Diagnosing Adult ADHD
No physical findings are diagnostic of ADHD, and there are no laboratory studies or electroencephalography (EEG) findings that aid in the diagnosis. Neuropsychological testing, including computerized or manual performance tests of attention and impulsivity, may be helpful in assessing a patient's cognitive strengths and weaknesses but cannot definitively rule in or out a diagnosis of ADHD. Diagnosis is made by taking a careful psychiatric history, using as much collateral information as is available, such as job evaluations, old report cards and, if possible, the input of partners and family members. Brain imaging studies (including the test known as a SPECT scan) are not recommended; they are expensive and provide no additional diagnostic benefit.
Many patients with ADHD have long suffered under the impression that they just have a "character problem" or "just need to work harder," when in fact they have an inherited and treatable problem. On the other hand, not all patients with difficulties in attention and distractibility have ADHD; depression, anxiety, learning disabilities, substance abuse and sleep disorders can all cause similar difficulties and should not be treated with ADHD medications. And in some cases there can be a mismatch between a person's talents and their chosen career that can manifest as problems with focus and task completion.