The quick read
- ADHD screenings are a starting point. ADHD testing looks at the bigger picture.
- ADHD can look like anxiety, stress, or burnout in adults.
- Many people, like women with ADHD, can mask their ADHD symptoms
- A comprehensive evaluation can help explain why you’ve been struggling.
After learning more about adult ADHD, you’re wondering if your struggles might be more than stress or anxiety. When you went to your primary care doctor or therapist, they might have also given you an ADHD screening tool. Following positive results, you might have wondered about ADHD treatments. When you asked, your doctor said they only screened you for ADHD. Now you need to get linked with adult ADHD testing in Columbus, Ohio.
Wait…what is the difference between an ADHD screening and ADHD testing?
In this guide, we’ll explain what adult ADHD testing involves, why diagnostic accuracy matters, and how the right diagnosis can help guide more effective treatment and support.
Why are more adults being diagnosed with ADHD later in life?
You’re not imagining things. The CDC estimates that 15.5 million U.S. adults have ADHD, and these adults comprise more than half of those diagnosed in adulthood. There are many reasons for this:
Rise in ADHD awareness
- Improved training and screening tools among doctors and therapists
- New research on how ADHD presents in women and high achievers
- More efficient and accurate ways of diagnosing ADHD
- As work demands and stress levels increase, many adults recognize ADHD patterns that had quietly existed for years.
What is an ADHD screening?
After her teenage son was diagnosed with ADHD, Taylor related to a lot of ADHD symptoms. At the age of forty, she thought, “Wouldn’t I have been diagnosed in childhood?” 
According to the CDC, only 44% of people with ADHD were diagnosed in childhood. For Taylor, she did recall struggling when she was a kid with daydreaming, procrastination, and perfectionism (a hidden trait of ADHD). However, her parents weren’t the type to seek mental health care.
When Taylor took an ADHD screening, it was positive. She was shocked. “This would explain a lot.”
However, like many adults with ADHD, her doctor asked for more detailed testing to confirm the diagnosis. That’s when she learned the difference between an ADHD screening and a comprehensive evaluation.
Two types of ADHD screenings
- ADHD quizzes are evidence-based screening tools. They are short and include questions related to ADHD, such as: On a scale of 0 to 3, how often do you forget your keys? The more often someone experiences adult ADHD symptoms, the more likely they are to have adult ADHD.
- It’s also common for providers to ask brief questions about common ADHD. This can flag the possibility that you might also have ADHD.
Why an ADHD screening isn’t enough to diagnose ADHD
Quick screenings identify symptoms. They are helpful and evidence-based. However, it is possible for non-ADHD symptoms, like depression, anxiety, and trauma, to flag positive on one ADHD screening tool.
It’s possible to have ADHD and screen negative on one ADHD screening tool. This is because ADHD is a complex diagnosis, which a person can compensate for over their lifetime. ADHD testing gathers several types of data to explore a possible ADHD diagnosis more deeply.
Screenings can be helpful starting points, but ADHD testing is when you get into the specifics of why you struggle with focus and getting things done.
Common questions answered by ADHD testing
- How severe is my ADHD diagnosis?
- What type of ADHD do I have?
- Why hasn’t anxiety treatment fully helped me?
- Could ADHD explain why I struggle with organization and follow-through?
- What’s causing me to procrastinate on things I genuinely care about?
- Does ADHD look different in successful adults?
- How is ADHD affecting my work performance?
Understanding ADHD symptom overlap
Another issue with not doing a comprehensive ADHD evaluation is a co-occurring diagnosis or even a misdiagnosis.
For example, some people’s focusing issues get chalked up to anxiety. Or sometimes people have something like Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a common form of rejection sensitivity experienced by both people with ADHD. However, at first glance, RSD can look related to trauma, and the person gets diagnosed with something else, like Borderline Personality Disorder or social anxiety.
Without looking deeper into symptoms, anyone can overlook ADHD, and it can be mislabeled entirely.
Furthermore, Dr. Thomas Brown has highlighted that ADHD assessments aim to determine whether issues with focus are situational or developmental (occurring across a person’s lifespan).
Common ways ADHD can hide
- ADHD masking with perfectionism or overcompensation
- Being overlooked as a kid for many reasons (ie having a brother with louder ADHD than you, having parents who “didn’t believe in mental health”)
- High achievers and intelligence create success on paper
- Another diagnosis, like anxiety and depression, might overshadow the underlying ADHD
What happens during adult ADHD testing?
ADHD testing is a blend of hearing your story and gathering attention span tests. By providing a safe space where you feel heard, we’ll ensure we can uncover ADHD, even if it’s hiding. To really uncover the nuances of ADHD, ADHD testing can take a couple of hours to complete.
At the end, you’ll learn more about how ADHD affects you as a unique individual with a comprehensive feedback session. At Focused Mind ADHD counseling, they typically complete feedback and testing on the same day.
A comprehensive ADHD testing report completes the process and provides your doctor with a roadmap for treatment.
The benefits of ADHD testing: with answers comes a path forward
There’s nothing more frustrating than spending years in therapy working in the wrong direction. With clarity of diagnosis comes effectiveness of treatment.
“I really wish I knew sooner.”
Getting effective ADHD treatment can improve work, relationships, and build the life you want, because you have the understanding and tools to meet your goals.
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
- Meet with one of our caring therapists.
- Stop feeling scattered and 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, and depression counseling for 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.
FAQs
How can I find ADHD testing with minimal wait times in Columbus, Ohio?
Many ADHD testing providers in Columbus have waitlists that can last several months. At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, our team has more than 30 years of combined experience in ADHD diagnosis and treatment, so we can provide timely, comprehensive evaluations for adults seeking answers. New ADHD testing appointments are often available within a couple of weeks.
Which ADHD testing providers in Columbus, Ohio offer telehealth services?
Focused Mind ADHD Counseling offers both in-person and telehealth ADHD testing for adults in Columbus and across Ohio. Telehealth options can make the evaluation process more flexible and accessible for busy professionals, parents, and college students.
What is the process for ADHD testing in Columbus?
At Focused Mind ADHD Counseling, here is our process:
- Complete the contact form to get started.
- Our team typically responds within 24–48 hours to schedule an initial consultation call.
- During that call, we can often schedule a 2–3-hour ADHD testing meeting (usually scheduled on the same day for your convenience).
- You’ll meet with one of our psychology experts for a comprehensive ADHD evaluation.
- We provide same-day feedback on your results and official diagnosis.
