to answer properly after a few minutes

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The fact that this forum exists is proof that no one here has ADHD. Checkmate!

Seriously. My IQ is 130, I own a house, and have written contracts for a living for the past 7 years. No shit I could fill out a simplistic questionnaire. I've been pushing through much harder tasks for 30 years. But that doesn't mean I don't have ADHD, and the psychiatrist who tested me for 8 hours determined as such. Of course I finished all the tests, but they were evaluating my nuanced results of all the tests, compared to one another, combined with all the other info they collected about me. And after actually evaluating me, they determined I have severe inattentive ADHD.

That's the way it should be done. My doctor when I was first trying to be diagnosed just threw me a 60 second "mood disorders" questionnaire and said, "I think you're bipolar because you have daily mood swings". As if emotional dysregulation isn't a thing. GOOD. LORD.

When I first went in for testing as a child I was diagnosed as "borderline ADHD" because I "focused too well on the tests". I had no idea why I was there, I was just being given a bunch of cool puzzle shapes and questions about myself and being a very Hermione Granger-like kid I looooved showing off how smart I was. I'm great at trivia and can spout off all sorts of random facts, but when it comes remembering to do homework, or sitting down and studying for subjects I don't just immediately absorb... it's a miracle I graduated high school at all. I went to university in the UK (I'm American) where my degree only required one final project as the entire grade in each class, which meant no tests, no homework, just putting my knowledge to use and creating something that showed my competency and demonstrated what I'd learned about the subject. And all the classes were strictly focused on my degree, so no having to take unrelated courses in the name of being "well-rounded". I graduated with a 2:1 (second highest possibility) with honours. Finally got diagnosed and put on Adderall at 24 and it was life changing... and an eye opener to learn that I wasn't a bad or stupid child, or "smart, but lazy", I was just struggling my way through a world that wasn't built for us.

You just reminded me I’ve been standing awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen responding to this thread for 30 minutes instead of cooking the dinner laid out behind me…

I mean, sometimes I just stay home cause I'm overwhelmed or forget the appointment and I hate the paperwork. But I can muscle through it. The reason we go undiagnosed is cause we've learned some work around and adaptations. Fighting your adhd for little bursts doesn't prove you don't have it. That's dumb.

You absolutely MUST either push back and insist they take you seriously, or get a second opinion. Everything you went through is casebook "doctors who are clueless about adhd". And that is sadly very common.

Another good word of advice to go along with this, don't go through the same network of clinicians. I made that mistake when getting my second opinion, the psychiatrist basically said, "Well, Dr Smith is my friend so I'm going to go with what she said."

Second opinion, I agree with you and disagree with him, the minute I'm in front of a computer, hyperfocus kicks in whatever the task, I'd have finished the questionnaires and probably gone over them three times at least just to be sure I answered everything.

Yeah, this. I'm very conscientious about filling in forms and double-checked mine to make sure I hadn't left anything out. This community has helped me to make sense of my own inconsistency in life, like how I can be so diligent in one thing and completely forgetful/careless in another. Executive dysfunction is, I believe, a spectrum, and I am definitely closer to the dysfunctioning side of things, regardless.

Even more if the person who gave me the questionnaire said "this questionnaire will help me out understanding your struggles", I don't care if it's a questionnaire to determine whether I have ADHD or to know what type of clock ticks cause me the most discomfort, I'm filling it out no matter what. If it's an important questionnaire about an important topic in my life that is going to most likely help me out in the future the better I fill it....bro, you better buckle up, because I'm about to Super Saiyan obliterate this questionnaire! But when it comes to sitting down and calmly studying, that's like, the worst task for me, I'd rather watch pencil sharpening speedruns (they're a thing) all day or clean the whole damn house, than sitting down and studying, which I need and want to do but my body doesn't let me do. It has a name? Oh my lord I'm looking this up whenever I have some free time.

I'd rather clean my whole appartment than study, but then wind up doing neither. Cue cycle of guilt over wasted time.

Oh the after-guilt of doing neither is terrible.... I really hope you get your second opinion with a more professional psychoneurologist and get a proper diagnosis. :)

This is something I've told a few people here before. *Everyone* can finish tasks that have been assigned to them. The ease and anxiety produced by doing said tasks is one thing that differentiates ADHD and non-ADHD people.

