Is This ADHD Diagnosis Really Worth It?
February 26, 2022 10:48 AM
I know it's common to be diagnosed with adult ADHD, but has anyone actually ever benefited from getting the diagnosis? Considering springing for an assessment but wondering if it's worth the cost.
After describing some longstanding attention problems with my therapist, she suggested that I be screened for adult ADHD. I'm not sure--ADHD seems like one of those conditions where there isn't an especially effective way to treat it or make accommodations for it outside the school setting, so I don't know if it's worth my time or money to get the diagnosis. I don't need to spend more just to get a label and some self-knowledge--I can call myself "easily bored" for free if the functional outcome is the same.
So... Has anyone improved their lives through getting an adult ADHD diagnosis? Did you get medication or learn techniques that really helped you in daily life? Or was it just more of a self-knowledge thing?
After describing some longstanding attention problems with my therapist, she suggested that I be screened for adult ADHD. I'm not sure--ADHD seems like one of those conditions where there isn't an especially effective way to treat it or make accommodations for it outside the school setting, so I don't know if it's worth my time or money to get the diagnosis. I don't need to spend more just to get a label and some self-knowledge--I can call myself "easily bored" for free if the functional outcome is the same.
So... Has anyone improved their lives through getting an adult ADHD diagnosis? Did you get medication or learn techniques that really helped you in daily life? Or was it just more of a self-knowledge thing?
The two people I know who got diagnosed as adults found it really useful. One found a medication that really worked for them and the other found that coaching / organizational stuff designed for people with ADHD totally changed their ability to get stuff done.
I think it was a relief for both of them too, that reading about ADHD (which is not just for fidgety little kids! And has especially little-discussed manifestations in women) helped them understand things about themselves in new ways.
posted by hungrytiger at 10:58 AM on February 26, 2022
I think it was a relief for both of them too, that reading about ADHD (which is not just for fidgety little kids! And has especially little-discussed manifestations in women) helped them understand things about themselves in new ways.
posted by hungrytiger at 10:58 AM on February 26, 2022
Therapy-based treatment isn't usually very effective for ADHD symptoms, but medication is pretty often quite effective. Also there's tons of resources in terms of tips and strategies out there.
Learning more about the various ways ADHD manifests has also helped me reframe how I think about some things that have been challenging for me throughout my life in a more compassionate way - it helps me stop churning on "why can't I do this stuff other people seem to have no problem with" and move on to "how can I rearrange things to function within the constraints that I have" (which practically speaking means focusing on more coping strategies and less on "suck it up and do the hard things" but also emotionally speaking has a huge impact)
posted by aubilenon at 10:59 AM on February 26, 2022
Learning more about the various ways ADHD manifests has also helped me reframe how I think about some things that have been challenging for me throughout my life in a more compassionate way - it helps me stop churning on "why can't I do this stuff other people seem to have no problem with" and move on to "how can I rearrange things to function within the constraints that I have" (which practically speaking means focusing on more coping strategies and less on "suck it up and do the hard things" but also emotionally speaking has a huge impact)
posted by aubilenon at 10:59 AM on February 26, 2022
If you want accommodation at work or access to prescription stimulant medication, you’ll need the diagnosis.
posted by kapers at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
posted by kapers at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
Yes, I was diagnosed at age 33, which led to medication which led to a career which led to a secure retirement.
posted by Floydd at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
posted by Floydd at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
The people I know who have pursued an ADHD diagnosis have been hoping that medication would help them manage it better. They have found that it really has.
One of them also uses the diagnosis to ensure that reasonable adjustments at work happen, I think this specifically has had mixed practical success with a relatively large public employer but they do prefer things the way they are now (even if attempting to educate their colleagues and ensure that systems are not set up in ways that don't work for them has not always worked out).
posted by plonkee at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
One of them also uses the diagnosis to ensure that reasonable adjustments at work happen, I think this specifically has had mixed practical success with a relatively large public employer but they do prefer things the way they are now (even if attempting to educate their colleagues and ensure that systems are not set up in ways that don't work for them has not always worked out).
posted by plonkee at 11:00 AM on February 26, 2022
Being able to say the magic words "I had a neuropsychiatric evaluation in my early twenties and was diagnosed ADHD (primarily inattentive)" has increased the willingness of healthcare providers to take me seriously, refer me to other providers, and prescribe me meds, including primary care providers, therapists, psychiatrists, and social workers.
