Toward a Better ADHD Diagnosis – Unpacking the Limitations of the DSM-5 Criteria
The DSM-5 is the standard tool used by clinicians to diagnose ADHD. But, it has serious shortcomings, especially for diagnosing adult ADHD.
The DSM-5 is the standard tool used by clinicians to diagnose ADHD. But, it has serious shortcomings, especially for diagnosing adult ADHD.
Getting a diagnosis of ADHD as an adult can be difficult. Here’s why and strategies you can use to help get evaluated and diagnosed.
Following a diagnosis of ADHD, you may go through a process similar to the stages of grief. Here is a guide for what to expect.
A large new research study shows older adults with elevated symptoms of ADHD are not being diagnosed or treated for the condition.
Trying to figure whether you have ADHD can seem like a daunting task. Here is a step-by-step guide to the process of ADHD evaluation and diagnosis.
New research is demonstrating that a revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disordersobserved (DSM) criteria might yield more accurate diagnoses of adult ADHD.
A new study shows there is a significant rise in the diagnosis of ADHD in adults. It confirms a growing recognition in the medical community that ADHD is not a condition that individuals necessarily grow out of when they become adults. The implications are significant as a diagnosis of adult ADHD is linked to a near 13-year reduction of estimated life expectancy.
Recent research shows that about 60% of adults with ADHD have comorbid psychiatric conditions including: mood and anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders. The presence of these other conditions can often complicate the process of diagnosing and treating ADHD in an adult. Early recognition and treatment of ADHD and its comorbidities has the potential to change the trajectory of these psychiatric conditions later in life.
Katherine Ellison has achieved many things in her life. She has been a foreign correspondent in Latin America, the author of 5 books on practical neuroscience, and a Pulitzer Prize winner at age 27. She also has ADHD. One of her most popular works, Buzz: A Year of Paying Attention, was a memoir and journalistic overview of a year spent coping with ADHD after both she and her 12-year-old son were diagnosed with the disorder. In fact, it was her son’s diagnosis that ultimately led to her own.
Does having ADHD put you at higher risk of dying prematurely? Recent research suggests having ADHD can significantly shorten your life. Dr. Russell Barkley, an ADHD expert, has cast this as a serious public health issue that needs to be addressed through better education, evidence-based treatment interventions and lifetime monitoring. The importance and urgency of addressing ADHD as a public health concern have become higher as more children are diagnosed with ADHD.