The Quick Read
- Many adults live with undiagnosed ADHD for years, often questioning whether their struggles are “serious enough” to seek testing.
- If you feel overwhelmed, struggle with follow-through, or find that success takes more effort than it should, it may be time to consider an ADHD evaluation.
- ADHD testing provides clarity by identifying how executive functioning challenges impact focus, motivation, and daily life. You don’t have to be certain to get tested—many people start the process simply because something doesn’t feel right.
You’ve been thinking you had ADHD for years. But ever since a recent life change, you’re really thinking you have it. While you’ve thought about getting ADHD testing for a long time, you feel almost ready this time.
You’d call for testing today, but think: “Could I really have ADHD? Wouldn’t a therapist or doctor have told me by now? Isn’t everyone a little distracted sometimes?” All common questions from undiagnosed people with ADHD.
An evidence-based study at OSU found that only 13% of people who suspected they had ADHD ever shared it with their doctor. The reality is: many people go on for years with undiagnosed ADHD. But when they decide to seek an ADHD assessment, they often have some pressing reasons.
What is ADHD?
ADHD is an executive function condition. Housed in the brain’s frontal lobe, the executive functions manage daily life through working memory, sustained attention, motivation, effort over time, impulse control, and emotional regulation, to name a few.
In ADHD, executive functions aren’t always online. To focus better, the ADHD brain must be highly interested in and passionate about a task. This makes many people with ADHD struggle with details. Washing dishes, doing paperwork, cleaning their living room, and forgetting to schedule appointments (even ADHD testing).
In life, these might be some familiar ADHD traits:
- Procrastination of boring or overwhelming tasks
- Interrupting people in conversation
- Mood swings (especially when overwhelmed or bored)
- Easily off-task by novelty (i.e., conversations at work, video games, etc. )
- Misplacing personal items, forgetting things people say to you
- Struggling to manage clutter (think doom piles)
To have ADHD, the traits begin in childhood.
The most overlooked sign of ADHD
By far, the most overlooked sign of ADHD is ADHD masking, which is any effort a person with ADHD takes to conceal their ADHD traits from others. Often, ADHD masking affects women with ADHD, whose ADHD looks different because of gender socialization. For example, boys often have their hyperactivity normalized (i.e., “boys will be boys”), which is rarely the case for girls, who have more hyperactive minds.
By far, the most overlooked sign of ADHD is ADHD masking, which is any effort a person with ADHD takes to conceal their ADHD traits from others. Often, ADHD masking affects women with ADHD, whose ADHD looks different because of gender socialization. For example, boys often have their hyperactivity normalized (i.e., “boys will be boys”), which is rarely the case for girls, who have more hyperactive minds.
Many people with ADHD learn to survive with ADHD in a few ways. These become traits of ADHD
Signs it might be time to get ADHD testing
You’re successful, but life feels harder than it should be
While you may have been high-achieving or done well in school, that doesn’t mean a person doesn’t have ADHD. In fact, many people with ADHD are highly intelligent and motivated to please others, leading them to do well in school or work. Of course, that doesn’t mean they aren’t staying up late to get things done they put off during the day, etc.
You struggle with follow-through more than understanding
Many adults with ADHD are incredibly smart. They can turn in a great report at work, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t finishing it until 3 am the night before. The point is: ADHD isn’t a condition or knowledge; it’s a condition of sustaining effort.
You go to therapy, but don’t feel understood
Because adults with ADHD often have co-occurring conditions such as anxiety and depression, they usually seek treatment for these conditions. This leads many adults with ADHD to consult therapists who lack ADHD specialization. Not just any therapist can assess and treat ADHD because they don’t understand what it’s like to have ADHD. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, our therapists are familiar with the nuances of ADHD often missed by other practices.
What does ADHD testing look like?
At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, ADHD testing is comprehensive and evidence-based. The testing takes about 2-3 hours to complete, and the counselors finish it in one day. To start, you’ll complete a series of questionnaires and have someone who knows you well also complete one. We will take a complete social and health history to explore how ADHD may have been affecting you your entire life. Finally, you’ll complete a visual and auditory neurological evaluation.
After testing, you’ll receive the most accurate diagnosis possible, along with tailored recommendations for medication and/or therapy, and resources to help you improve your ability to manage ADHD.
You will frequently receive a full report a week after testing.
Begin adult ADHD testing in Columbus, OH
Wondering if you have ADHD? You don’t have to live your life feeling out of control without knowing why. Comprehensive ADHD testing can help you find answers. Our Columbus, OH counseling practice has caring therapists who specialize in ADHD treatment. To start your counseling journey, follow these simple steps:
- Fill out the contact form to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.
- Meet with one of our caring therapists.
- Stop feeling scattered and overwhelmed. Start finding real answers.
Other ADHD services offered at Focused Mind ADHD Counseling Adult
ADHD testing is not the only service we offer at our Columbus, OH counseling practice. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, we offer a variety of mental health services, including ADHD treatment. As an adult with ADHD, you may also benefit from anxiety treatment for ADHD, counseling for men with ADHD, counseling for women with ADHD, ADHD-focused couples therapy, depression counseling for ADHD, and a support group for women with ADHD. You can also view our blog for more resources and helpful info.
About the author
Billy Roberts, LISW-S, LCSW, is the founder of Focused Mind ADHD Counseling and a licensed psychotherapist specializing in ADHD. Based in Columbus, Ohio, he provides ADHD testing and therapy to help adults better understand challenges related to time management, focus, emotional regulation, and relationships. He held a position at the NYU Child Study Center and has been a practicing psychotherapist for over a decade. His holistic approach to ADHD to assessment and treatment has been featured in Time Magazine,CNN, HuffPost, and Forbes, where he shares insights on helping individuals with ADHD manage their relationships, emotions, careers, time, and more.