If you don't expect to ever need a strong justification for getting help with healthcare bureaucracy, continued access to therapy, continued access to medication, or workplace accommodations, it's not likely to achieve anything for you.
posted by All Might Be Well at 11:07 AM on February 26, 2022
If you don't expect to ever need a strong justification for getting help with healthcare bureaucracy, continued access to therapy, continued access to medication, or workplace accommodations, it's not likely to achieve anything for you.
posted by All Might Be Well at 11:07 AM on February 26, 2022
ADHD seems like one of those conditions where there isn't an especially effective way to treat it
Stimulant and non-stimulant medications, often combined with non-pharmaceutical treatment methods, are very effective in treating adult ADHD, similar to the effectiveness in children.
"Dopamine agonist stimulant medications appear to be the most effective in treating ADHD. About 60% of patients receiving stimulant medication showed moderate-to-marked improvement, as compared with 10% of those receiving placebo." Adults with ADHD, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2006)
"one-year treatment with stimulants or atomoxetine was associated with a clinically significant reduction in ADHD symptoms and mental distress, and improvement of measured function. No serious adverse events were observed." Effectiveness of one-year pharmacological treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): An open-label prospective study of time in treatment, dose, side-effects and comorbidity, European Neuropsychopharmacology (2014)
posted by jedicus at 11:14 AM on February 26, 2022
Stimulant and non-stimulant medications, often combined with non-pharmaceutical treatment methods, are very effective in treating adult ADHD, similar to the effectiveness in children.
"Dopamine agonist stimulant medications appear to be the most effective in treating ADHD. About 60% of patients receiving stimulant medication showed moderate-to-marked improvement, as compared with 10% of those receiving placebo." Adults with ADHD, Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (2006)
"one-year treatment with stimulants or atomoxetine was associated with a clinically significant reduction in ADHD symptoms and mental distress, and improvement of measured function. No serious adverse events were observed." Effectiveness of one-year pharmacological treatment of adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): An open-label prospective study of time in treatment, dose, side-effects and comorbidity, European Neuropsychopharmacology (2014)
posted by jedicus at 11:14 AM on February 26, 2022
My anecdatum: my life is substantially better since a friend suggested I get evaluated, in my early thirties, and starting meds - still seeing improvements even just this past year, trying time-release instead of quick-acting meds. Better perspective on my anxiety and disordered moods, better relationship to my work, better better better.
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:25 AM on February 26, 2022
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 11:25 AM on February 26, 2022
Inattentive ADHD runs in my family; I am currently pursuing an adult diagnosis, following in the footsteps of my brother a few years ago, for whom it was genuinely life-changing. As others have said, the biggest reason to get the diagnosis is to medicate it, as medication is the single biggest thing you can do to treat it.
But even beyond that, part of the reason I am pursuing my own diagnosis is that ADHD twitter over the last few years has really, deeply helped me learn about and think about how my brain works. That has been a huge help to me in looking at my life, my struggles and successes, and contexualizing how and why things happened in a way that is much kinder to myself than simply blaming my brain for not operating how most brains do. Learning how I work has been so, so useful in helping me both work more effectively with myself and be kinder to myself about my strengths and weaknesses. It's definitely easier to strategize and plan my life knowing what I do, and I'm sure the diagnosis and treatment I'm pursing will help further.
Getting the diagnosis can be hellish; I tried ~six years ago only to run aground on a mediocre "not quite" diagnosis from a just-out-of-med-school doctor who didn't really know what they were doing and that kind of spun me out for a while. The whole system, for a variety of solid and also mediocre reasons, is basically an obstacle course accidentally designed to be hard for people with ADHD to navigate, but I and those I know who've pursued it have found it very worthwhile. A point a book I read made is that it's never too late to seek treatment, and it's beneficial at all ages. You should definitely look into it for yourself!
posted by lhputtgrass at 11:47 AM on February 26, 2022
But even beyond that, part of the reason I am pursuing my own diagnosis is that ADHD twitter over the last few years has really, deeply helped me learn about and think about how my brain works. That has been a huge help to me in looking at my life, my struggles and successes, and contexualizing how and why things happened in a way that is much kinder to myself than simply blaming my brain for not operating how most brains do. Learning how I work has been so, so useful in helping me both work more effectively with myself and be kinder to myself about my strengths and weaknesses. It's definitely easier to strategize and plan my life knowing what I do, and I'm sure the diagnosis and treatment I'm pursing will help further.
