ADHD awareness burst on the scene about 40 years ago as boys and girls struggling to pay attention in school were viewed with compassion rather than punishment for “misbehaving.” This new approach saved countless children from failing grades and dropping out.
Countless other children with less problematic behaviors plodded through, grade after grade, underperforming and living silently with their frustration. So many of these wrestled with their ADHD symptoms and are only now recognizing the potential benefit of seeking ADHD testing in Toronto.
Others have been more hesitant due to ADHD misconceptions. Some see ADHD as an excuse for problematic behavior, disorganization, and moral failings ranging from laziness to irresponsibility.
Here is an exploration of common myths about ADHD, followed by stone-cold ADHD facts.
Myth 1: ADHD Assessments can be self-administered
The fact is that there are plenty of screening tools available online. These tools can help you decide whether you should seek an ADHD assessment, but a proper assessment should be done by someone trained and qualified, who brings some scientific objectivity to your assessment.
Myth 2: ADHD Assessments must be done in person
The fact is that ADHD assessments can be done in-person and online, just as psychotherapy can. There is no blood-test for ADHD, and no physical examination required.
Myth 3: ADHD Assessments must be done by a doctor
The fact is that ADHD assessments are best done by health care practitioners who specialize in ADHD, and not many doctors consider themselves specialists in mental health, let alone ADHD. In Ontario, Nurse Practitioners and Medical Doctors (including Psychiatrists) make the final diagnosis, but typically with input from trained assessors, including Registered Psychiatrists.
Myth 4 : ADHD Assessment and Diagnosis are the same thing
The fact is that a diagnosis should only be communicated after a thorough assessment. An assessment informs the decision to diagnose, while a diagnosis opens the door to school and workplace accommodations and the option of ADHD medication.
Myth 5: ADHD Assessments are rigged to produce a Diagnosis
The fact is there is a range of quality for ADHD testing in Toronto. Some clinics are clearly aimed at multiplying ADHD diagnoses as a business model. Other clinics are more broadly-based, with specialization in conditions such as BPD, ASD, and complex trauma.
Myth 6: ADHD Diagnosis is a commitment to medication
The fact is that ADHD medications, while completely safe, are not for everyone. 1 out of 5 adults with ADHD cannot take medication for ADHD for various reasons, and others opt out of medication as a matter of personal choice. If someone does opt for medication support, there is often a brief process of identifying the right formulation and dosage.
Myth 7: ADHD Assessments are useless, because ADHD isn’t real
The fact is ADHD is a well-documented neurological condition that can be treated with coaching, psychotherapy, and ADHD medication. ADHD is a legally recognized grounds for workplace accommodation. The denial of the reality of ADHD is sadly stigmatizing of people with ADHD, attributing the effects of neurodivergence to deficiencies of character.
Myth 8 : ADHD Assessments are unreliable, because everyone has ADHD to some extent
The fact is that all medical, psychiatric, and psychological can be second-guessed. The medical community recognizes that there can be overlapping symptoms among ADHD and other conditions, which is why professional calibre clinicians should be involved in the assessment and diagnostic process.
Myth 9 : ADHD Assessments are automatically released to your employer
The fact is Ontario has very strong safeguards for your personal health information. Your decision to disclose or not disclose your diagnosis to your employer, your insurer, or anyone else is just that: your decision.
Myth 10: ADHD Assessments are unnecessary, because they don’t change anything
The fact is that a well-conducted ADHD assessment and diagnosis can change everything. It provides access to prescribed medication. It offers the grounds for school and workplace accommodations, if helpful. And perhaps most importantly an ADHD assessment and diagnosis gives an individual with a key “piece of the puzzle” to their self-understanding.
If you are considering finding ADHD testing Toronto, there is every reason to follow through and no reason to back down. With the proper supports anyone with ADHD can live a better life, improve relationships with others, and prosper at school and the workplace.
People with ADHD often suffer needlessly with frustrations from living in a non-ADHD world. Anxiety, depression, and other serioous conditions often accompany or are the result of living with ADHD. You may be one of those who have suffered for too many years with the effects of ADHD. The negative impacts of ADHD symptoms are not a life-sentence: understanding one’s ADHD can be a springboard to new horizons in self-worth and productivity. Knowledge should never be feared but welcomed with open arms. Your loved ones, your friends, your neighbors, your colleagues, and most of all you deserve to know the truth, so you can live your best life. Book a consultation now, visit here.