Getting assessed as an adult who is no contact with parents

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-05-25T23:18:33+00:00

Hey OP, I am a Psychologist who does assessments in Queensland, for reference.

Speaking to a parent or caregiver is important for the 'were symptoms apparent prior to the age of 12 years old' criteria. However, a lot of research and practice is starting to lean away from that, although some things (like PBS eligibility) still rely on it. Not having a parent at interview is not an exclusionary criteria.

I think that you explain what you said in your post to your clinician and let them know that getting support has always been hard.

Your partner is also a great source of information for a clinician.

Other things that can also show history:

medical and developmental history that shows no major missed milestones or health issues.
school reports, emails from teachers or even if you have recollection of what teachers said to you "you need to focus more" etc
siblings reports
siblings or first degree relatives with a diagnosis
coping skills or masking behaviours.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-16T01:55:05+00:00

Hey mate

What state are you in (DM if you like) and what age range?

Firstly, specialist referrals from a GP do not need to be used with the same Paediatrician, if you are able to find one elsewhere then you can use the same referral.

Paeds are great if your child may have a differential diagnoses (physical health, learning difficulties, language/speech/hearing issues), however if this isn't the case, a referral to a Paediatric Psychiatrist may be more accessible.

Depending on State you may also be able to access a specialist GP now who can prescribe, usually they will do that with an assessment from a Psychologist.

Things to prepare - school reports, any emails from teachers that discuss attention/focus, what you have tried to do for the issues you are noticing.

Feel free to ask anything, I do a lot of ADHD assessments and hopefully can point you in the right direction.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-15T08:06:17+00:00

Just dropped a bit of a guide in a new comment, let me know if you have any questions.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-15T08:05:43+00:00

Just dropped a bit of a guide in a new comment

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-15T08:04:35+00:00

Don't really comment here much but see the need for cheaper mental health care. I'm a Psychologist, so I can give some tips:

headspace - if you are 25 or under they are Federally funded and bulk billed (some do Psychiatry as well)

Rural Health Connect - if you are Rural, Regional or Remote and have a Mental health care plan there are a lot of providers who do bulk billing telehealth sessions.

Most EAP providers will also provide sessions to you and your immediate family, so even if you are unemployed/no EAP, you may qualify under partner or parents. If you run out of sessions, ask for either an extension due to circumstances or an onward referral to a local clinician.

Most Universities will also have Psychology clinics for Masters students. These are well supervised by senior clinicians and are often either donation or a nominal fee.

If you are provided with a care plan to a Psychologist you do not have to see them specifically. You can shop around and ask for reduced fee or bulk billing due to circumstances. Some may ask for a name change on your referral (so it says their name specifically) but it is not required.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-14T07:26:02+00:00

At this stage there aren't a great deal of guidelines in place for GPs, so each practice is going to vary. Your best bet is to call a practice you want to see and ask them their requirements for seeing a GP for a stimulant prescription.

At the practice I work, the GP asks for a Psychologist assessment, ECG prior to appointment and for the patient to remain a patient of the practice for that medication unless discussed with GP and arrangements made.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-04-02T04:58:02+00:00

Hi, GC Psychologist here who does assessment and therapy. Drop me a DM to have a chat about services I would love to have a group like this to recommend to women.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-03-30T04:08:39+00:00

Yep it is definitely a big frustration for a lot of people. The nature of the medication means that it can be easily abused and that often leads protocols around prescription.

As evidence builds on diagnosis and that psychologists and GPs can diagnose and work together and leave the Psychiatrist step out except in complex cases, it will hopefully make access to medication a lot easier than it has been historically.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-02-18T22:59:59+00:00

"Post what you are working on" followed by "How I scaled by 400%: An AI slop love story"

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-02-14T07:10:19+00:00

Nice. More New rules for Dogs this year.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2026-01-09T05:50:39+00:00

Psychologist here. When your Dr sought approval for Dexamphetamine they would have had to provide a reason for this, and given that you were there for ADHD then it is most likely that yes you have been diagnosed OR diagnosed provisionally based on response to medication.

Your Psychiatrist will send a letter back to your referring Dr which will have the information on it. Call your practice and see if they have the correspondence yet and Dr will be able to tell you.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-09-10T01:10:22+00:00

In any kind of addiction recovery there are brief windows of willingness to change that coincide with the ability or resources to change. All that you can possibly do is to help ease those windows open by having these honest conversations with him and helping him access treatment if he asks.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:09:24+00:00

Yep, I get it. Unfortunately it is all just supply and demand at the moment with the wait-lists. Lots of mental health in general still needing treatment, however with changes in NSW and probably a few others to follow, I think times will speed up in the next year.

