Podcast Episode #29: How to Get an ADHD Diagnosis

This episode is sponsored by Cure Hydration. You know that moment for me, it’s around like 2 or 3pm when my ADHD brain just decides we’re done for the day. We’re done here. The afternoon slump hits, the lights go off upstairs and suddenly answering an email or doing basically anything feels like climbing a mountain. That’s when I reach for Cure Energy. It’s a clean plant based energy drink mix made with 100 milligrams of natural caffeine and electrolytes so I get the focus and hydration boost I need without jitters, without a crash and without that like I drink battery acid Vi vibe that some of the energy drinks have. The peach tea and akai berry flavors are my current go to’s crisp, refreshing and they don’t taste fake, y’. All. They don’t taste fake. I’ll drink one before recording a session or when I need to get help through like that afternoon drag. And honestly, I I drink it anytime. My brain just needs to cooperate. What’s wild is that Cure Energy is only 25 calories and has zero added sugar. It actually helps me stay hydrated while giving me energy. Okay, I love coffee, but coffee could never Staying hydrated isn’t just about water. You also need electrolytes. And that’s why I love Cure. It’s clean, it tastes great and it actually works. And remember, Cure is FSA HSA approved, which is amazing. You can use that money to pay for cure and for I have ADHD listeners, you can get 20% off your first order@curehydration.com I have ADHD with the code I have ADHD. And if you do get a post purchase survey, make sure to tell them that you heard about Cure right here on the podcast. It really helps to support the show. Don’t just drink more, Upgrade it with cure with stays under $250 a night. VRBO makes it easy to celebrate sweater weather. You could book a cabin, stay with leaf views for days, or a brownstone in a city where festivals are just a walk away. Or a lakeside home with a fire pit for cozy nights with friends. Or if you’re not a sweater person, we can call it corduroy weather. More flexible and with stays under $250 a night, you can book a home that suits your exact needs. Book now@vrbo.com. Welcome to the I have ADHD podcast where it’s all about education, encouragement and coaching for adults with adhd. I’m your host Kristin Carter and I have adhd. Let’s chat about the frustrations, humor, and challenges of adulting relationships, working and achieving with this neurodevelopmental disorder. I’ll help you understand your unique brain, unlock your potential, and move from point A to point B. Hey, what’s up, my people? How you doing? Welcome to the I have ADHD podcast. I am your host, Kristen Carter, and I am so glad that I am full forcing myself to make this podcast today. Oh, my gosh. We are definitely in the land of the novelty has worn off, and now it’s just a lot of work. And I am sure that you can understand, but I want to remind you that discomfort is the currency of your dreams, and it is also the currency of my dreams. There is no way that we’re going to reach our potential if we’re not willing to feel discomfort. So. So instead of curling up with a blanket and a cup of coffee this morning before my full day of coaching calls, I am going to record this podcast for you, my people. And you know what? I’m not just doing it for you, actually, I’m doing it for me, too, for future me. Because future me wants to have a ton of content and value out there in the world so that I can continue to help adults with ADHD reach their potential and live out their purpose in life. And you know that my number one purpose and goal is to be an example of what’s possible for an adult with adhd. And just like all those celebrities from my last episode, I mean, they are amazing examples of what’s possible. Side note here, I just saw on the news that Simone Biles is the most decorated gymnast of all time. Simone, the woman with adhd. She’s the most decorated gymnast of all time, you guys. It’s amazing. So, anyway, if this is the first episode that you’re listening to, welcome. My name is Kristin Carter. I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 21. I. I have the hyperactive type, which is just a treat. I mean, it’s a real treat. Over the last five years, ish. I’ve studied and learned so much about how to thrive and survive with this neurodevelopmental disorder. And now today, I would say that I’m pretty much killing it. And okay, that sounds a little weird. Like, I 100% am not saying that to brag. Although I really don’t think there’s anything wrong with bragging and being proud of our accomplishments. Like, I would totally love for you to brag to me about your accomplishments, because they make me so happy to hear of your success. But truthfully, I say things like I’m killing it so that you know that if it’s possible for me, the girl who struggled her whole life to do very basic things, the girl who didn’t write her wedding thank you notes for a year and a half after her wedding, and the girl who was consistently an underachiever and an under earner who is now running a six figure business and as a full coaching practice with a waiting list like, what is this life? If I can do it, you