Symptom Tests for Adults

[Self-Test] Do I Have ADHD? Symptom Test for Adults

Do I have ADD? Take this free ADHD test to assess whether attention deficit hyperactivity disorder explains your symptoms of disorganization, hypersensitivity, lack of productivity, poor memory, emotional dysregulation, bad time management, and struggles with money and with work. Share the results with a mental health care professional for evaluation.

By ADDitude Editors Verified Medically reviewed by ADDitude’s ADHD Medical Review Panel Updated on September 7, 2021

Do I Have ADHD? What Are Common ADD and ADHD Symptoms In Adults?

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impacts the prefrontal cortex of the brain — the area responsible for executive functions, emotional regulation, and impulse control, among other things. Most children with ADHD become adults with ADHD because, though symptoms shift and change with age, they rarely go away all together.

ADHD in adults looks and acts different than ADHD in children, but clinicians’ diagnostic criteria — as outlined in the DSM-5 — does not differentiate adult vs. childhood symptoms, which sacrifices the accuracy of assessments. Take this self-test to learn more about the ADHD and ADD symptoms in adults, and then take what you learn to a mental health care professional for evaluation.

Adult ADHD Test

This ADHD symptom test was adapted from the ASRS Screener developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Workgroup on Adult ADHD

How often do you have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?

How often do you leave your seat in meetings or other situations in which you are expected to remain seated?

How often do you have difficulty unwinding and relaxing when you have time to yourself?

When you’re in a conversation, how often do you find yourself finishing the sentence of the people you are talking to before they can finish it themselves?

How often do you put things off until the last minute?

How often do you depend on others to keep your life in order and attend to details?

(Optional) Would you like to receive your ADHD symptom test results — plus more helpful resources — via email from ADDitude?

This questionnaire is designed to determine whether you demonstrate symptoms similar to those of adults with ADHD and is intended for adults ages 18 and older. If you answer yes to a significant number of these questions, consult a mental health practitioner. An accurate diagnosis can only be made through clinical evaluation by a trained mental health professional.

If you are using a mobile device, you may need to scroll up to see your results for this ADHD symptom test.

Can’t see the self-test questions above? Click here to open this ADHD symptom test in a new window.

ADHD Test for Adults: Next Steps

ADD is often hereditary; many children with ADHD have a parent with the condition. However, not all parents are diagnosed because ADHD was not well understood (particularly symptoms in women) 20, 30, or 40 years ago. As scientific research grows and our understanding of symptoms such as rejection sensitive dysphoria grows, more adults are pursuing an ADHD diagnosis and treatment. Treatment, with a stimulant medication like amphetamine (i.e. Adderall) or methylphenidate (i.e. Concerta or Ritalin) — and with an ADHD food plan, brain training, exercise, and therapy — can be transformative at any age.

1. Take This Test: The ADHD Test for Women
2. Take This Test: Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria in Adults
3. Take This Test: Do I Have ADD? Inattentive Symptom Test
4. Learn More: About ADHD in Adults
5. Download 6 Steps to a Thorough ADHD Evaluation
6. Take This Test: The WebMD ADHD Test
7. Research Your ADHD Treatment Options
8. Consult Our Post-Diagnosis Guide for Adults
9. Find ADHD Specialists Near You

91 Comments & Reviews

  1. Can maintaining to keep the house tidy and clean be a struggle for people with ADD? And also i can go to shoping and go to every day places, but i struggle to go to complicated places by my self. Eventhough i have been to those places with someone i easiliy get lost when i go by my self and i e s up asking for directions to get there, has this got to do anything with ADD?

    1. I would like to think so as I was wondering this myself. I tend to do the same things exactly as this is saying. As a mother of two young children I can see signs of ADHD in them however never even thought or have crossed my mind that I could have been the one that gave it to them. My husband is the same way. The reason that brought me here is actually very interesting. I was brought her because I searched, ” Why do I get irritated after sex, and as I was reading an article about couples having the same problems, the same answer came through ADHD, and as I am trying to take this test, I immediately couldn’t finish it as it requires to much words and reading that is also another clue to me that my mind just doesn’t have the patience to sit still enough to take a test if I do and may have ADHD which of course I know how its very likely and true that I do since I have infinite hours just procrastinating doing anything else but clean. I just always thought people grow out of it and never though I had it, so this has opened up a reality for me I never knew. :/ Now to break the news of this to my husband too. He gets the same way after intercourse, and although it seems funny it definitely puts a damper in relationships. How can you both enjoy and be angry at something so primal and satisfying…..stupid ADHD.

  4. I scored a 97%. I’m not entirely sure if this is because I’m primed to think I have ADD or if it’s because it’s actually true. Regardless, as someone who is 17 and has a parent that refuses to have them diagnosed professionally, is there anything I can do?

    1. Thats hard. My personal oppinion would be to go to a doctor or other trusted professional once you hit 18, as then you can ask them for confidentiality. But if you absolutley cant wait and you see your grades failing, or are struggling to keep yourself on task while doing homework etc., then you need to find solutions that can hold you over until you are able to go find someone that can help you professionally.

