Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in adults presents differently to ADHD in children, and often looks quite different in women compared to men. In adults, the hallmarks are difficulties with attention regulation, executive functioning, working memory, emotional regulation, and impulse control, rather than the obvious hyperactivity often associated with childhood presentations.
For many adults, a diagnosis comes after decades of feeling different without being able to name why. Decades of being told you are lazy, scattered, too much, or not living up to your potential. Decades of working twice as hard as everyone else just to appear to be keeping up.
Common signs and presentations
You may be experiencing adult adhd assessment if you recognise any of the following:
- Difficulty sustaining attention on tasks that are not intrinsically interesting
- Starting many things and finishing few; the graveyard of unfinished projects
- Chronic disorganisation: losing items, missing deadlines, struggling with time management
- Hyperfocus: the ability to concentrate intensely on topics of interest, for hours at a time
- Emotional dysregulation: intense emotional reactions, difficulty managing frustration
- Impulsivity in speech, decisions, spending, or relationships
- Restlessness: an internal sense of being ‘driven by a motor’
- Difficulty prioritising tasks and deciding where to start
- Sleep difficulties, often linked to a racing mind at night
- A history of underachievement relative to ability, or a sense of always just managing
What to expect in sessions
Assessment involves a thorough clinical interview and validated rating scales. Treatment is collaborative and practical, building concrete strategies for attention, organisation, and emotional regulation alongside processing the emotional impact of a new or late diagnosis.
Following assessment, a detailed feedback session explores your results, their implications, and the recommended next steps.
Many clients describe the assessment process itself as deeply validating; finally having language and understanding for experiences they have carried for a lifetime.