You Might Want to Get Assessed For ADHD If …

Dr. Amanda Craig, Ph.D, LMFT

Dr. Andre Burey, MD

There are some common thoughts and behaviors people who are diagnosed with ADHD report. Doing the behaviors listed below does not mean you have ADHD but that you might want to get a formal assessment to determine if a diagnosis of ADHD fits for you. To know will help you identify ways to cope better, improve the way you feel about yourself and how you impact close relationships.

You may have ADHD if:

• You never know where your keys are
  
  

• You have 15 tabs open and three carts full of purchases
  
  

• You just had a conversation with someone but have no idea what it was about
  
  

• You try really hard to be on time, start getting ready early, and you’re still late
  
  

• You just did a ton of things but have nothing to show for it 
  
  

• You’ve put together a process to stay organized but somehow never use it/forget you have it
  
  

• You’ve been meaning to start that project and haven’t
  
  

• You’ve been meaning to clean up that project but you haven’t
  
  

• You honestly did not know you had that scheduled

Why this happens... 

In the brain of someone with ADHD, you’re dealing with a frontal lobe that is under-responsive to dopamine and norepinephrine – neurotransmitters crucial for problem solving, organized decision making, maintaining the motivation to carry out a task, and for blocking out distractions from the environment. In individuals who do not have ADHD, their brains are better able to pump the brakes on making rash decisions, making easier for them to resist the many distractions around them and to think more mindfully. The ADHD brain is functioning as if the brakes have been cut and less able to slow down the urges to act on each thought that comes to mind.

What are some things you can do that might help pump the breaks:

• Take a breath to slow the processing speed in the brain. You will start to notice just how fast the brain is firing.
  
  
• Take time to stop and think, “am I doing what I meant to be doing right now?” Often we start on one project and it leads us on a path we did not mean to go down. If we stop and assess where we are we can determine if we need to take another direction before we loose an hour. 
  
  
• Have process and procedures in place for common things such as a key rack for keys, a chair for your work bag, and Saturday’s bed sheets get cleaned
  
  

• A structured schedule helps with time management. Write it down

 

• A to do list helps organize what should be done. Add how long you think a task will take next to the to do item to maximize your time. That way if you have 20 minutes you can pick to do items that take 20 minutes and stay away from others that will take longer and only leave her with an unfinished to do item that is likely to end up in the didn’t follow through pile. 

 

• Take frequent breaks to avoid burning out

 

• Exercise daily to let out hyperactive energy, to improve focus, and boost endorphins and attention-promoting neurotransmitters.
  

General Thoughts on Medication...

Strongly consider seeking a consultation with a psychiatrist to try a medication for ADHD if you are finding it difficult to function in various areas of your life despite attempts to alter your behaviors on your own or with guidance from a therapist or coach. ADHD medications can restore dopamine and norepinephrine to normal levels in the brain, with stimulant medications (e.g. Adderall) being the first-line treatment option to quickly and effectively treat ADHD. 


This article was co-authored by Andre Burey, MD and Amanda Craig, PhD LMFT

Dr. Burey is a psychiatrist double board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) in Adult Psychiatry and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. He is staff psychiatrist at Silver Hill Hospital in New Caanan and has a private practice in Darien, CT.

Dr. Craig is a American Associate of Marriage and FamilyTherapy (AAMFT) board approved supervisor and licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) with a doctorate in family psychology. She works primarily with issues that impact couples and parenting tweens. She has a group practice in NYC and a private practice in Darien, CT.