Inattentive and Talkative. ADHD?
Our resident clinical psychologists offer replies to reader questions submitted anonymously to Ask the Psychologist.
Reader’s Question
I am a 19-year-old female, and recently a friend suggested that I might have ADHD. We have been friends a long time, and she has just noticed that my symptoms match her cousin who has recently been diagnosed. My symptoms are lack of attention, chatting a lot, unable to finish tasks, butt in a lot in conversations, find it hard to wait my turn, daydream constantly, fidget, need tons of attention and when I don’t get it (affection, just general attention) I start getting hyper and agitated, basically being bad. It’s really embarrasing. I know I’m doing it, but I can’t stop it. I also took a test online and I got over 70%. How do I find out for sure if I have ADHD?
Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply
A psychologist or psychiatrist can provide an assessment for adult ADHD. They typically have more sophisticated psychological testing that separates ADHD from other conditions that have similar symptoms such as social anxiety or certain personality issues. If you can’t find a psychiatrist or psychologist in your area, you might contact a local university. Colleges often have counseling centers that provide evaluations for ADHD.
Other questions answered by Dr Joseph M Carver, PhD
This article was last reviewed by on Thursday, 23rd August 2007.
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http://counsellingresource.com/ask-the-psychologist/2007/08/23/inattentive-and-talkative/
