Adult ADHD assessment: what actually happens

Summary

• An assessment with a Partner Psychiatrist usually runs over about two video appointments, each longer than a standard consultation.
• Most of the time is spent on history, because ADHD is diagnosed from a pattern across your life, not from a single questionnaire.
• You finish with a written outcome that goes to your GP, whether or not ADHD is diagnosed.

The hardest part of getting assessed is often not the assessment. It is the not knowing: how long it takes, what you will be asked, whether you need to prove anything, and what happens at the end. This is the shape of it.

Before the first appointment

You will complete an intake questionnaire covering your symptoms, your history and your general health. It is longer than a typical form, and that is deliberate. The more that is captured before the appointment, the more of the appointment can be spent talking rather than filling in boxes.

You will also need a referral. For psychiatry that means a referral from your GP or a participating nurse practitioner, not a Mental Health Treatment Plan. We cover that in getting a psychiatry referral from your GP.

The first appointment

This is the long one. The psychiatrist will work through your developmental history, schooling, work, relationships and daily functioning, and will ask about other things that can look like ADHD or sit alongside it, including sleep, anxiety, mood and substance use. Expect questions about childhood even if you are in your forties, because the diagnostic criteria require the pattern to have been present early.

It helps to bring anything concrete: old school reports, a partner or parent's recollection, or examples of where things fall apart in an ordinary week. You do not need to have prepared a case. Being unsure is normal and is not held against you.

The second appointment

The second appointment picks up what the first could not finish, covers any screening or observer input, and moves to the outcome. Where a diagnosis is appropriate, the psychiatrist will discuss what that means and what the options are, including medication where they consider it clinically suitable. Where it is not, they will explain what they think is going on instead, which is often the more useful conversation.

What you walk away with

You receive a written outcome, and a copy goes to your referring GP. That letter matters more than people expect: it is what allows your GP to take part in your ongoing care, and it is the document you will be asked for later by employers, universities or other clinicians. We cover what it asks of your GP in what a psychiatrist's management plan means for your GP.

Frequently asked questions

Can I be assessed entirely online?

Yes. Assessment and follow-up are held by video. Some people find it easier to talk from home than in a consulting room.

Will I definitely get a diagnosis?

No. An assessment is an assessment. The psychiatrist may conclude that ADHD explains what you are experiencing, or that something else does. Both outcomes are useful, and neither is guaranteed in advance.

Will I be put on medication?

Not automatically. Medication is one option among several, and whether it is suitable is a clinical decision made with you. See what a psychiatrist can and cannot do about medication.

What does it cost?

See ADHD assessment cost and Medicare rebates for the current fees and what Medicare may return if you are eligible.

Important: This is general information, not a diagnosis or personal medical advice. ADHD is assessed individually by a registered practitioner. If you are in crisis, call Lifeline 13 11 14, or 000 in an emergency.