If you are wondering if you might have ADHD and are unsure about getting an assessment you might find the ADHD UK website and self screening tool useful.
You know you want to get assessed for ADHD – what you need to do next
There are a few different options
- NHS assessment – ask your GP to refer you. (This is free but the waiting lists are very long, at the time of writing the waiting list in Leeds is over five years)
- Right to choose – if the waiting list for NHS assessment is very long in your area of the country you can request your legal Right to Choose your mental healthcare provider and your choice of mental healthcare team. This important right means that, should you decide the waiting time for your ADHD assessment is too long, then you can choose alternative providers. The provider must supply the service to the NHS somewhere in England. Details of these providers are on the ADHD UK website – more information here https://adhduk.co.uk/right-to-choose/
- Shared care – this is when you pay for a private assessment and if you then decide to take medication to manage your ADHD your GP prescribes your medication under a shared care plan with the ADHD assessor. You need to check that your GP will agree to shared care with the ADHD assessor before you embark on the assessment. If your GP does not agree to shared care you may need to consider changing GP. This option means you can get an assessment more quickly, provided that you have the funds to pay and you can then get your medication via your GP through the NHS in the long term.
- Fully private – This is an expensive option. you can pay for an ADHD assessment and pay for ADHD medication privately taking on a long term expense. However, if your circumstances change you will probably need to get reassessed by a different assessor who has shared care with your GP to be able to get your ADHD medication again. There could be a gap.
You need to be assessed by a psychiatrist to get medication. Some psychologists offer assessments but they are not able to prescribe medication.
About Medication
You may have heard that ADHDers don’t produce enough dopamine? This isn’t quite accurate – dopamine is a factor, but it’s not that ADHDers don’t have enough of it. It’s more about the structures in the brain and the communication between different areas, meaning the neurotransmitters are not always working in the right place or at the right time.
Examples of neurotransmitters are:
dopamine, which helps with reward and motivation,
norepinephrine, which drives us to action,
serotonin, which regulates mood
melatonin, which regulates the sleep/wake cycle
Medication can significantly help the majority of people who are ADHD and you need a diagnosis from a psychiatrist (rather than a psychologist) in order to get medication. There are two main types of medication and it often takes a few months of trying different types and titrations of medication to find what works best for you.
Type 1 – Stimulant medication (methylphenidate/Ritalin, dextroamphetamine, lisdexamfetamine/Elvanse)
Type 2 Non-stimulant medication (Strattera/atomoxetine, guanfacine, buproprion/Wellbutrin), other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) or Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI), these are also sometimes used as anti depressants.
ADHD Coaching
Coaching is also recognised as an effective intervention for managing ADHD. Coaching can help you understand how you function at your best, recognise your strengths whilst developing strategies for managing challenges with executive function and healthy lifestyle. If you are in employment, including self-employment, you may be able to get funding to pay for coaching through the access to work scheme.
For enquiries about ADHD coaching please contact me at lynne@communicationcoaching.org
