ADHD ASSESSMENT FAQ’s
Below is a comprehensive outline of what ADHD is, what the assessment process entails and what aftercare is available.
We understand that if you are living with ADHD, this amount of information may be hard to digest and process.
If you would prefer to speak to a member of our team to obtain the information verbally, please don’t hesitate to contact our Clinical Triage and Liaison Team on 020 7139 5051.
Many adults come to The Soke because they want to understand whether ADHD may be affecting their life.
You may be struggling with:
focus;
procrastination;
organisation;
motivation;
restlessness;
impulsivity;
emotional regulation;
work or study demands;
relationships;
burnout;
feeling overwhelmed by everyday tasks.
At The Soke, we do not look at ADHD in isolation.
We consider the whole person, including your mental health, developmental history, relationships, work life, emotional wellbeing, strengths, challenges and any other neurodevelopmental traits, such as Autism.
Our aim is to help you understand yourself more clearly and to create a practical plan for support.
What is ADHD?
ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
It is a neurodevelopmental condition. This means the brain develops and processes information differently.
ADHD can affect attention, concentration, planning, time management, impulse control, motivation, emotional regulation, activity levels and task completion.
ADHD is not laziness, poor discipline or lack of intelligence.
Many people with ADHD are capable, bright and hardworking, but may still find everyday organisation, focus and consistency unusually difficult.
ADHD or ADD?
ADHD is the current diagnostic term.
ADD is an older term that people still use informally.
When someone says “ADD”, they often mean ADHD without obvious hyperactivity. This is usually called ADHD, predominantly inattentive presentation.
Common signs of ADHD in adults
ADHD can look different from person to person.
Some adults mainly struggle with focus and organisation. Others experience restlessness, impulsivity or emotional intensity. Many experience a mixture.
Inattention may show up as losing focus easily, starting tasks but struggling to finish them, procrastinating even when something matters, missing deadlines, forgetting appointments or admin, avoiding boring or detailed tasks, making careless mistakes, misplacing things, feeling overwhelmed by planning, or struggling to follow long instructions.
Impulsivity may show up as interrupting people, speaking before thinking, making quick decisions that are later regretted, spending impulsively, becoming impatient quickly, struggling to wait, reacting strongly in the moment, or finding it hard to pause before acting.
Hyperactivity in adults is not always obvious. It may feel more internal than physical. A person may fidget, feel unable to relax, feel mentally “switched on” all the time, need constant stimulation, feel uncomfortable doing nothing, work best under pressure, swing between boredom and hyperfocus, or feel driven by urgency rather than routine.
ADHD in adults
Adult ADHD is often less visible than childhood ADHD.
It may show up as chronic procrastination, inconsistent performance, underachievement despite ability, difficulty managing admin, emotional reactivity, burnout, poor sleep, relationship strain, difficulty keeping routines, feeling constantly behind, or relying on last-minute pressure.
Some adults feel they are working twice as hard as other people just to keep up.
Over time, this can affect confidence, self-esteem and mental health.
ADHD in women
ADHD in women is often missed.
This may be because symptoms are less disruptive and more internal, girls often learn to mask early, difficulties may be mistaken for anxiety or depression, women may appear organised while struggling privately, motherhood can make ADHD difficulties more visible, and hormonal changes may affect ADHD symptoms.
Some women recognise their own ADHD only after a child is assessed.
Others notice symptoms worsening around premenstrual changes, pregnancy, postnatal life, perimenopause or menopause.
At The Soke, ADHD can be considered alongside wider mental health, emotional wellbeing and hormonal factors where relevant.
ADHD and masking
Some adults with ADHD look as though they are coping well.
They may have strong academic results, demanding jobs, successful careers, busy family lives, high standards and a polished social presentation.
Behind the scenes, however, they may rely on overworking, anxiety, perfectionism, rigid systems, avoidance, last-minute panic, exhaustion or other people compensating for them.
This is sometimes called masking.
Masking can delay diagnosis and increase burnout.
ADHD and other conditions
ADHD can overlap with, or sit alongside, other difficulties.
These may include anxiety, depression, burnout, sleep problems, trauma, OCD, substance use, emotional dysregulation, eating difficulties and Autism.
This is one reason why The Soke starts with a broader neurodevelopmental screening rather than moving straight to a diagnosis.
Sometimes ADHD is the right explanation. Sometimes another difficulty may be affecting concentration, motivation or processing speed. Sometimes both are true.
The Soke’s Adult Neurodevelopmental Assessment Pathway
The Soke’s adult pathway is designed to be thorough, thoughtful and clinically responsible.
It has two stages.
Stage 1: Neurodevelopmental Screening
Every adult ADHD assessment pathway begins with a Stage 1 screening appointment.
This appointment is with a Clinical Psychologist.
It helps us understand whether a formal ADHD assessment is clinically appropriate, or whether another pathway may be more helpful first.
Stage 1 is available from age 17.5 upwards. The appointment lasts 60 minutes and costs £900.
Before the appointment, your practitioner will review screening questionnaires completed by you and an informant. The informant may be a family member, partner, close friend or someone else who knows you well.
The appointment looks at you as a whole person.
It may explore attention, concentration, communication style, relationships, thinking patterns, sensory preferences, interests, emotional wellbeing, developmental history, mood, anxiety, trauma-related experiences, everyday functioning, strengths and areas where support may be helpful.
The aim is not simply to look for a label, it is to understand what is happening and what kind of support would be most useful.
What happens after Stage 1?
After your Stage 1 appointment, your practitioner’s findings are reviewed by The Soke’s Neurodevelopmental Multi-Disciplinary Team. This helps determine the most appropriate next step.
The Client Services Team will usually contact you within 1–2 weeks of your Stage 1 appointment to discuss the recommendation.
