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Receiving an ADHD Diagnosis

Learning that you have ADHD can bring up a range of emotions. For some, it may feel overwhelming or unsettling, while others experience a sense of clarity or even relief. It might also confirm something you have long suspected that you experience things differently from others. Over time, your thoughts and feelings about the diagnosis may shift.

Making sense of your experiences following a diagnosis can be a gradual process. Although you remain the same person, your understanding of yourself may change significantly. This new perspective can lead you to reconsider past experiences and reassess how you view yourself.

It is common for people to move through a range of emotional responses, which may include:

• A sense of relief or even excitement
• Feeling unsettled or unsure
• Frustration or anger
• Sadness or a sense of loss
• Worry or unease
• Eventually, a stage of adjustment and coming to terms with the diagnosis

Understanding ADHD

ADHD is not an illness; it is a neurodevelopmental difference. This means it is present from birth and relates to how the brain develops and operates. The exact cause is still unclear, although it is known that it can be inherited within families.

ADHD can present in a range of ways. Some individuals mainly experience difficulties with attention and concentration, while others tend to show higher levels of restlessness and impulsive behaviour. Because of these differences, ADHD is typically grouped into three categories: predominantly inattentive, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and a combined presentation that includes features of both.

Inattentive traits

• Frequently misplacing items or struggling to recall information
• Tending to make avoidable errors and finding organisation challenging
• Difficulty beginning tasks or seeing them through to completion
• Problems maintaining focus, paying attention, or following directions

Hyperactive / impulsive traits

• Feeling restless, with a constant need to move or stay active
• High energy levels, often seeming as though continuously “on the go”
• Talking excessively, interrupting conversations, or intruding on others
• Finding it hard to wait, showing impatience, or struggling with taking turns
• Acting quickly without considering consequences, sometimes engaging in risky behaviour

ADHD is a condition that starts early in life and continues into adulthood. As people grow older, they may find it more difficult to manage because expectations and responsibilities increase, while the level of external support and structure that was available during childhood often reduces. Some people manage to develop compensatory strategies for managing their symptoms, which gives the false impression that they have grown out of ADHD. Where in fact their difficulties may be manage well at work, it is less so in their homelife.

While physical restlessness often becomes less noticeable in adulthood, difficulties with focus and impulsive behaviour may continue. It is important to recognise that having ADHD does not mean there is anything “wrong” with you it simply reflects a different way of thinking and experiencing the world.

Learning about your ADHD

Before you think about sharing your diagnosis with anyone else, it can be helpful to spend some time understanding what ADHD means for you personally. There is no expectation to disclose it widely or quickly take things at your own pace.  

Talking to others about your diagnosis

Sharing this information can make it easier for people to support you, though it’s natural to feel unsure about how others might respond. You might choose to show them this information or ask your psychologist for a written explanation for your workplace or education provider. It can help to start with the people closest to you, for example, a partner or immediate family and then decide whether you want to tell friends, colleagues, or others later on.

Considering medication

Medication is one possible option, but it isn’t suitable for everyone. It’s important to think about how ADHD affects your wellbeing and daily life. If it seems appropriate, you will be offered an appointment to discuss medication in more detail.

Other Adult ADHD service support

Please c onsider evidence-based treatments. If your find your inattentiveness, hyperactivity-impulsivity causes significant problems with daily functioning across different areas of your life, you may want to consider:

• Adapt ADHD medication assessment (if not already prescribed).
• Adapted CBT for ADHD, available for those with depression and anxiety in your local NHS trust NELFT. 
• ADHD coaching, for those who want to focus on practical problems due to inattentiveness.
• Occupational Therapy for developing strategies for work or education.

We have a range of professionals who form the multidisciplinary team who can support you. We offer support from ADHD coaches and specialist occupational therapist, to help with the practical difficulties throughout the diagnosis processes. We have medical staff such as specialist nurses, psychiatrists and pharmacist, who will support you with the diagnosis, and if you decided to take medication. Finally, we have psychology staff, which includes assistant psychologist, practitioner psychologists and cognitive behavioural psychotherapist, to help support you with your mental health needs. The multidisciplinary approach allows the service offer tailored support for your current needs, now and into the future.