Adult ADHD Evaluation in the South Bay

Is an adult ADHD evaluation right for you?

Many adults start wondering about ADHD after their child is diagnosed, after a new job or school program raises the demands, or after years of feeling like they work twice as hard for the same result. An evaluation may help if some of these sound familiar:

• You lose track of deadlines, bills or appointments, even ones that matter to you
• Starting tasks is hard, and finishing them is harder
• Your mind drifts in meetings, lectures or conversations
• You rely on last-minute pressure to get things done
• You've been called careless, disorganized or "not living up to your potential"
• Systems and apps help for a week or two, then fall apart

Everyone has days like this. What matters is how often it happens, how long it has gone on, and how much it gets in the way at work, at home or in relationships.

How ADHD is diagnosed in adults

ADHD is diagnosed using the criteria in the DSM-5-TR, the manual clinicians use in the United States. For adults (age 17 and older), at least five symptoms of inattention, or five of hyperactivity and impulsivity, need to be present. Children need six. Symptoms must also show up in more than one setting and get in the way of daily life.

Several symptoms must have been present before age 12. That’s why your childhood matters. Old report cards, teacher comments and past testing can help. So can a parent, sibling or someone else who knew you as a child. If those aren’t available, Dr. Paul works with what you have.

ADHD often looks different in adults. Hyperactivity may feel like inner restlessness rather than running around. Many adults, especially women, were never flagged as kids because they were quiet, bright or worked very hard to keep up.

Could it be something else?

Anxiety, depression, poor sleep, trauma and chronic stress can all affect focus and memory. They can also occur alongside ADHD. A careful evaluation looks at all of them, so you don’t end up treating the wrong thing. Dr. Paul looks at:

• Attention and concentration: how well you sustain focus and filter out distractions
• Executive function: planning, organizing, starting and finishing tasks, and working memory (holding information in mind while using it)
• Thinking skills: reasoning, processing speed and memory
• Emotional factors: anxiety, mood, stress and sleep
• History and daily life: school, work, health and relationships, with rating scales from you and, if possible, someone who knows you well

MP Wellness uses a dynamic, individualized assessment approach, with current, evidence-based psychological assessment tools selected for each person’s needs and presenting concerns. The report lists every measure used.

What happens, step by step

What you receive

• A written report in plain language, with scores explained
• A clear answer: whether ADHD fits, and if it doesn't, what better explains what you're experiencing
• Practical recommendations for work, school and home
• Documentation you can use when asking for accommodations at work or college
• A feedback session to go through the results together and answer your questions

If you want to consider medication, you can share the report with your primary care doctor or a psychiatrist. Psychologists in California don’t prescribe, so that decision is made with a prescriber. Many adults also find therapy helpful for building routines and managing stress. Dr. Paul offers therapy for adults in the same Hermosa Beach office.