You do not have to arrive with a courtroom case. You are collecting patterns, not proving innocence. The useful material is ordinary: what keeps happening, where it happens, what it costs, and what else could be contributing.
**Use this worksheet for the two weeks before an adult ADHD evaluation. Bring what exists. Missing childhood records should become a question for the clinician, not a reason to postpone care.**¹
Name the decision
- I want to know whether ADHD could explain a persistent pattern.
- I want to discuss medication.
- I need documentation for work, school or an examination.
- I need help separating ADHD from sleep, anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use or a medical condition.
- I already have a diagnosis and need help with daily functioning.
Write the one question you most need answered:
Record three recent examples
Do not write “I am disorganized.” Record what happened.
| What was supposed to happen? | What happened instead? | Where? | What did it cost? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home / work / school / relationship | |||
| Home / work / school / relationship | |||
| Home / work / school / relationship |
Look for the second setting
ADHD diagnosis requires more than one setting. Check every place where the pattern appears:
- Home tasks
- Paid work
- School or training
- Money and bills
- Driving
- Friendships or partnership
- Health appointments or medication routines
One place where this does not happen, or happens less:
Bring childhood clues that already exist
- Report cards or teacher comments
- A family member or older friend who can describe childhood patterns
- Earlier evaluations or treatment records
- Memories of homework, lateness, losing things, restlessness or unfinished projects
- Nothing available—I will ask how the clinician establishes childhood history without records
NIMH says adults must have experienced symptoms before age 12. A provider may use childhood records or, with permission, information from people who knew you.¹
List what can imitate or complicate the picture
Bring current medications and note changes in:
- Sleep or shift work
- Anxiety, panic or depression
- Alcohol, cannabis or other substance use
- Thyroid, seizure, hormonal or other medical concerns
- Head injury
- Grief, trauma or acute stress
- A recent change in work, school or caregiving load
This list is not a self-diagnosis. It helps the evaluator avoid turning the first plausible answer into the only answer.
Ask what you are buying
- What does the evaluation include?
- Who performs it, and what is the California license number?
- Do I need formal testing, or will a diagnostic interview answer my question?
- What written document will I receive?
- What is the total price, including feedback and follow-up?
- If medication is considered, who manages it afterward?
- Will insurance be billed, and which codes will be used?
What happens next
You bring the pattern, history and questions. The clinician interviews you, may use rating scales, and checks other explanations. A full psychological or neuropsychological battery may help with a complicated learning or cognitive question, but it is not automatically required for every adult ADHD diagnosis.¹
Compare the evaluation routes before booking: When formal ADHD testing earns its cost → · What testing costs in California →
Sources
- National Institute of Mental Health, “ADHD in Adults: 4 Things to Know” — nimh.nih.gov.
- Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD), “Diagnosis of ADHD in Adults” — chadd.org.
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