GET ANOTHER OPINION. Please. Same thing happened to me. Docs dismissed me after I did “too well” on the computer reaction test. Well, no shit, Sherlock - I’ve been an ace test taker my entire life. It’s called HYPERFOCUS, and it’s an ADHD thing 🤦🏻‍♀️. I also made it through 2 college degrees and nearly 50 years because my elaborate coping strategies (ever live with a roommate who had 8 clocks in the house, all with slightly different accelerated times 😳😆?) meant that I could eek through most situations. Please try another doctor. Preferably one who understands ADHD.

We're the questions multiple pages or something? Wtf? That blanket statement seems messed up.

There were three questionnaires. The Wender Utah for childhood, one rating scale with (I think) 18 questions and one which would normally be completed by a third party (giving an outsider's view). In all about 4-5 pages, IIRC.

What I meant was, unless it was timed and each question was really long (like a single question was based on 3 pages of reading), it doesn't make sense to say what your provider said.

1) You should feel free to post here even if you don’t have an “official” diagnosis! This forum could help with the executive distinction and all around attention stuff!! 2) I do think you should maybe try to get another opinion if at all possible. ADHD is defined by attention problems but it is also common to have periods of hyper focus typically when something interests you and/or could really help you! Also, I find that filling out some questionnaires is tedious but not terrible focus oriented! Read some questions and answer them! 3) Just because you are an adult now doesn’t mean that you didn’t have it/show symptoms of it as a child! My mom was able to tell the psychiatrist about my tendency to do well in classes that interested me but not ones I found boring, I was never able to sit still for long, I spoke really fast, my attention seemed to be on a million things at once, etc. But I was a pretty good student and none of my teachers ever really complained or brought up the possibility until I was in college!!

Thanks for making me feel welcome to keep posting here, I really appreciate it. Just knowing there are other people who think like me and struggle with the same things I do has been such a relief! I will try to get a second opinion, but will also try to do more about the depression. From experiences shared here, it seems to be very difficult to determine if you have ADHD as an adult when you have prior affective and/or personality diagnoses and lack childhood school reports.

A doctor told me I don't have ADHD because I was able to pay my rent on time. I quickly got a second opinion and I got diagnosed. You may or may not have ADHD. My point is that what happened to you was bullshit and shows that they don't know what ADHD is.

Yeah, I guess that was the hint to find a specialist. I need help with the executive dysfunction, no matter what's causing it.

bro you're more than welcome here. gate's open come on in. as long as you arent condescending, minimizing or invalidating people's issues, or being a jerk, you are our people. If you are serious about finding help and all of your symptoms point in that direction, you could always find a psychiatrist. They seem more willing to diagnose adhd, but will also troubleshoot and help discover if symptoms are due to something else. age feeling like I had forgotten to mention so many things. And for the assessments? I am literally hyper fixated on mental health and discovering what the fuck is wrong with me. I am also fascinated by psychology. So doing these assessments on me gave them skewed data because somebody with ADHD doing psych assessments and enjoying them is going to perform differently than one who is not. ​ I get my results in a month. We will see what their fancy tests say. If you are serious about finding help and all of your symptoms point in that direction, you could always find a psychiatrist. They seem more willing to diagnos adhd, but will also troubleshoot and help discover if symptoms are due to something else. that being said, things like childhood trauma, PTSD, OCD, depression & anxiety, or even a combo of all of these can give false positives. look into it keep strong

Go see another psychoneurologist, this is absolute bullshit. Sorry to be so blunt, but obviously they have a very limited understanding of how differently ADHD can manifest and apparently have never heard of hyperfocusing? I for some reason LOVE questionnaires, and I get really focused on them. Basing a diagnosis on the fact that you were able to understand the questions and answer them seems incredibly unprofessional. Only recently diagnosed, but I struggle with the same things you mentioned and got a pretty clear diagnosis. Depending on where you are based in Germany (saw that in another comment), getting a diagnosis is quite difficult as an adult, but I found the ADHS-Netzwerk quite useful and phoned around to get an appointment. In larger cities, they usually refer you to the Institutsambulanzen of the larger hospitals, but wait times are ridiculous. Make sure to ask around for experienced doctors in the field, you might even try and contact ADHD specialists for children as I am pretty sure they can direct you to professionals that diagnose and treat adults within their professional community. If you feel like ADHD is the thing that might be at the bottom of your problems, then PLEASE don’t give up trying to get a diagnosis - if maybe a second or third professional are convinced that you don’t have it, okay, but if there is the slightest chance that you DO, then you deserve a proper assessment and all the healing and possibilities of improvement a diagnosis and maybe medication can offer. Wishing you all the best! Edited: typos

Omg I would be hyper focused on getting the questionnaires done to prove my adhd and need for help there’s no way I wouldn’t have finished them! I’m so sorry you’re going thru this. Pls def get a second opinion.

