How to get an Adult ADHD Diagnosis in Melbourne

To access your ADHD assessment, diagnosis and ongoing treatment you’ll need patience and to use your executive function to complete a lot of tasks – how ironic. To obtain an ADHD assessment Melbourne adults must navigate a complex public system, and may face setbacks when accessing private health insurance. If you require NDIS support, you could be looking at an overwhelming task. All psychiatrists perform tailored ADHD assessments that must comply with government regulation, so while not every process will be exactly as you’ll see below, this is a rough guide to getting an ADHD diagnosis in Melbourne.

 

1. Talk to your private health provider to see if your ADHD diagnosis will be covered. If not, decide if you should upgrade your health cover and wait out the no claim periods. ADHD assessment is expensive, although the costs are generally spread out over several months. Your ADHD assessment, if uninsured, will cost you more than $AU2000 even with Medicare rebates.

2. Find an ADHD Psychiatrist taking new patients. This is harder than it sounds. Call all Melbourne ADHD psychiatrists near you. There won’t be many. Ask about fees and wait times. Some private psychiatry clinics will have lower wait times than others. If you’re planning on going through the public system, be prepared to wait months, if not years for an appointment.

3. Book a long consultation with your GP. Your GP will do a preliminary assessment (a questionnaire) around childhood and current issues that relate to the spectrum of symptoms that make up ADHD. If your GP finds there are grounds for further investigation, you’ll be referred to a psychiatrist for an ADHD assessment. Request the referral to be sent to the Melbourne psych clinic you’ve made contact with. Most GPs will have a preferred provider, stress that you’d like to see the provider you’ve found.

4. Your GP will also enact a mental health plan for you. This allows for you to claim Medicare rebates on your appointments. You may also wish to discuss a plan for Occupational Therapy to assist with managing your symptoms. This is a separate plan.

5. Call to make an appointment. There will likely be a delay, even if you’re paying out of pocket or via private health insurance.

6. Prep your friends and family. If you’re found to likely have ADHD, your psychiatrist will request documentation from friends and family. This may includes old school reports, questionaires from sibilings or parents, feedback from your current partner and trusted colleagues. This can be a surprisingly triggering process. Talk to close friends and family you’d like to approach, so that they know what’s coming and can begin to understand what you’re going through.

7. When your first appointment rolls around, you’ll see a psychiatrist for 40 minutes to 2 hours depending on the clinic. During that time you’ll discuss your challenges with the psychiatrist and also complete several assessments. If the psychiatrist feels there are grounds to move ahead, you will be asked to get friends and family to complete the evidence documents.

8. Your psychiatrist will discuss medication and treatment options. Should you choose the medication path, you’ll be required to submit all paperwork before they can prescribe.

9. You may be required to have an Echo Cardiogram to ensure that your heart is in suitable shape. You will need to do this before any medication can be prescribed. Usually your GP can perform this in their clinic however you may be required to get a referral to a testing centre.

10. You will be required to book a second appointment within a month at which time you’ll need to return all your paperwork.

11. Remember that friends and family carry their own prejudices and see situations through their own lenses. Their reports may not paint you in a favourable light. It may dismiss your diagnosis as “nonsense”. A good psychiatrist will understand that. There’s a saying that goes “the parent that most strongly denies your ADHD diagnosis is the one that gave it to you”.

12. At your second appointment (usually only 45 minutes) your psychiatrist will discuss the reports your friends and family submitted, and may also explore the relationships around you. If they find that the evidence supports an ADHD diagnosis, the next step involves treatment options. If you’re planning on using medication, you’ll need to book a third appointment for 6-8 weeks time.

13. If you have opted not to take medication, your psychiatrist will discuss intervention options, including Occupational Therapy and may recommend a psychologist in Melbourne to aid with the psychological barriers caused by the condition.

14. If you’ve opted to try medication, you’ll likely be placed on a very low dose, with instructions to increase the dosage over a 6–8-week period. This is to ensure that the dosage works but doesn’t not cause adverse side effects (including sleep disruption, light headedness, anxiety and other physical and mental health issues).

15. Your third appointment, could be your final appointment with the psychiatrist for now. If the medication dosage has been established and you’re happy with the progress you’ve made, your psychiatrist will then arrange for your GP to take over prescriptions. This process involves authorization with a government body and can take up to two weeks.

16. At this time you can ask the psychiatrist for anything additional you may need, including reports for your employer. These reports are not “included” and you may find management recommendations cost upwards of $2000 each.

17. You will need to revisit your psychiatrist if you need to change your medication dosages and some psychiatrists will insist on an “annual check in” to ensure that you are on the right meds, the right dose and making the right progress.

18. From there, you GP will be able to prescribe you medication and manage further treatment/therapy options. You will still have appointments available on your mental health plan which can be used getting advice from a psychologist.

It’s a long process and one that can be frustrating. Just the kind of thing that people with ADHD struggle with. Hang in there. Knowing your own behaviours, ways to cope with challenges and how your perceptions and reactions may differ to others will unlock a new world of understanding and a new way to manage your whole life. So worth the drama.