Health3 min(s) read
A doctor has developed a quiz designed to help people who suspect they might have ADHD.
ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder) is defined by patterns of behavior. People with the neurodevelopmental condition typically display a continuous pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity that interferes with daily functioning and development.
In the US, more than 15 million adults - roughly 1 in 17 - have been diagnosed, according to a study cited by The Independent. Meanwhile, in the UK, between three and four percent of adults are thought to have ADHD, according to NHS figures.
Men are more frequently diagnosed with ADHD, but women tend to experience the same type, number, and severity of symptoms.
Experts have suggested that women are more likely to show inattentive symptoms, including difficulties with concentration, organisation, and memory, while men and boys are more commonly found with hyperactive or impulsive symptoms, which can be easier to identify.
Dr Ali Ajaz, a consultant psychiatrist based in London, has created an 11-question quiz designed to help people see if they may have ADHD.
He noted that diagnostic criteria are often “biased against women in general,” suggesting that the quiz could be particularly helpful for women who suspect they might have ADHD, as well as men.
In the quiz, which was shared by the Daily Record, participants are asked to score themselves between one and five points for each question, with one meaning “very rarely” and five meaning “very often.”
Here are the 11 questions:
According to the health professional, “if you score over 35, it’s possible that you might have ADHD".
However, he recommends speaking to a doctor “about a specialist referral,” as adult diagnoses for ADHD are made by specialists and cannot be confirmed unless symptoms have been present since childhood, given that ADHD is not currently considered to develop in adults.
It is not the type of condition that can be self-diagnosed, and Dr Ajaz’s quiz is intended as a tool for reflection rather than a formal diagnostic test.
