There’s no special test or evaluation service in the world that can tell you if you have ADHD or not, but the closest form of easy diagnosis that we have is neuropsychological testing. This technique provides mental health professionals with a detailed description of a person’s cognitive activity and behavior.
So, can neuropsychological testing help someone to find out if they have ADHD or not? This article will detail neuropsychological evaluations and discuss how they can help us decide the best treatment options for patients with ADHD.
Can Neuropsychological Testing Help With ADHD Diagnosis?
What is neuropsychological testing? A neuropsychological evaluation tests mental health patients take to measure how well their brain is working. These evaluations test the following abilities to help ease the diagnosis process for mental health professionals:
- Use of language
- Reading skills
- Mood and personality
- Problem-solving skills
- Learning abilities
- The processing speed of their brains
- Memory
- Reasoning and analytical skills
Such testing is useful when the expected treatment response is not seen, and the symptoms of ADHD are hard to identify. Neuropsychological testing will help confirm underlying issues. The neuropsychological testing displays detailed, specific results that will help display accurate results that cannot be obtained from other techniques.
ADHD Resources That Everyone Should Know About
We know it’s hard to live with ADHD, but you shouldn’t lose hope because millions of resources and treatments for ADHD (such as medication and behavioral therapy) can help you or your loved ones with ADHD live and thrive in today’s fast and competitive world.
However, we understand that searching for a simple question can be overwhelming and scroll through never-ending result pages. Well, the good news is that we did our research and created a list of the best resources for ADHD that you can take advantage of to start living a fulfilling life today. You can thank us later for saving your time and energy! Below you will find the organizations, resources, and educational tools that can help you, your family members, or beloved friends with ADHD.
Nonprofit organizations
If you want to get more information about ADHD and have unlimited resources, then nonprofit organizations have it all! Most of the nonprofit organizations for ADHD that we listed below are located in Canada and the United Kingdom. So, look up the following ADHD organizations and access their outstanding resources today:
- Attention Deficit Disorder Association (ADDA)
- Centre for ADHD Awareness, Canada (CADDAC)
- The American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD)
- Child Mind Institute
- ADHD Foundation: Mental Health, Education, and Training Services
- CHADD: The National Resource on ADHD
- ADHD World Federation: From Child to Adult Disorder
Podcasts
We all love to hear podcasts! It’s always great to hear from people who have had the same experiences as you because you can relate. This makes podcasts a great way to cope with your ADHD and learn how you can live a happy and successful life with that disorder. In addition, several podcasts will provide detailed information about recent studies or research on ADHD. While you are out for a run or cleaning the house – listen to these four compelling ADHD podcasts:
- Adult ADHD ADD podcast
This podcast is hosted by the fantastic Bahman Sarram and ADHD coach Michael Joseph Ferguson.
- ADDitude ADHD Experts Podcast
Leading experts in the world share their amazing knowledge of ADHD.
- ADHD reWired with Eric Tivers
This podcast is hosted by coach and therapist Eric Tivers
- Distraction with Dr. Ned Hallowell
Dr. Edward Hallowell hosts the Distraction podcast – he is an ADHD expert, author, and psychiatrist.
Advocacy and awareness
You don’t know much about ADHD or want to join a group that will make you or your loved ones feel empowered? If that’s the case, then you should try joining ADHD advocacy groups that can help people with ADHD and their loved ones embrace and deal with their condition. The advocacy and ADHD awareness groups below highlight various ways members of the ADHD world can be involved in community outreach and advocacy projects.
- ADHD Awareness Month
- ADHD Aware
- ADD Advocate
Support groups
Are you looking for a safe community for yourself or your loved ones suffering from ADHD? Then you should consider joining the best support groups for ADHD that we listed below. Support groups provide parents of children or adults with ADHD with safe spaces and access to communities they can join to connect with others who understand what they’re going through. Other than this, support groups can also prove therapeutic for loved ones. Several online forums, such as the ones mentioned below, allow individuals with ADHD to connect with group members virtually.
- Facebook: Moms with ADD/ADHD Children
- ADDA: Support Groups for Adults
- Facebook: Support for Parents of Children with ADD/ADHD
- Facebook: ADHD Adult Support Group
Magazines About ADHD
Are you looking for some awesome ADHD magazines that will give you all the news and information about ADHD? Then here are a few:
- ADDitude: Strategies and Support for ADHD and LD
Print media or digital media loves – both of you are in luck because this lifestyle magazine that devotedly talks about living with ADHD is published quarterly and is available in both print and digital versions. The ADDitude magazine covers various topics on ADHD and other learning disabilities. Some of the topics they usually write about may include:
- How to parent a child with ADHD?
- Relationship advise for adults with ADHD.
- Medication and alternative therapies./methods to treat ADHD
- Attention Magazine
If you are a parent living with a child who has ADHD or an adult with ADHD, this magazine is for you! It is designed to keep parents and adults living with ADHD up to date about ADHD issues. The Attention Magazine is published six times a year by CHADD. The best thing about it is that it’s always available to its members in print and digital versions.
Here are a few online resources and tools that you or your close ones with ADHD should take a look at:
- ADHD Institute
- LD OnLine: The Educators’ Guide to Learning Disabilities and ADHD
- ADDitude: Inside the ADHD mind
- com: Helping Parents Help Kids
- ADHD Childhood
- Center for Parent Information & Resources
Conclusion on Neuropsychological Testing for ADHD
Neuropsychological testing will help your therapist accurately diagnose and treat your mental health condition, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t get evaluated. Here at Abbey’s clinic, neuropsychological evaluations are the main part of our diagnostic process. Book an appointment today to get a neuropsychological evaluation.
If you need help, there is hope! Reach out to a licensed mental health professional that treats ADHD or take a ADHD self-assessment.
Author: Richard Abbey, Ph.D.
Richard Abbey, PhD, is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist and psychologist with extensive training and experience as a clinician and researcher. He specializes in neuropsychological evaluation and treatment of children, adults, and seniors. Dr. Abbey is the director of neuropsychological services at Abbey Neuropsychology Clinic in Palo Alto, California.