can do it. That’s why I say these things. That’s why I say I’m killing it. Because I am just an example of what is possible. And you can do it too, my peeps. Okay? But it’s not possible without these three things. Number one, diagnosis. Number two, treatment. Number three, support. Without those three things, you will constantly feel like you’re not reaching your potential. So today, if that’s how you feel, I want you to ask yourself, do I have a diagnosis? If not, go get one. Next, ask yourself, am I treating my adhd? If not, what are you waiting for? Go get treatment. And lastly, if you’ve got a diagnosis and you’re being treated properly for ADHD, ask yourself if you have enough support. Dr. Russell Barclay describes this support as scaffolding. And I’ve said this before, I’ll probably say it again. We all need that scaffolding of support in our lives to hold up our productivity and, and our dreams. My scaffolding looks like medication, a life coach, a business coach, a supportive partner who’s actually a partner. Like, my partner is in the weeds with me. He does a ton of the mundane stuff around the house. He’s amazing. And I never, ever want to do life without him. Ever. Okay, so today we’re going to talk about acquiring an ADHD diagnosis. Now, I know that a lot of you listening today suspect you have adhd, but you have not been officially diagnosed. And so this episode, my friend, is for you. I’m going to talk about how to navigate the diagnosis process. And then at the end of the episode, I’m going to read through a list of common adult ADHD symptoms. So first I want to say that I totally understand that the diagnosis process is over overwhelming and daunting. I get it. I know why you’re avoiding it. That’s totally normal. Okay? And the fact that you’ve been avoiding it basically proves that you have adhd. I mean, let’s be real. Unfortunately, it can be a process that’s very involved. Hopefully over the next 10 to 20 years, we’ll advocate enough for us ourselves that this process becomes more streamlined and it makes more sense. But right now, that’s just not the case. It’s difficult. I know. I have listeners all over the world. I’ve talked to some of you in Africa, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, Switzerland, and many other countries. Never in my life did I imagine that I would have influence in places around the world like this is absolutely mind blowing to me. All that to say I’m certainly not an expert on ADHD diagnosis worldwide. Okay. I live in Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. And honestly, I can only speak to what I know and what I’ve researched about diagnosis in America. But if you’re an international listener, don’t lose heart. This should at least give you a starting point and some inspiration to get moving. Okay? So if you would like to acquire an ADHD diagnosis, the first, first thing you need to do is find a doctor. Now, a lot of people ask me, who should I go to? And the answer is, any doctor can diagnose you. It can be a family doctor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist. Okay. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a psychiatrist. Your family doctor can diagnose you. As a matter of fact, that’s where I got my first diagnosis was Frank, from a family doctor. But here’s what you do need to think through. It should be someone who has experience with adhd. Okay? So this can be tricky because obviously you want them to take your insurance too. And so it can be hard to find someone that has a good reputation of knowledge in the ADHD area and then also who takes your insurance. In my opinion, a great place to start is your family doctor. You already are going to them. You already know they take your insurance and they are comfortable seeing you. And they would be a great place to start. You can just mention to them that you are having these symptoms and that you’re wondering if ADHD could be the cause. If they’re not comfortable diagnosing you, that’s totally fine. They’re. They can refer someone that they trust, and so that could be really helpful. Maybe they won’t refer anybody, maybe they won’t be helpful at all, but at least it’s a good place to start. Okay. I know that it can be daunting as you go out searching for someone that all of the things that you have to do to make that happen, the insurance phone calls, the appointment phone calls, the paperwork that you have to fill out, but it’s worth it. Okay? Your future self will thank you, be Willing to endure the discomfort now so that you can get the support that you need and eventually live out your dreams and reach your potential. A great idea is to ask around and get recommendations from friends that you know that have adhd. So if anybody in your area, any of your family members or your friends have adhd, go to their doctors. There’s a really good chance that they will have some ADHD knowledge and be a really good resource for you. Be willing to do the work here. Okay? So ask around. Ask your family doctor, ask your current physician, whoever that is, any of your friends or your family members who you know have been diagnosed. It’s a really good place to start. It’s not going to be easy to