If Stage 2 is recommended, the information gathered in Stage 1 forms the first part of your final assessment report.
Possible recommendations after Stage 1
After Stage 1, The Soke may recommend a formal ADHD assessment, a formal Autism assessment, a combined ADHD and Autism assessment, therapeutic support before further diagnostic assessment, psychiatric consultation for mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety or OCD, a pause before moving forward with Stage 2, or not proceeding with a full diagnostic assessment at this stage. This is because concentration, motivation and processing speed can be affected by many things, including anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma and emotional distress. In some cases, it may be more clinically helpful to address those difficulties first.
Stage 2: Full ADHD Diagnostic Assessment
If Stage 2 ADHD assessment is recommended, this appointment is with a Consultant Psychiatrist.
The Stage 2 ADHD assessment lasts 60 minutes and costs £1,025.
The psychiatrist will complete the Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in Adults, known as DIVA-2.
This structured interview looks at ADHD traits in adulthood and childhood.
It explores inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, daily functioning, home life, work or study, relationships and social situations.
The appointment is collaborative and designed to understand your experience, not to pathologise who you are.
Will I receive a report?
Yes.
After a full ADHD diagnostic assessment, you will receive a comprehensive report.
The report will usually include the findings from the assessment process, whether diagnostic criteria are met, your strengths, areas of difficulty, clinical formulation, practical recommendations, suggested strategies and possible next steps for support.
Reports are usually provided within 2–3 weeks after the Stage 2 ADHD assessment.
What if Autism is also relevant?
Some adults seeking ADHD assessment may also have traits associated with Autism.
If this is clinically relevant, The Soke may recommend an Autism assessment or a combined ADHD and Autism assessment.
A formal Autism assessment is completed separately from the ADHD assessment.
The Stage 2 Autism assessment lasts 90 minutes and costs £1,845.
It is completed by a Clinical Psychologist using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule, known as ADOS-2.
This is a structured, face-to-face assessment looking at communication patterns, responses to social cues, social interaction, rigid or repetitive behaviours, coping strategies, strengths and areas that may feel challenging.
After the Autism assessment, you will receive a comprehensive report and a 30-minute feedback session.
Why might The Soke recommend pausing before Stage 2?
Sometimes, a full diagnostic assessment is not the most helpful next step immediately.
This may happen if your current difficulties are better understood through another explanation, such as anxiety, depression, burnout, trauma, emotional distress, cultural context, life circumstances, thinking style or past experiences.
These factors can affect concentration, motivation, processing speed and day-to-day functioning.
They can sometimes resemble ADHD traits.
In this situation, The Soke may recommend support first, before deciding whether to continue with diagnostic assessment later.
Treatment and support after assessment
If ADHD is diagnosed, or if ADHD traits are identified, The Soke can discuss appropriate support options.
These may include psychoeducation, psychiatric review, medication discussion where appropriate, therapy, ADHD-informed coaching, emotional regulation strategies, support for anxiety, depression or burnout, sleep support, relationship or family support, and workplace or study recommendations.
The right plan depends on your needs, goals and clinical picture.
Psychoeducation
Psychoeducation means understanding how ADHD affects you.
It can help you make sense of focus, motivation, procrastination, impulsivity, emotional regulation, sleep, relationships, shame, self-criticism and burnout.
For many people, diagnosis brings mixed feelings. You may feel relief, sadness, validation, anger, regret or confusion.
Understanding ADHD can be an important first step in moving forward.
Therapy for ADHD
Therapy can help with the emotional impact of ADHD.
It may support anxiety, low mood, shame, self-criticism, emotional regulation, relationship difficulties, confidence, burnout and identity after diagnosis.
Therapy does not remove ADHD.
It can help you understand yourself and build more sustainable ways of living.
ADHD coaching
Coaching is more practical and skills-based.
It can help with routines, planning, prioritising, time management, organisation, task initiation, accountability, work-life balance, study skills, parenting and communication.
Many people with ADHD know what they need to do. The difficulty is often doing it consistently. Coaching can help bridge that gap.
Medication for ADHD
Medication may be one option. It is not compulsory.
A psychiatrist can discuss whether medication is appropriate, possible benefits, possible side effects, sleep, appetite, blood pressure and pulse, medication timing, and alternatives if one option does not suit.
Medication decisions should always be made with a qualified prescriber.
Lifestyle support
Lifestyle changes do not cure ADHD. They can, however, make symptoms easier to manage.
Helpful areas may include sleep, movement, nutrition, routine, stress management, reducing overwhelm, building realistic systems and creating supportive environments.
The aim is not perfection.
The aim is to make daily life more manageable.
Strengths and ADHD
ADHD can bring strengths as well as difficulties.
Some people with ADHD are creative, energetic, intuitive, fast-thinking, entrepreneurial, emotionally perceptive, good in a crisis, able to think differently and highly focused when interested.
The aim of assessment and treatment is not to change who you are.
The aim is to understand what is getting in the way, reduce impairment and help you function more comfortably.
How The Soke can help
The Soke can support adults who are wondering whether they have ADHD, seeking a formal ADHD assessment, exploring ADHD and Autism, struggling with work, study or relationships, experiencing anxiety, depression or burnout alongside ADHD traits, seeking a clearer understanding of lifelong patterns, or looking for practical recommendations after diagnosis.
The pathway begins with a Stage 1 neurodevelopmental screening.
From there, The Soke’s Multi-Disciplinary Team will recommend the most appropriate next step.
Next step
To discuss an adult ADHD or neurodevelopmental assessment, contact The Soke Clinical Triage & Liaison Team.
Telephone: 020 7139 5051
Email: referrals@thesoke.uk
The team can explain the pathway, answer practical questions and help you understand which assessment route may be most appropriate.