      Keep in mind i am not certified to treat or diagnose adhd and the only real certification i can cite is the fact that i have been diagnosed by a professional and am currently on medication for it. Now medication is a big help, but it is by no means the only thing that can help you cope with adhd. Some things i have found, especially related to studying etc is working out or exercising right before i study/do homework. This always helps because i feel less energetic and jittery after im done and can usually concentrate on what im doing. Also in regards to the medication, it is a stimulant (i take adderall, but most if not all adhd medications are going to be some form of stimulant). That being said, stimulants come in all different forms. Take coffee for example. It is a stimulant, and while i dont drink it that often, when i was out of medication and had no substitute, coffee at least seemed to help a little bit.

      Coffee, though may not work for you specifically, as there are different forms of adhd that effect different parts of the brain. Working out though is usually a pretty good thing to do and is good for all forms of adhd.

      Alot of it will be testing solutions for yourself. Hell even the medication could not work, so finding the right things that help you stay focused/motivated/whatever is an imperative. Search around on forums and other website and try to incorporate different suggestions into your life to see if they work.

      Sorry for the wall of text, i know its kind of counter active on a web site for adhd LOL. Good luck though. If you have any questions, just ask and i will try my best to answer, or at least point you in the direction of a resource that can.

  5. Chef_K

    Treat today as day one. Find a pencil and a journal. Write the date in it, write down how you feel. Write down how you would like to feel. Try really hard to avoid using the word ‘DON’T’.

    Accept there will be good day and bad days, but that with systems, hacks and support you will do better, be more productive and find greater contentment.

    To recap. Go get that pencil and a book to write in.

    Start.

    Pencil. paper.

    Start.

    1. Hi. I started a journal 2 years ago. Unfortunately, that’s also extremely difficult for me personally. Actually it is on my bedside table in plain view! Sigh, pen to paper my thoughts seems overwhelming. I must find a doctor .. One whom will LISTEN. Thanks, I never ever post in forums.

  6. Can it be possible for ADD to appear after childhood? I seem to notice during my teen years until now (I’m 18), that something is really wrong with me.

    -I am so reckless and I don’t feel any pang of guilt everytime I do something that I feel doing. I thought this was just the attitude of risk-takers if I am not mistaken.
    -I don’t know how to cope up with people’s feeling; of why my words hurt them, what should I say for them to feel that I am a normal person.
    -I always buy unnecessary things impulsively.
    -I try to read my academic books back and forth but still the information wont sink into my mind.
    -I tend to make excuses to avoid meetings or group planning.
    -I schedule when I should procrastinate (I know it’s awful)

    I got 87% as a result. Can somebody help me? I don’t wanna tell anyone yet they might think I am crazy and lame for making up an excuse just to avoid effort. 🙁

  8. I recognize myself in nearly 100 percent of these articles especially sensory processing and emotional sensitivity as well as time blindness.social anxiety has been and continues to be a painful aspect of life with ADHD. Have been diagnosed with ADHD for close to 20 years and take the maximum dose of generic adderall. Would love some suggestions that could help these issues. I didn’t realize until reading this that what was wrong with me had anything to do with my lack of focus..

    1. I was diagnosed ADHD years ago but didn’t believe it so I put off seeking treatment til recently. I am not hyper, I’m hoghly organized and can stay on task well (unless it’s boring to me) so I thought “no way” to the diagnosis but understand it better now and recognize the need for treatment. Adderall did nothing for me-I currently take Vyvanse, up to 60mg now, and even that’s not quite enough. My doc offers genetic testing to see how your liver metabolizes different ADHD meds so I can get a list of what would work best for me based on my liver function. You should look into that-might be a better med option for you.

    1. I got the same score and I was diagnosed ADHD. ADHD has many faces-I think ppl tend to assume if one symptom isn’t applicable to them then they mustn’t be ADHD but that’s not true. Best to see a psychiatrist. I finally accepted my diagnosis and am taking meds and tho I’m still trying to find the “right one”, it’s definitely still a positive change.

  12. I had 94% and am a raging Adhder. I am also lefthanded and had to become ambidextrous when i Broke my left arm around my 3rd birthday. Scored brilliantly on IQ tests as did my lefthanded sister who was forced at school to write right handed. There is speculation that lefthanders and ambidextrous persons have increased corpus collossum area for transmitting all those messages to different parts of the brain. Although i only completed grade 9 and parts of grade 10 and 11 successful mensa tests and worked very successfully as an Actuarial and Benefit consultant and Entrepreneur. Once answered a complex pension negotiation cost question while driving back to our office. No Didnt pull over…. did calc in my head then tested it using another method. Answer was prohibitively expensive saving the company a 7 figure embarassment. Later actuary from another firm did the calculation and for a mere $25,000 came up with a similar answer to mine. Actuary charged 100 hours, mine was 20 minutes of highway driving.
    As other ADHDers with this phenonoma include Albert Einstein.Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Paul McArtney, Leonardo Da Vinci and MichealAngelo i wonder if any research longtitudinal studies have been done particularly about ambidexterity and right handers.

      1. You don’t have to sign up dewd, you can get your results without an email address. But if you’ve got ADHD u probs should tbh, it’s domdorting and nice to know other ppl are in the same boat

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