make the appointment. Okay, that’s okay. It’s okay that it’s not going to be easy. It’s not really supposed to be easy. It’s literally not easy for anyone who’s gone through it. Okay? We’ve all had to do it. We’ve all had to call our insurances, call around to the different doctor’s offices, ask all of the different, you know, friends and resources that we have, make the appointment, fill out the paperwork, remember to go to the appointment, et cetera, et cetera. It’s difficult. Okay? Don’t go into victim mode here and feel that you’re the only one who struggles with this or that. You shouldn’t have to struggle with it. Okay? Yes, it’s hard, but also, you can totally do it. You can totally do it. You can follow through if you want to ask for help. That would be a great idea if you have a partner or a sister or a family member who would be a good person to kind of like body double and sit with you while you make those phone calls and help you to follow through on it. Please, please reach out to them and ask for help. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking for help. Okay? So make sure that you do that. Now, just an aside here. If you are on government insurance, you are definitely still entitled to a diagnosis. And actually, in a lot of states, the mental health benefits for you if you’re on government insurance are easier to navigate and to acquire than on private insurance. So please don’t feel like government insurance disqualifies you from getting a diagnosis. It totally does not disqualify you. You can absolutely get a diagnosis on government insurance. And also, even if you don’t have insurance, you can for sure still get a diagnosis. Now, will you have to pay out of pocket? Yes. But a lot of medical professionals use A sliding scale for those that don’t have insurance. And I will tell you that I 100% believe that it is worth the money. 100%. Even if you have to put it on a credit card and go into debt to get a diagnosis and treatment for your adhd, it’s worth it because it will allow you to show up as the best version of yourself. Meaning if you have not been able to keep a job up until this point, you will have a much better chance of being employable. Right. You’ll have a much better chance of having healthy relationships. You’ll have a much better chance of not leaning on drugs, alcohol, nicotine, or food as a treatment option. Right. You’ll have a much better chance of not being addicted to those substances is what I’m saying. So these are my opinions, of course, and you get to make the decisions for yourself. But my opinion is paying out of pocket for a diagnosis, if that is the only option, is 100% worth it. I do have insurance, but I actually pay out of pocket for, for my medication because, well, it’s just kind of a boring story about deductibles and blah, blah, blah. But I use a coupon from GoodRx.com I’ll say it again, that’s GoodRx.com G-O-O-D Rx.com GoodRx.com My medication on GoodRx.com is like $97 a month. If I were to use my insurance, it would be $485. Now would it go towards my deductible? Yes. But I have a high deductible. So I’ve kind of worked it out where it doesn’t make sense for me to use my insurance because it just doesn’t make sense. So I end up just paying out of pocket. I use that coupon from goodrx.com and, and yeah. So if you don’t have insurance, don’t use that as your reason to not go out and advocate for yourself and get a diagnosis. You deserve a diagnosis, so make it happen for yourself. Okay? Okay. All right. So once you’ve found your doctor, you need to prepare yourself for the appointment. There will probably be paperwork that you’ll need to fill out. You don’t like paperwork? I don’t like paperwork. We don’t like paperwork. That’s okay. Fill it out anyway. If you need to ask for help, do it. Remember, discomfort is the currency of your dreams. Make sure that you understand the symptoms of adhd. This is big. Okay. You will likely need to advocate for yourself. Being diagnosed as an adult is kind of difficult because it’s not like a parent is taking you to the doctor and explaining everything for you. You are the one that is going to have to. To do the talking. You’re going to have to become an ADHD expert. On my website, ihaveadhd.com I have a list of adult ADHD symptoms that you can actually print out. And you can even take this list with you to your diagnostic appointment. I’ve mostly taken the list of symptoms from Dr. Barclay, who I love, and also from Ari Tuckman. These two amazing, smart men are, in my opinion, the best resources for the latest and greatest research and resources on adult ADHD and how to manage it. And I also have had a psychologist who I know in real life who treats adults with ADHD review the list for me to make sure that it’s accurate. Okay. And she signed off on it. So you can trust that the symptoms on the list are truly symptoms of adult ADHD. Another thing you can do is purchase Dr. Barclay’s book, Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. And in the back of that book, there’s a list of like, 200 symptoms of adult ADHD. Now, I went through and circled all of the ones that applied to me, and what you can do is bring that book along with