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Original poster

Is there any benefit to an ADHD diagnosis as an adult?

126 replies

Shewas · 13/07/2026 16:14

I've started to wonder about myself and since I started doing some research, loads of those sound bite reels about ADHD in older women keep popping up in FB. Many of them are uncanny in the way they describe me, especially my reaction to rejection, and the procrastination followed by god mode to never miss a deadline.

But, at 56, is there any point making the effort/spending the money to have it formally diagnosed?

OP posts:
dizzydizzydizzy · 14/07/2026 17:56

Itchthescratch · 14/07/2026 16:27

No, they are figures from the same study. The study I linked earlier from the British Journal of Psychiatry. So concerns regarding overlap and different definitions are alleviated.

The ASRS is the primary screening tool for NHS. I don't know why you think loads of people are being clinically screened out via other methods. When do you think this happens? In my experience the screening pretty much guarantees you an assessment unless there is an obvious alternative diagnosis that explains the positive screening which is rare. If people don't choose to pursue a diagnosis it doesn't mean they don't have ADHD so they should still count in prevelance statistics. It is data from these studies using ASRS screening that helps to catch those who choose not to get diagnosed.

Every piece of research suggests that ADHD skews for age and deprivation (poor children are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD ). All of this should be alarming as obviously a truly genetic neurodevelopmental disorder wouldn't show this level of variance within groups.

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Oh and regarding tbe ASRS…..: all the ADHD assessments I have been involved in (private and NHS) they were all similar in that we were sent multiple screeners and questionnaires. The clinicians then evaluated them and if it looked like the patient would be diagnosable with ADHD, they were put on the waiting list for a full assessment. My brother was kicked off the NHS waiting list because he did not return all the forms.

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