Why ADHD in adults is difficult to diagnose

It is one of the most common psychiatric disorders among adults. Yet there are no U.S. guidelines for diagnosing and treating patients beyond childhood.

Just before Katie Marsh dropped out of college, she began to fear that she might have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. .

“Boredom was like a burning sensation inside me,” said Ms. Marsh, who is now 30 and lives in Portland, Oregon. “I barely went to class. . And when I did, I felt like I had a lot of pent up energy. Like I have to move all the time. »

So she asked for an ADHD test. assessment – ​​but the results, she was surprised to learn, were inconclusive. She never returned to school. And it wasn't until he sought help again four years later that he was diagnosed with ADHD. specialist.

“It was quite frustrating,” she said.

ADHD. is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in adults. Yet many health care providers have spotty training on how to assess it, and there are no clinical practice guidelines in the United States for diagnosing and treating patients beyond childhood .

Without clear rules, some providers, while well-intentioned, are “just making it up as they go along,” said Dr. David W. Goodman, assistant professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

This lack of clarity leaves providers and adult patients in a bind.< /p>

“We desperately need something to guide the field,” said Dr. Wendi Waits, a psychiatrist at Talkiatry, an online mental health company. "When everyone practices differently, it's hard to know what's the best way to approach it."

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