Getting the diagnosis can be hellish; I tried ~six years ago only to run aground on a mediocre "not quite" diagnosis from a just-out-of-med-school doctor who didn't really know what they were doing and that kind of spun me out for a while. The whole system, for a variety of solid and also mediocre reasons, is basically an obstacle course accidentally designed to be hard for people with ADHD to navigate, but I and those I know who've pursued it have found it very worthwhile. A point a book I read made is that it's never too late to seek treatment, and it's beneficial at all ages. You should definitely look into it for yourself!
posted by lhputtgrass at 11:47 AM on February 26, 2022
Yeah, it has been 100% a lifesaver (possibly literally) for my wife - she not only got on medication that made her anxiety way better and gave her the ability to get done the things she wanted to without destroying herself in the process, it's given her a lot more angles with which to approach aspects of her mental health and relationships that had previously seemed intractable. It was not only worth doing once, it was worth taking the multi-hour battery of testing that UMass required (and paid for) before the university-system doctors would continue her existing prescriptions. Now, at least, she has that very official set of documents for the next time she has to change doctors/insurance.
posted by restless_nomad at 11:56 AM on February 26, 2022
posted by restless_nomad at 11:56 AM on February 26, 2022
I've been on medication 4-5 years now buy only got formally diagnosed 3 years ago & it was definitely worth it (it was paid for by my insurance, I believe justified because my clinician treated it as a full psych diagnostic session & not just for ADHD). Through the neuropsych testing we found out that the majority of my ADHD is related to cognitive processing speed (I'm in the 3rd, yes that's third, percentile for adult cognitive processing speed) and so for me it's more important to focus on how that affects my executive function than on addressing executive function deficits as a root cause. Because it was a full psych workup, I also had depression brought up in my diagnosis & it was (somewhat weirdly) validating to see major depressive disorder as a diagnosis backed up by diagnostic tools.
The entire process definitely helped me think about my ADHD as not just a generic "executive function" issue, but hone in on ways to find and create tools & supports for myself that are about the low cognitive processing speed - so things like: consistently giving myself lots of time to do tasks rather than hoping I'll learn to do them faster, realizing the ways my cognitive processing affects my memory and making sure I write things down or use other external supports instead of relying on my brain to remember important dates/times/details.
tl;dr it has been really helpful knowing the details of my diagnosis so that I can better understand what kind of supports & tools work or don't work for me.
posted by augustimagination at 12:15 PM on February 26, 2022
The entire process definitely helped me think about my ADHD as not just a generic "executive function" issue, but hone in on ways to find and create tools & supports for myself that are about the low cognitive processing speed - so things like: consistently giving myself lots of time to do tasks rather than hoping I'll learn to do them faster, realizing the ways my cognitive processing affects my memory and making sure I write things down or use other external supports instead of relying on my brain to remember important dates/times/details.
tl;dr it has been really helpful knowing the details of my diagnosis so that I can better understand what kind of supports & tools work or don't work for me.
posted by augustimagination at 12:15 PM on February 26, 2022
I was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. When I found a stimulant medication that worked it wasn’t just beneficial, it was life-changing. I am progressing more easily and more quickly professionally, I enjoy my leisure time more (since I am more mentally present for it), and my personal relationships have improved (since I am more able to recognize and articulate my emotions, leading to less miscommunication).