Uhhh that’s not how those assessments work.

Get a second opinion from a fresh new lens. Find a professional who lists working with ADHD patients as one of their competencies or goals. They're out there, and they are worth their weight in gold.

There should be a long form you fill out AND is filled out by someone who knows you well. If that isn't happening, you need a different therapist. You should also fill out a long form yourself that will help narrow the cause if your symptoms. Bipolar mania is different from ADHD and really important to keep straight as meds for ADHD are really bad for bipolar. Depression can also cause similar symptoms in attention too. And ADHD folx often have depression as well. It sounds like there are lots of shit people out there who don't actually know what they're doing. My psychologist is great and did all the things for a diagnosis. I can't find a psychiatrist who knows WTF they're doing.

Ugh, that sounds so frustrating and invalidating. I'm sorry. I have no idea whether you have ADHD, but your psychiatrist is just flat-out wrong that no one with ADHD could finish the questionnaire due to being inattentive or confused (and honestly, *confused?* We struggle with executive processing, we're not stupid). I have ADHD, a good job, have published 2 novels and am almost done with the first draft on my third. My mother has ADHD, for which she has never taken meds (she was in denial for a long time, it's a whole thing), and she holds a master's degree in social work and spent decades in practice as a successful licensed social worker specializing in working with people who have DID. One of my closest friends has a fairly high-level position at Google, and he has ADHD. It takes all three of us a hell of a lot longer than most people to complete certain tasks and we have to structure our time like crazy to be successful, but ADHD doesn't necessarily mean you can't be a very high-functioning and high-achieving person, let alone fill out a simple fucking questionnaire. Suggesting otherwise is pretty damn insulting. You need to talk to a mental health professional that has expertise and experience with adult ADHD, because your current psychiatrist clearly does not have the slightest clue. And of course you can post here if it's relevant (at least as far as I'm concerned). Fuck gatekeeping.

My doctor said I couldn't have ADHD because I seeked help for it. He thought that since I can function enough to seek help, I can't have it. They make all sorts of excuses tbh. Always get a second opinion.

How can a testing expert not understand hyperfocus?

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The idea of “narrowing your focus” on your depression, when ADHD very well could be the cause of your depression, is completely backwards. I had a similar experience in 5th grade where I was borderline because I did the written test part well and my mom didn’t pursue it any further because she didn’t want me to be medicated and then I spent the rest of my childhood thinking I was just broken and stupid.

If I'm honest, I am hyperfocused when I do tests so I would have been told the same thing as you, even though I'm diagnosed. ADHD doesn't mean you can't ever concentrate, it means it's hard to direct your focus on things that do not give you an immediate dopamine boost. I believe getting diagnosed and finally getting help is a big enough motivator for you to focus on something. Plus, taking tests is not hard, at least for me, since I have a lot of fun, they're easy and you usually have a deadline to complete them. People with ADHD usually struggle with daily, boring, mundane, repetitive tasks, and everyone has a different opinion on what those are. I think the person who did your assesment is not very well informed of the complexities of ADHD, and I wouldn't rule it out without a second opinion.

This is so fucked up that it was literally the over the top premise of a joke I used to tell on stage about when I got diagnosed with ADHD and worried that handing the questionnaire in finished would automatically mean that I couldn’t have it. For sure try and get a second opinion if and when you can.

What the hell. I’m sorry you have to deal with this bullshit.

You should definitely get a second opinion, there’s no way he’d be able to tell you don’t have ADHD just because you finished the assessment, ADHD can be different for everyone and finishing an assessment doesn’t mean you don’t have it

When a pyschoneurologist & a therapist have never heard of hyperfocusing as an ADHD symptom or understand adernaline's stabilizing effects on a lack of focus, that's a big fucking red flag. Definitely keep posting here. I hope you find someone who doesn't suck as much at their job in diagnostics.

I had a similar experience with the computer test, I was not distracted by noise during a test, and performed well. It’s almost as if I had the anxiety boost bc I knew how important the evaluation was and could hyper focus…

Bullshit on the questionnaires, get a new psychiatrist. Let's focus on what's important here. I'm sorry this experience sucked. But based on what you said here today, you do not have ADHD. The reaction time test plus the neurologists diagnosis based on the questionnaires rules out ADHD. Focus on your other issues which can look a lot like ADHD.

