How to Get Tested for ADHD: A Step-by-Step Guide for Adults

You got through school. You held jobs. You managed relationships. Nobody told you that you had ADHD. And now, somewhere in your 30s or 40s, you are reading a symptom list and recognizing patterns you have been managing around your entire life.

Getting an evaluation is the next step. Understanding what that evaluation involves, who can do it, and how to access it makes the difference between a process that feels overwhelming and one that is straightforward.

What This Page Covers

• Who can diagnose ADHD in adults
• The components of a proper evaluation
• How to prepare for your assessment
• What telehealth covers and what it does not
• How ADHD, depression, and anxiety overlap
• How to start

Who Can Diagnose ADHD in Adults

Several types of licensed clinicians can diagnose adult ADHD:

Psychiatrists (MD or DO) can diagnose and prescribe all ADHD medications including stimulants.

Psychologists (PhD or PsyD) can diagnose and may provide more detailed neuropsychological testing. In most states, psychologists cannot prescribe.

Psychiatric nurse practitioners (PMHNP) can diagnose and prescribe in most states, including stimulants.

Primary care physicians can conduct ADHD evaluations in some settings, though specialist expertise is often deeper.

Not all providers have equivalent experience with adult ADHD presentations. Because adults with ADHD often look different from children, a provider with specific adult ADHD experience is worth seeking out.

The Components of a Proper Adult ADHD Evaluation

A diagnosis of ADHD in adults requires more than a checklist. The DSM-5 criteria for adult ADHD include at least five symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity-impulsivity present for at least six months, across two or more settings, with onset before age 12, causing functional impairment, and not better explained by another condition.

A complete evaluation includes:

Clinical interview. A structured conversation about current symptoms, how they affect work, relationships, finances, and daily functioning. The clinician will typically use a standardized interview guide such as the DIVA-5 (Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults) to ensure all diagnostic criteria are systematically covered.

Childhood history. The DSM-5 requires that symptoms began before age 12. This does not mean you were formally diagnosed as a child, only that the symptoms were present. Collateral information from a parent or caregiver who knew you as a child is helpful when available.

Rating scales. Standardized self-report instruments, most commonly the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS-v1.1), provide structured symptom documentation. These are validated against clinical interview data and help quantify symptom severity.

Differential diagnosis. Anxiety, depression, thyroid dysfunction, sleep apnea, and trauma-related disorders all produce symptoms that overlap with ADHD. A proper evaluation screens for these conditions and determines whether ADHD, another condition, or multiple co-occurring conditions are the primary drivers.

Medical history review. The evaluation includes a review of current medications, physical health, family psychiatric history, and developmental history.

How to Prepare for Your Evaluation

Coming prepared significantly improves the quality and speed of the evaluation.

Document your current symptoms specifically. Write down concrete examples of how ADHD symptoms affect your daily life: missed deadlines, unfinished projects, concentration difficulties, impulsive decisions, organizational challenges. Specifics are more useful than general descriptions.

Think about your childhood. Can you identify patterns in school, sports, or social situations that fit the symptom picture? Report cards, parent recollections, or school assessments can be valuable.

List all current medications and any previous psychiatric diagnoses. Previous treatments, whether for depression, anxiety, or other conditions, are part of the clinical picture.

Consider collateral input. A parent, sibling, or close friend who can speak to your symptoms and functioning history adds important context.

Telehealth for ADHD Evaluation: What the Evidence Shows

Telehealth ADHD evaluations are a legitimate and increasingly common path to diagnosis for adults. The quality depends on the clinical rigor of the evaluation, not the modality.

A landmark 2025 peer-reviewed study compared an asynchronous online ADHD diagnostic tool against traditional face-to-face clinical interviews. The online assessment showed a sensitivity rate of 80.6% and a positive predictive value of 94.9%, with a false-positive rate of just 12%, significantly lower than the 56% false-positive rate found in the standard in-person assessments used in the study.

As of the latest CDC data, 15.5 million US adults have a current ADHD diagnosis, roughly double the 2018 estimate of 8.7 million. Only about 44% of adults with ADHD were diagnosed before age 18. Telehealth has meaningfully increased access to evaluation for the adult population that was not identified in childhood.

What telehealth covers well: clinical interviews, standardized rating scale administration, collateral intake, and follow-up management. What may require in-person evaluation: certain neuropsychological cognitive tests, and in many states, the first prescription of Schedule II stimulant medications.

The Stimulant Prescribing Question

Stimulant medications (amphetamine-based and methylphenidate-based) are the most studied pharmacological treatments for adult ADHD and are Schedule II controlled substances. Telehealth prescribing rules for stimulants vary by state. In many states, an in-person evaluation is required before a stimulant can be prescribed via telehealth for the first time.

Non-stimulant medications, including atomoxetine (Strattera), viloxazine (Qelbree), and guanfacine extended-release, are not controlled substances and can typically be prescribed via telehealth without those restrictions. For patients who prefer non-controlled medications, or for whom stimulants are contraindicated, telehealth treatment can proceed without an in-person visit.

