Does anyone have any tips for how to prepare for an ADHD assessment?!
I truly don’t know if I have ADHD or not and want to do what I can to put forward whatever information might be useful for the clinician to get a full picture and come to an accurate conclusion.
I’m really worried that I don’t remember a lot from my childhood, though, especially due to major events in childhood, and that I’m a very heavy masker, even to myself.
I seem to fit AuDHD types the best, which makes sense since I know am autistic. But I don’t really know how to identify the ADHD part of me. I keep thinking about stereotypes which are based on males that aren’t usually autistic as well.
I will be happy whatever the conclusion is from my assessment, whether I have ADHD or not, but ONLY if I’ve done my best to give important information. I would hate it if I came away remembering important things after the assessment is done, especially if it swayed the conclusion one way or another.
@Uselessgeneration That’s great you had those! I don’t have my school reports - got rid of them. They mostly said I should raise my hand and interact more in class… but I was always so overwhelmed (autistic overstimulation type stuff) or dealing with events at home, bullying at school… so… 🤷
At university now, my tutor called me “hugely enthusiastic” before he even met me… seems like a potential hyperfocus ADHD trait in me being seen! I DO get so excited about stuff I’m interested in!
I did have a loved one full something in but he hasn’t known me for that long, and not sure it helped to be honest. He is a classic male ADHD type who doesn’t really think there’s a need for labels. He didn’t see many traits in me, and I agree that I’m not the same as him. But I’m cis female and autistic (he isn’t autistic). I notice we have some similar traits that could be ADHD but he thinks are “normal” human traits (I know they’re technically both, but…)… and I’m learning more and more that AuDHD (autism + ADHD) is quite different to ADHD only. AND there’s a difference between genders. (Don’t even get me started on masking… haha!)