Also, I would dispute your initial framing. It’s not that diagnosis is “common,” it’s that there has been long-standing bias (within the medical profession and the public) against both ADHD as a diagnosis and against stimulant medication as a treatment, and that bias is slowly waning. As a result, more people are a) getting the diagnosis and treatment they need, and b) talking about it publicly instead of hiding it in shame.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 12:25 PM on February 26, 2022
Also, I would dispute your initial framing. It’s not that diagnosis is “common,” it’s that there has been long-standing bias (within the medical profession and the public) against both ADHD as a diagnosis and against stimulant medication as a treatment, and that bias is slowly waning. As a result, more people are a) getting the diagnosis and treatment they need, and b) talking about it publicly instead of hiding it in shame.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 12:25 PM on February 26, 2022
treat it or make accommodations for it outside the school setting
many, many people have jobs that are not only as demanding as going to school but demanding in the same way as going to school. academics; also everyone else who does any variety of research and writing for a living, all day, every day, while sitting in a chair at a desk.
students in the "school setting" can usually count on hourly movement from room to room, hourly shifts of subject, and even some set-aside breaks for physical exercise. most adult workers are not so lucky.
so if an adult person has the same concentration troubles that make school difficult in childhood, they are likely to find that those troubles make office work even more difficult in adulthood.
there are other kinds of work than office work and it is possible to have suspected or diagnosed ADHD that isn't helped by drugs, of course. in or out of school.
accommodations are another story. if you can't think of any that might help, you are not going to be able to ask for them. an official medical justification may help you get what you need, but it will not tell you what you need.
posted by queenofbithynia at 12:36 PM on February 26, 2022
many, many people have jobs that are not only as demanding as going to school but demanding in the same way as going to school. academics; also everyone else who does any variety of research and writing for a living, all day, every day, while sitting in a chair at a desk.
students in the "school setting" can usually count on hourly movement from room to room, hourly shifts of subject, and even some set-aside breaks for physical exercise. most adult workers are not so lucky.
so if an adult person has the same concentration troubles that make school difficult in childhood, they are likely to find that those troubles make office work even more difficult in adulthood.
there are other kinds of work than office work and it is possible to have suspected or diagnosed ADHD that isn't helped by drugs, of course. in or out of school.
accommodations are another story. if you can't think of any that might help, you are not going to be able to ask for them. an official medical justification may help you get what you need, but it will not tell you what you need.
posted by queenofbithynia at 12:36 PM on February 26, 2022
Oh, I also wanted to add: one of the reasons people sometimes claim there isn’t effective treatment for ADHD is that medication isn’t magic, and it doesn’t turn an ADHD brain into a neurotypical brain. Even medicated, people with ADHD struggle with our focus and executive function, and still need to use a whole bunch of extra strategies and coping mechanisms that neurotypical people don’t need. But for me, at least, the medication gets me enough dopamine to actually use my strategies; it’s a two-part treatment approach. So, even if these parts of my life will always be more difficult than for someone else (i.e. I am not cured), my life is still far better than it would be without treatment at all.
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 12:36 PM on February 26, 2022
posted by CtrlAltDelete at 12:36 PM on February 26, 2022
A diagnosis in my early 40s has helped me immensely, most critically with my self-esteem. I assumed I really must just have been stupid, messy and lazy - because I surely got that yelled at me enough when I was a kid and at school.
posted by scruss at 2:51 PM on February 26, 2022
posted by scruss at 2:51 PM on February 26, 2022
It’s brain chemistry, basically. Meds made a huge difference to me. Once I could concentrate, I could change my habits, my reactions, and my behaviors.
posted by Ideefixe at 3:14 PM on February 26, 2022
posted by Ideefixe at 3:14 PM on February 26, 2022
Anecdote: my partner and one of my friends were both diagnosed as adults and found the treatment life-changing. I was diagnosed as an adult 2 years ago and so far haven’t benefited that much from the diagnosis or from the meds. (FWIW, though, I have coexisting conditions that may make it harder to treat ADHD.) YMMV, but I imagine it’d be worth it to get checked out.
posted by chaiyai at 7:17 PM on February 26, 2022
posted by chaiyai at 7:17 PM on February 26, 2022
The diagnosis I received literally changed my life. Finally finding out that I wasn't just "messy and lazy" and getting on medication got me to a place where the therapy got enough traction for it to move forward much smoother. Having an actual diagnosis helped with insurance as well.
Having someone outside my head having an idea what I was going through and telling me about it helped immensely. I feel like I can't overstate how much of a difference it made in my life.
Anecdotal testing info: I went in and filled out some questionnaire that seemed oddly personal, did some more assessments, waited for a couple months, did one more face to face where she gave me her diagnosis. I was going to therapy before this and the diagnostician and the therapist were in communication this whole time.
posted by Sphinx at 8:15 PM on February 26, 2022
Having someone outside my head having an idea what I was going through and telling me about it helped immensely. I feel like I can't overstate how much of a difference it made in my life.