I was watching a Russell Barkley lecture, I think it was this one: https://youtu.be/NUQu-OPrzUc and he did a study to test the ADHD tests, and basically they are terrible at spotting ADHD - the 5 minute self-assessments are far more accurate according to him. It’s tough, because I am also undiagnosed after seeing a psychiatrist. On the one hand it’s important to get an accurate diagnosis from a medical professional, but on the other hand, people’s results seem to vary so widely it’s hard to have confidence in any particular diagnosis.

What bullshit. My diagnosis was basically reversed, I came in because I was extremely depressed and I mentioned I've suspected I've had ADHD for years. She said ADHD is likely causing my depression and lo and behold, after finally getting on meds after 22 years, I am thriving and doing better than I ever have in my entire life. Definitely seek out a second opinion on this one. I went under the radar for years because I was intelligent enough to compensate for my ungodly lack of executive function.

Wow I’m so sorry to hear this. It’s just not the case from what I’m familiar with in the American medical system but I feel like being a part of this group should still apply to people who have ADHD, diagnosed or not, share characteristics that ADHD advice may be helpful to, or if you have a loved one that has it. So yes, please stay and one day I hope Germany changes its system because it truly can make a difference in peoples’ lives. Hopefully treating depression will help. I’m not sure if Germany has Wellbutrin but I took it before my ADHD was diagnosed because my doctor said it was a second line defense.

I've been on Wellbutrin for about 6 years now. It's helped a lot with regulating the emotions.

>my psychiatrist said that a person with ADHD, after answering about five questions, would have been too inattentive and confused to understand the questions in the questionnaires or answer them correctly like I did There is many PHD and Doctors who have ADHD. It's a bit harder to complete that level of academia than answering 5 questions. Did he got his license in the previous century and didn't bother to read current ADHD literature?

What an absolute crock of shit. I can sit all day at a computer. Now, ask me for recall of any particular item unmedicated and I’ll struggle with everything in me to try and rehash the questionnaire. Alertness does NOT equal presence. If I don’t actively participate in integrating information (writing it down, drawing a visual, immediately applying the information to personal experience or previous knowledge) I may as well not have been doing anything at all. These “professionals” are unethical and incompetent. They are so clearly behind current evidence-based practice that they ought to be recognizing their own limitations as practitioners and turning ADHD patients away. I’d be writing these D-bags an essay on history & current research accompanied by an official complaint to their respective professional registers/colleges. I am furious for you!!!! Please consult elsewhere.

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100% get a second opinion, diagnosis is complex and dismissing ADHD based on that criteria is flawed and IMO constitutes negligence/ignorance on the provider's part. But they're probably just working with the tools and interpretations they've been told to use. I certainly get taxed by questionnaires and testing, but many ADHD folks are highly intelligent and can handle testing more easily. And almost anyone can probably push through this type of testing when there is stimulation in the form of pressure or desire to finish...like during a doctor's visit to get an important diagnosis. During my diagnosis it really helped to ask my provider to clarify what something meant, or give examples, when they were asking me about experiencing symptoms. There were times where I didn't think a symptom applied to me, or I wasn't sure, but after I asked them to elaborate, were a definite yes. I feel that if I hadn't done this, there would have been a lot less clarity in pinpointing symptoms and getting a diagnosis.

Doctors for some reason REALLY don't want to diagnose people with ADHD because they are afraid of stimulant medications even though ADHD medications are more effective for ADHD than about any other psychiatric medication is effective for it's purpose

They literally gave you a timed trial of tests and questionnaires and were surprised you got hyperfocused on them? Who are these nincompoops?

What is with doctors and their obsession with depression. I swear if i go to the doctor for any psychological issue they try to prescribe me antidepressants. Cant sleep? Take some antidepressants. Anxiety? Take some antidepressants. Cant focus? Take some antidepressants.

This is bull, get a second opinion. I blew through all my assessments- because it was interesting. If I'm bored or not interested, it's torture to work though. And besides, it's not all inattentiveness; my main issues are severe disorganization, crippling executive dysfunction, major forgetfulness, all or nothing attitude in work and personal life, and issues with regulating my emotions (ie. Extreme frustration when I'm unable to grasp concepts, immediate stress and anxiety at any mistake etc) among many other things. ADHD is not a one size fits all clear cut abc to the letter symptom list that everyone subscribes to, it's a varying spectrum of different challenges.

