🧠Do I Have ADHD? A Guide for Curious (and Distracted) Minds

Friday 8 August 2025

If you’ve found yourself wondering, “Could this be ADHD?” — you’re not alone. Maybe you’re always losing your keys, struggling to sit still during lectures, or feel like your brain has 17 tabs open all the time. Sound familiar?

Let’s explore what ADHD is, how to screen for it, and what your next steps could be if you think it applies to you.

What Exactly Is ADHD?

ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition — which means it’s something that’s been present since childhood, even if you didn’t notice it back then. It’s not about being “lazy” or “bad at focusing.” ADHD affects the brain’s ability to regulate attention, behaviour, and emotions. And it’s not a phase — it’s lifelong.

It’s important to distinguish between ADHD and occasional struggles with attention. Everyone gets distracted from time to time, but ADHD is persistent, wide-ranging, and often impacts daily life across multiple domains.

🧾 Screening Tools: Where to Start

There are several screening tools that can help you reflect on whether ADHD might be present in your life:

✅ Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS v1.1)

Section A: Core symptoms
Section B: Frequency and how symptoms impact your day-to-day life

🧒 Wender Utah ADHD Rating Scale

Reflects on childhood traits

🧩 WFIRS-S ADHD Checklist

Explores how ADHD may affect different areas of your life (social, academic, work, etc.)

Additionally, executive function checklists can help identify where you shine and where you might struggle — especially around working memory, self-regulation, and mental flexibility.

💡 Top Tip: It’s often helpful to complete these forms with someone who knew you as a child. ADHD is developmental, and childhood behaviour matters.

More resources and links to screening tools can be found via ADHD UK.

🎥 Vox Video: “Do I Have ADHD?” (6:13 mins) – A short and helpful explainer for beginners.

🩺 Getting a Diagnosis

If your screening points to multiple ADHD traits, the next step is to talk to your GP. They’ll want to know:

How symptoms affect your childhood and current life
What areas are functionally impacted
Whether other factors could explain your symptoms (like anxiety, trauma, or sleep issues)

📌 You have two main options:

1. NHS Route

See your NHS GP
Referral to an NHS adult psychiatrist
Waiting lists vary widely: from 1–2 years, sometimes longer depending on your health board
Medication, if appropriate, may have its own wait time

2. Private Assessment

Self-funded through a private provider
Can be faster, but comes with caveats: ⚠️ Some NHS GPs will not enter a “shared care agreement” with private clinics. That means you may need to continue funding medication privately. Always check with your GP before choosing this route.

For options and guidance in Scotland, visit the Scottish ADHD Coalition.

💡 English students: You may be eligible for the Right to Choose pathway to speed up NHS diagnosis by changing providers.