Anecdotal testing info: I went in and filled out some questionnaire that seemed oddly personal, did some more assessments, waited for a couple months, did one more face to face where she gave me her diagnosis. I was going to therapy before this and the diagnostician and the therapist were in communication this whole time.
posted by Sphinx at 8:15 PM on February 26, 2022
I was diagnosed in my thirties. Diagnosis and treatment changed my life. I could barely hold down a job beforehand, was completely overwhelmed by basic adulting. Ten years on, I won’t pretend to be in a perfect place, but I’ve got a career and clean dishes and the majority of my belongings no longer reside on my floor.
posted by fairfax at 9:07 PM on February 26, 2022
posted by fairfax at 9:07 PM on February 26, 2022
I'm a datapoint on the other side. Medication hasn't worked for me (though there is one option I haven't yet tried) and although I have looked at organisational, focus and interaction strategies for people with AD(H)D they haven't helped. Honestly the diagnosis so far has had a detrimental effect on how I feel about myself and therefore my coping abilties. I'm about 18 months on from diagnosis so possibly things will improve.
posted by paduasoy at 12:11 AM on February 27, 2022
posted by paduasoy at 12:11 AM on February 27, 2022
I was diagnosed in my early twenties. Medication has been a little helpful, but what's been more helpful for me has been understanding what I'm working with. Knowing why I struggle with certain things allows me to identify effective ways to address those issues and support myself better. I am very glad I was diagnosed; even though I still have trouble achieving some goals, I'm much more successful than I used to be (professionally and personally) and much happier about myself.
posted by spielzebub at 3:29 AM on February 27, 2022
posted by spielzebub at 3:29 AM on February 27, 2022
100thing that the medication may make all the difference
posted by jander03 at 4:12 PM on February 27, 2022
posted by jander03 at 4:12 PM on February 27, 2022
I found that realizing that I have ADHD really helped me understand why I do what I do and feel the way that I feel and to be less hard on myself about the way I am and figure out strategies to address problems.
(I am 40 and literally got my official diagnosis less than a week ago after ADHDTok got me to understand maybe that's what had always been up with me. This thread really makes me optimistic - and a little weepy - that medication will help me even further, which is the reason why I pursued a diagnosis in the first place)
posted by urbanlenny at 11:33 AM on February 28, 2022
(I am 40 and literally got my official diagnosis less than a week ago after ADHDTok got me to understand maybe that's what had always been up with me. This thread really makes me optimistic - and a little weepy - that medication will help me even further, which is the reason why I pursued a diagnosis in the first place)
posted by urbanlenny at 11:33 AM on February 28, 2022
I'm in my late 40s, diagnosed maybe 8 years ago. It's been quite helpful for me, even aside from medication, in understanding some of my behavior and relationship patterns. It's also given me some tools to understand how to manage my life better and how folks without ADHD aren't different than I am.
posted by bluedaisy at 4:11 PM on February 28, 2022
posted by bluedaisy at 4:11 PM on February 28, 2022
Getting the diagnosis can be hellish; I tried ~six years ago only to run aground on a mediocre "not quite" diagnosis from a just-out-of-med-school doctor who didn't really know what they were doing and that kind of spun me out for a while.
Yeah, if you do decide to pursue this, please recognize that you may be more aware of the current state of research than the medical professionals you consult are. I have had a physician tell me to my face that "ADHD and depression don't co-occur" which is, in my and other people's experience, entirely false. ("You're so smart!" + "You pick things up so quickly!" + "Why can't you get this?" + "You should be better at this..." tends to lead to depression, IME)
posted by Lexica at 4:28 PM on February 28, 2022
Yeah, if you do decide to pursue this, please recognize that you may be more aware of the current state of research than the medical professionals you consult are. I have had a physician tell me to my face that "ADHD and depression don't co-occur" which is, in my and other people's experience, entirely false. ("You're so smart!" + "You pick things up so quickly!" + "Why can't you get this?" + "You should be better at this..." tends to lead to depression, IME)
posted by Lexica at 4:28 PM on February 28, 2022
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by 2N2222 at 10:57 AM on February 26, 2022