you, circle the symptoms that apply to you, and bring the book along with you. Take it to your appointment and use it as a conversation starter with the clinician that is going to be diagnosing you. I definitely suggest going to your appointment armed with a list of symptoms that you are experiencing. And here’s why. If you have adhd, you probably have a terrible memory, and you also likely struggle with some anxiety that might hinder your ability to express yourself clearly. Okay. You’re also probably a little scattered and a little jumbled. So going into an appointment and, and saying, I think I have adhd, it’s not going to be enough. They’re going to want some information, they’re going to want some background, they’re going to want some evidence from you. Okay. And so having a list of symptoms that you identify as being an issue in your life definitely helps you to have the evidence for it. Okay. Once you make the appointment, it would be awesome if you could start maybe keeping a journal or jotting down some examples or notes of symptoms that you present with. Like, oh, I just did that. That’s a symptom of adhd. I want to write that down. Anything that you think that would be helpful for the doctor to know would be something that you want to write down and bring with you. This will be helpful to the clinician who’s taking you through the diagnosis process, and it’ll be helpful to you so that you’re not feeling nervous or scattered or anxious, like you know what you’re going to say and you know what you want to communicate. Now, keep in mind that in order to get diagnosed, these symptoms must have been present since your childhood. So it would be helpful also if you could try to remember things like whether or not you struggled in school, and if so, have some specifics, or if you got in trouble a lot, or if you had issues with your friends and social groups. You can ask your family members if they remember and even maybe have your parents, like, write a note that you know, like some memories of your childhood behaviors. That would be amazing. Now, I want to say something else that’s really, really important. I want you to be honest. Be honest with yourself and be honest with your clinician. If you didn’t experience any symptoms of ADHD in your childhood or your teen years, you may not have adhd. That’s really good for you to know, because if you don’t have adhd, there could be something else that’s holding you back, and you definitely want to figure out what that is. Sometimes unresolved trauma or PTSD can manifest as ADHD symptoms. Sometimes stress and anxiety can manifest as ADHD symptoms or hormone changes or menopause. These can all kind of come out as ADHD symptoms. You definitely want to know for sure. So be honest with yourself and, and with your doctor, because you deserve to have an accurate diagnosis and the right treatment. You’re not going to get the right treatment if you have the wrong diagnosis. Okay? So another thing. If you do experience symptoms every day in more than one area of your life, not just at work, but also at home, and you’ve had these symptoms since you were a child or a teen. Here’s what’s important. If you don’t get diagnosed but you truly believe you have ADHD, you can for sure get a second opinion. It’s 100% okay to ask for a second opinion. You don’t even have to tell the doctor, you know, that you speak with that, that you’re going to go get a second opinion. You can just simply say, thank you very much for your time, and you can go get a second opinion. Okay. I know many people, women especially, who have had to see a few doctors before they were officially diagnosed. There’s definitely still a Stigma around ADHD being something that just little boys have or students experience or definitely not somebody who’s a professional adult could have. All right, so your best bet is to continue your quest and don’t give up until you get answers. All right? Diagnosis is your first step to reaching your potential. So, sweetheart, what are you waiting for? If you’re waiting for the diagnosis process to be easy or for someone else to take care of it for you, you’re going to be waiting a long time. Time. Okay? It’s not easy. You have to get over that. You have to make peace with that. Ask help from your partner or from a friend. Do your best to find a doctor, psychologist, or psychiatrist who understands adhd. But, you know, sometimes you just gotta go to the doctor and you can’t. It might not be the perfect doctor, and that’s okay. All right? At least it’s a start. Make sure you understand the symptoms and you bring them with you to the appointment. And trust the process. Know that you’re entitled to a second opinion. Make sure you’re being honest. And know that getting the right diagnosis is the first step to reaching your potential. Now, I wanted to read for you the symptoms of adult adhd. So. So if you’re interested in them, here they are. According to the latest research, the following nine traits can be indicative of adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Ready? This is from Dr. Barclay’s book, Taking Charge of Adult ADHD. You are easily distracted by extraneous thoughts or stimuli. You make