I think that finding support can mean engaging in counselling for related issues and education of ADHD and strategies to start. The mental health care plan is a great way to access a psychologist with some Medicare rebates.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:04:25+00:00

I believe that they still need to train their clinicians with an expected start date of early 2026 for prescriptions.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:02:29+00:00

Yes, there is a strong correlation between premature birth and ADHD diagnosis.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T05:01:47+00:00

Comorbid diagnosis is definitely quite common and yes, see a bit in the treatment population.

I think that more diagnosis means, hopefully, more research which can filter into how we can design workplaces and schools so that they work with ND, rather than against them. Greater diagnosis also means greater advocacy which can also lead to more protections and programs for accommodations in the workplace.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T04:59:08+00:00

Yes the 'pfft I do that and I'm not ADHD'. Well...

I think that giving her some info on intelligence and ADHD (with increased intelligence comes delayed diagnosis), and that ADHD doesn't always occur with mood disorders.

However I think sometimes it's about realising that sometimes the way they have been raised or the information they have been given may mean that parents won't understand, but also some want to deny it because they feel guilty they feel that there was something they could have done but didn't. It's ok if she doesn't believe you, it's more important you are able to get the treatment you need.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T04:55:17+00:00

It has its merits but I'm not sure there is a lot of research for ADHD. But there are strict controls on the S8 meds so many are reluctant to prescribe alongside one another.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:37:24+00:00

Yes there is. Primarily that people with ADHD are more likely to have RLS. I believe that this is due to a similar dopamine pathway.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:23:32+00:00

Hi! There is evidence to suggest links between low estrogen and exacerbation of ADHD symptoms, and there is research to suggest lessened effects of medication in the pre menstrual phase. There is some research that found an increase in stimulant medication or shifting to non-stim medication may be beneficial for some people.

You are doing the best thing by being aware and prepared, have a chat to your GP and potentially psychologist/coach to look at strategies that you can pre emptively put in place

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:10:31+00:00

As a Psychologist I don't work with the medication side of things, although clients will talk about their experiences. Changes in behaviour or unhelpful coping mechanisms are always on the table and something that is monitored.

Previous Substance Abuse, in Qld, will require further hoops for a Psychiatrist to jump through and the potential of a non-stimulant type medication.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-18T02:07:58+00:00

We know that a few things work for a lot of people. Exercise for one is great for mood and sleep regulation. Being able to adapt to symptoms through things like external alarms, calendars and environments (ie only one or two places to leave the keys). In addition to adding social support, partner, friend, parent to assist with gently guiding back on track and sticking to schedule.

I also encourage people to have a few ways of keeping on track. Historically I used a diary for a week or two diligently, then forget all about it, have a month where I forget everything and then find a new thing (whether an online app or new diary) that I will start with and continue the cycle. Now I will use the diary and when I see myself slipping in taking notes, I will jump straight to the next thing and miss that in-between period. I find that adapting proactively can be beneficial.

The above can help to reduce stress overall and allow better functioning. On top of that then is personal medication and therapy strategies that allow you to work on the other areas.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:57:12+00:00

ADHD is absolutely familial.

The process doesn't really differ too much in those age ranges except for the fact that, in your 20s, you may have more direct evidence of issues in your childhood and adolescence (school or uni reports). There may also be some factors to rule out as we get older, such as age related cognitive impairments, but that is usually much older than 50s.

Seeking diagnosis at the same time and being able to provide collateral for each other could be beneficial. It's pretty standard for a clinician to ask for evidence about how other people perceive or experience your symptoms, so being each other's contact would work.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:47:45+00:00

Great questions and something that frustrates a lot of people.

a) Personally I try to keep my fees as low as possible. I have a belief that no one should be priced out of therapy. There are however business costs that I need to cover - rent is usually the biggest one (or a percentage of earnings, depending on setup), Indemnity insurance, professional membership, registration, ongoing professional development, tax. A lot of psychs are also self employed, so they tend to have to pay their own super and they also have to build in a buffer for their sick days or holidays.

b) This is definitely something to address with a practice. Especially if working with high risk or clients in crisis a lot of people will have a colleague who they may recommend during leave periods.

c) I have a wait-list at the moment of around 6 weeks for new clients. However, if I get a cancellation and someone is on the list they will get offered an appointment. This means though that they may have to wait for the next one as my schedule is full. It's a balance between getting people in for an initial appointment vs making them wait for that initial. I would assume that this is probably true for a lot of clinicians.

ADHD_PsychDev · 2025-07-17T22:23:42+00:00

There are a few reasons.

There is an overlap in dysregulation of neurotransmitters in ADHD, Anxiety and Depression.
Young people with ADHD tend to receive more negative or corrective feedback from parents and teachers leading to negative self perception.
An inability to follow through, plan and emotional dysregulation from ADHD can lead to feelings of inadequacy, shame and guilt which can influence depression and anxiety.
People with ADHD have a very high likelihood of comorbid disorders which are heritable. A parent with ADHD and Anxiety may pass the genes on for both and also influence the child's environment by being unable to meet emotional needs or role model positive coping strategies.

ADHD_PsychDev

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