“If you or a loved one suspect that you may meet criteria for ADHD, I would recommend searching for an appropriate evaluator near you,” Perry said.
Caldwell stressed that when looking for a provider, it’s perfectly OK to interview them to ensure they have ample experience treating people, specifically women, with ADHD. Caldwell said you can ask about their ADHD training, how they work with people with ADHD and how many clients of theirs have ADHD. “You just really want to be careful that people have a lot of experience,” Caldwell added, noting that CHADD has a provider directory you can reference, too.
Perry noted that for a comprehensive approach, which she recommends, you should seek out an assessment by a neurologist, primary care physician and a psychologist. This way, they can determine if you have ADHD or another diagnosis.
“You want to be sure that your team understands how to create a differential diagnosis so that you will leave the evaluation process with an appropriate treatment plan,” Perry said.
Additionally, “I really encourage all people, but specifically women … to not let [mental health stigma] deter them from seeking the information that they need,” said Kuezi-Nke. “If anyone is noticing impairment, it is human. Right? We all struggle.”
ADHD runs on a spectrum, Kuezi-Nke added, so “even if you aren’t specifically diagnosed with ADHD, it doesn’t mean that those symptoms aren’t relevant and worth taking care of yourself for.” Never hold yourself back when it comes to getting proper support.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
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