decisions impulsively. You have difficulty stopping activities or behaviors when you know you should do so. You start a project or task without reading or listening to directions carefully. You have difficulty organizing tasks and activities. You fail to follow through on promises or commitments you have made to others. You have trouble doing things in their proper order or sequence. You drive much faster than others. Or if you don’t drive, you have difficulty engaging in leisure activities or doing fun things quietly. You have difficulty sustaining attention on tasks or recreational activities. According to Dr. Russell Barclay, if you have four to six of the symptoms that I just listed and they occur often in your life and you experienced adverse consequences from these symptoms in your childhood, it’s definitely worth speaking to a doctor about the possibility of adult adhd. Okay, so here’s kind of a breakdown of the most common symptoms and impairments. Impulsivity. There’s no stop and think moment before you act or speak. You interrupt people a lot. You make rash decisions. You jump to conclusions. You have very little patience for. For waiting your turn. You react Quickly. You impulsively start projects without considering all the steps involved, get frustrated or bored, and then impulsively quit the project or task. Distractibility. It’s not that you can’t pay attention. You actually pay attention to too many things. You have the inability to ignore irrelevant noises, conversations or visual stimulus around you, inability to block out unnecessary thoughts in your mind, and inability to focus on what’s most important, which is the task in front of you. You just can’t seem to stick to one thing until it’s finished. Sometimes more exciting things distract you. Gratification junkie. You struggle to resist short term pleasure in exchange for long term reward. You can’t seem to make yourself do the things you hate to do. You have no tolerance for boredom. Tedious menial tasks make you feel like you want to die. If you don’t see the value in it, it won’t get done. You’re controlled by the now. Who cares about the future? People with ADHD have zero self reflection. You don’t have the ability to assess how you’re doing and learn from the past and or you don’t appropriately plan for the future. You seem to make the same mistakes over and over. Nothing seems to improve. Even when people ask you to change. You can’t organize your behavior over time and make changes. Goals what goals? Most goals you’ve set have either been forgotten or total failures. You’re controlled by now. Past and future are of no importance to you. Terrible organization. Everything around you seems chaotic. There is little method or system. You have trouble organizing your thoughts, emotion, tasks, schedule, finances, home, car, relationships and everything else. It’s impossible to prioritize because everything feels important. It’s hard to make a plan because you can’t stop think and self talk. It’s excruciating to manage money because it’s tedious and boring. Task initiation and task completion. You have trouble starting things that are overwhelming, hard or boring. And once started, you have trouble finishing. You can’t just do things because you should do them. You need a deadline or a major consequence or reward and even then, sometimes it doesn’t get done. You have a hard time motivating yourself to stick with a project and get it done. You can’t persist in things that aren’t interesting to you. You can’t resist the urge to do something more fun when you’re supposed to be working. Okay, so these are all examples of symptoms of adhd. Obviously those of us with ADHD don’t experience all of these symptoms all of the time, but they’re great examples of symptoms. Now here are three things that you must consider. If you have adhd, you were born with it, so think it through. As a child or a teen, did you exhibit many symptoms that did not allow you to function, typically at school or at home or in your peer group or in the community? Also, if you have adhd, these symptoms and impairments hinder you regularly in more than one area of your life. Not just at work, but also at home. Not just at home, but also with your friends and family. And lastly, ADHD is very inheritable. If you have adhd, chances are high that your parents or parent also exhibited these symptoms and or your children exhibit them. Maybe your children. Your child has already been diagnosed with adhd. Okay you guys, I hope that was really, really helpful. Again, I was reading off of the printable from my website I haveadhd.com adultadhdsymptoms so if you would find that helpful, feel free to print it out. I hope that you feel completely empowered to take charge of your adhd, to take charge of these symptoms, and to go speak with a professional about a possible diagnosis. It is the first step to reaching your potential. Thank you so much for being my friend today for listening. If you could share this podcast with someone you love, that would be amazing. Rate, review it, do all the things that give me the dopamine hit. I would totally appreciate it. I hope you have a great week. I’ll talk to you next time. Bye.