ADHD and the Depression-Anxiety Overlap

This is one of the most clinically important points for adults who are wondering whether to get tested for ADHD.

More than 70% of adults with ADHD have at least one comorbid psychiatric condition. Approximately 55% have depressive disorders, and 47% have anxiety disorders. Many adults have been treated for depression or anxiety for years, with incomplete results, while undiagnosed ADHD continued to drive the underlying difficulties.

If you have been treated for depression or anxiety without fully resolving your symptoms, and the pattern of inattention, organization difficulties, and executive function challenges resonates, a comprehensive evaluation that assesses all three simultaneously is the most clinically sound approach.

SiggyMD’s clinical scope directly covers anxiety and depression. For adults who suspect ADHD may be part of what is driving incomplete response to mood or anxiety treatment, the anonymous intake captures the full clinical picture so a licensed prescriber can assess the complete presentation.

The Step-by-Step Process

Step 1: Self-assessment. The ASRS-v1.1 screener is a validated starting point. A score suggesting ADHD risk is not a diagnosis, but it gives you structured language for your clinical conversation.

Step 2: Find a qualified provider. Use ADDitude’s online directory, Psychology Today’s therapist finder, or your insurance directory filtered for ADHD specialists. If telehealth is preferable, confirm the provider is licensed in your state.

Step 3: Prepare your documentation. Childhood history, current symptom examples, medication list, any prior diagnoses.

Step 4: Complete the evaluation. The clinical interview, rating scales, and differential screening typically take one to three hours. Some platforms spread this across multiple appointments.

Step 5: Discuss findings and treatment options. If ADHD is diagnosed, the prescriber will discuss medication options, their relative evidence profiles, and whether any referral for therapy (CBT adapted for ADHD) is warranted.

Step 6: Follow-up. ADHD management is ongoing. Dose adjustments, side effect management, and monitoring for treatment response are part of the continuing care relationship.

About SiggyMD

SiggyMD’s clinical scope covers anxiety and depression, the two conditions that most commonly co-occur with and are often confused with ADHD in adults. If you have been managing anxiety or depression without fully resolving your symptoms, and the ADHD symptom pattern feels familiar, a comprehensive clinical intake can identify whether the mood or anxiety component is the primary driver, whether ADHD may be contributing, and what treatment approach fits your specific presentation.

“When adults come in presenting with anxiety and depression, and we start mapping the symptom picture carefully, ADHD comorbidity is something I keep in mind,” says Daniel Montville, MD, Psychiatrist, of the SiggyMD clinical team. “Treating depression without addressing ADHD, when both are present, often produces incomplete results. Getting a thorough intake is how you avoid treating half the problem.”

For a comprehensive overview of adult ADHD, including DSM-5 criteria and treatment options, see our guide on what ADHD is and how it presents in adults.

Start your anonymous intake at SiggyMD. No name, no email, no account required.

What Members Are Saying

KT

K.T., 36

Undiagnosed ADHD, Treated for Anxiety

“I had been treated for anxiety for six years. The anxiety was real, but a significant part of it came from spending every day terrified I was going to miss something important, forgetting tasks I had just been told, and feeling fundamentally incompetent. When a comprehensive evaluation identified the ADHD piece, the treatment approach changed. Addressing both changed everything.”

PR

P.R., 44

Late-Diagnosed ADHD

“The evaluation itself was clarifying. Having a clinical framework for patterns I had been managing around my entire adult life, not a moral failure but a neurodevelopmental condition, was the most useful thing that came out of the process. The treatment plan followed from that.”

Member stories reflect real experiences. Names and identifying details have been changed to protect privacy. Results vary. You can begin anonymous intake without an account, name, email, or payment.

The Bottom Line

Getting tested for ADHD as an adult is a clinical process, not a questionnaire. It requires a licensed clinician, a structured interview, validated rating scales, and differential diagnosis that rules out overlapping conditions.

Telehealth has made access to this process significantly easier, with validated online assessments showing strong diagnostic accuracy. The step that matters most is starting: connecting with a qualified provider who can evaluate the full picture rather than only the most visible symptoms.

Sources

1. American Psychiatric Association. ADHD in Adults. APA. Updated June 2025.

2. Shore C, et al. ADHD Diagnosis and Treatment in the United States. National Academies Press. 2024.

3. Sachs Center. Telehealth ADHD Diagnosis Explained. Accessed June 2026.

4. ADDitude Magazine. ADHD Diagnosis Online: Telehealth Options for Evaluation. Accessed June 2026.

5. Cigna Healthcare. Telehealth for ADHD. Accessed June 2026.

6. Mission Connection Healthcare. Telehealth for ADHD: Online Diagnosis and Treatment Options. Accessed June 2026.

7. NIMH. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. 2024.