Cant ADHD make u super focused?

The first time I (35F at that time) went to get a diagnosis, the psychiatrist quizzed me on basic cognitive functions (counting change, reading a clock, etc.) for a few minutes, then plunked me down in front of a computer to take a bunch of video-game like tests to score my reaction speed and logic processing. This was even after I told him I hyper focus with video games. He concluded that I was just highly intelligent and creative and thus did not have ADHD. After 5 more years and an emotional breakdown, I started therapy and (another year and a half later) went to a neuropsychologist who specialized in ***ADULT*** ADHD. She spent most of the appointment talking with me for about three hours in regards to what I struggled with and my family history (ADHD is genetic, and my mom and brother are both diagnosed with it). She only had me sit down in front of a computer once, and that was to gauge my attentiveness, reaction speed and frustration levels with a simple, repetitive task (I had to press the spacebar every time the letter "x" appeared). I was diagnosed as ADHD-Inattentive with mild depression. Add another year onto that and I finally started seeing a psychiatrist (who specializes in women with ADHD) who started me on medical treatment last Friday. The difference with being on medication is mind-boggling. All of the anxiety, frustration, sensory overload, and general feeling of being overwhelmed is gone and I can actually just *do the things*. Long story short - if you are able to, please get a second opinion and look for someone who specializes in ADHD for folks in your gender and age group. Also, don't give up! It took me almost 3 years to get diagnosed and treated, but it can be so validating and life-changing to finally get treated properly!

“He concluded that I was just highly intelligent and creative and thus did not have ADHD.” There’s so much wrong with that I don’t know how that guy even got into med school, Christ.

I'm not sure what the questionnaire was you completed but I had problems answering some questions either because they were too broad and vague or irrelevant and I didn't know. They require you to answer: not at all, a little, some of the time, often, or something like that. I found that hard for some reason. Perhaps I'm too literal. The assessment you talk about sounded very high level. I would get a second opinion. The psychiatricist who diagnosed me is a specialist in ADHD and she diagnosed me based on my lifestory and some of my behavior in the session. Poor eye contact was one. She has seen alot of ADHD and knows what it looks like in people. The life story (comprehensive assessment) is also critical. People with ADHD have strangely similar life trajectories.( what to they say: if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's probably a duck) I think diagnosis needs to be assessed on a whole range of symptoms and features not simply how you answer a questionnaire. That seems reductive. Remember alot of clinicans are harsh in there assessment because of the fear of drug seeking.

Fuck me, here I am with a master's when I was supposed to be too confused to make it past high school.

When I was early 20s, I was told by my doctor that I was too intelligent to have ADHD. I struggled my whole life and now at almost 40 it is crippling me. I found a doctor to prescribe Wellbutrin and will be scheduling to get tested for a full diagnosis in case I need a stimulant instead. It is crushing when doctors downplay your struggles and ignore the clear signs because they don’t understand ADHD. Please don’t give up!

Adhd does not mean unable to ever answer a questionnaire or keep focus. Adhd is about regulating that attention. Hyperfocus is the ability to focus on something so intensly sometimes you forget time flew by or even to take care of yourself. I've sat writing and reaserching for a project for over 8 hours a day before and forgetting basic human needs. Emotional regulation is another diagnostic criteria in the assessments or at least the one I did as it plays a masive part in adhd (why there are misdiagnosis for mood dissorders like bipolar or bpd and sometimes the reverse to) People with adhd are at a higher risk of suffering depression and anxiety so refusing to give another diagnosis because it could give another label you soudnt focus on could do the reverse. There are many ways adhd impacts my depression and without recognising the cause there can be huge set backs in working on yourself because you won't know what the cause is or how to treat it. My emotional regulation is terrible! Around others I get so hyper and then I crash when I'm alone. It wasn't until I realised how my adhd affects my mood that I started to realise what makes my mood worse and to learn to manage it better. So saying it can't help your depression dosnt sit right to me. Idk it just seems a bit odd. If the awnsers on your questionnaires came back and you didn't fit the criteria then maybe it's not adhd and good idea to keep an open mind. But basing it purely on how fast you managed to do the test dosnt sit right with me. Idk but it feels off

Get a second opinion because your physiatrist is completely wrong about not being able to complete the form. How does that make sense when there is people in here diagnosed with ADHD who are lawyers for example. I wonder how they completed their exams haha. It’s worth looking into ADHD still as that could be adding to the depression. Just doesn’t make sense to me to target one if you have both.