ADD/ADHD Self Test

Inattention (low attention span)

Six or more of the following symptoms of inattention have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

1. Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes in schoolwork or other activities.
2. Often has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or play activities.
3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly
4. Often does not follow through on instruction and fails to finish schoolwork, chores or duties in the workplace (not due to oppositional behavior or failure to understand instructions.)
5. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities.
6. Often avoids, dislikes or is reluctant to engage in tasks that require sustained mental effort (such as schoolwork or homework.)
\
7. Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities (e.g., toys school assignments, pencils, books, or tools.)
8. Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli.
9. Is often forgetful in daily activities.

Hyperactivity-Impulsiveness

Six or more of the following symptoms of hyperactivity-impulsivity have persisted for at least 6 months to a degree that is maladaptive and inconsistent with developmental level:

1. Often fidgets with hands or feet or squirms in seat.
2. Often leaves seat in classroom or in other situation in which remaining seated is expected.
3. Often runs about or climbs excessively in situations in which it is inappropriate (in adolescents or adults may be limited to subjective feelings of restlessness.)
4. Often has difficulty playing or engaging in leisure activities quietly.
5. Is often "on the go" or often acts as if "driven by a motor."
6. Often talks excessively.
7. Often blurts out answers before questions have been completed.
8. Often has difficulty awaiting turn.
9. Often interrupts or intrudes on others (e.g., at school or work and at home.)

Additional Considerations

1. Some hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive symptoms that caused impairment were present before age 7 years.
2. Some impairment from the symptoms is present in two or more settings (e.g., at school or work and at home.)
3. There must be clear evidence of clinically significant impairment in social, academic or occupational functioning.
4. The symptoms do not occur exclusively during the course of a Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenic or other Psychotic Disorder and are not better accounted for by another mental disorder (e.g., Mood Disorder, Anxiety Disorder, Dissociate Disorder or a Personality Disorder.)

General Adult ADHD Symptom Checklist

In conjunction with other diagnostic techniques the following general adult ADHD checklist helps further define ADHD symptoms. No ADHD adult has all of the symptoms, but if you notice a strong presence of more than 20 of these symptoms, there is a strong likelihood of ADHD.

Please read this list of behaviors and rate yourself (or the person who has asked you to rate him or her) on each behavior listed. Print the text below and then, using the following scale, and place the appropriate number next to the item. The scoring procedure is at the end of the test.

0 = Never       1 = Rarely       2 = Occasionally       3 = Frequently       4 = Very Frequently

IMPORTANT: This is not a tool for self-diagnosis. Its purpose is simply to help you determine whether ADHD may be a factor in the behavior of the person you are assessing using this checklist. An actual diagnosis can be made only by an experienced professional.

Past History

1. _____ History of ADHD symptoms in childhood, such as distractibility, short attention span, impulsiveness or restlessness. ADHD doesn't start at age 30.
2. _____ History of not living up to potential in school or work (report cards with comments such as not living up to potential)
3. _____ History of frequent behavior problems in school (mostly for males)
4. _____ History of bed-wetting past age 5
5. _____ Family history of ADD, learning problems, mood disorders or substance abuse problems 

Short Attention Span/Distractibility

6. _____ Short attention span, unless very interested in something
7. _____ Easily distracted, tendency to drift away (although at times can be hyper focused)
8. _____ Lacks attention to detail, due to distractibility
9. _____ Trouble listening carefully to directions
10. _____ Frequently misplaces things
11. _____ Skips around while reading or goes to the end first, trouble staying on track
12. _____ Difficulty learning new games because it is hard to stay on track during directions
13. _____ Easily distracted during sex causing frequent breaks or turnoffs during love making
14. _____ Poor listening skills
15. _____ Tendency to be easily bored (tunes out)

Restlessness

16. _____ Restlessness, constant motion, legs moving, fidgety
17. _____ Has to be moving in order to think
18. _____ Trouble sitting still, such as trouble sitting in one place for too long, sitting at a desk job for long periods, sitting through a movie
19. _____ An internal sense of anxiety or nervousness

Impulsiveness

20. _____ Impulsive in words and/or actions (spending)
21. _____ Say just what comes to mind without considering its impact (tactless)
22. _____ Trouble going through established channels, trouble following proper procedure, an attitude of, "Read the directions only if all else fails."
23. _____ Impatient, low frustration tolerance
24. _____ A prisoner of the moment
25. _____ Frequent traffic violations
26. _____ Frequent, impulsive job changes
27. _____ Tendency to embarrass others
28. _____ Lying or stealing on impulse

Poor Organization

29. _____ Poor organization and planning, trouble maintaining an organized work/living area
30. _____ Chronically late or chronically in a hurry
31. _____ Often has piles of stuff
32. _____ Easily overwhelmed by tasks of daily living
33. _____ Poor financial management (late bills, checkbook a mess, spending unnecessary money on late fees)
34. _____ Some adults with ADHD are very successful, but often only if they are surrounded with people who organize them.

Problems Getting Started and Following Through

35. _____ Chronic procrastination or trouble getting started
36. _____ Starting projects but not finishing them, poor follow through
37. _____ Enthusiastic beginnings but poor endings
38. _____ Spends excessive time at work because of inefficiencies
39. _____ Inconsistent work performance

Negative Internal Feelings

40. _____ Chronic sense of underachievement, feeling you should be much further along in your life
41. _____ Chronic problems with self-esteem
42. _____ Sense of impending doom
43. _____ Mood swings
44. _____ Negativity
45. _____ Frequent feeling of demoralization or that things won't work out for you

Relational Difficulties

46. _____ Trouble sustaining friendships or intimate relationships, promiscuity
47. _____ Trouble with intimacy
48. _____ Tendency to be immature
49. _____ Self-centered; immature interests
50. _____ Failure to see others' needs or activities as important
51. _____ Lack of talking in a relationship
52. _____ Verbally abusive to others
53. _____ Proneness to hysterical outburst
54. _____ Avoids group activities
55. _____ Trouble with authority

Short Fuse

56. _____ Quick responses to slights that are real or imagined
57. _____ Rage outbursts, short fuse

Frequent Search For High Stimulation

58. _____ Frequent search for high stimulation (bungee jumping, gambling, high stress jobs, ER doctors, doing many things at once, etc.)
59. _____ Tendency to seek conflict, be argumentative or to start disagreements for the fun of it

Tendency To Get Stuck (thoughts or behaviors)

60. _____ Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly
61. _____ Tendency toward addictions (food, alcohol, drugs, work)

Switches Things Around

62. _____ Switches around numbers, letters or words
63. _____ Turn words around in conversations

Writing/Fine Motor Coordination Difficulties

64. _____ Poor writing skills (hard to get information from brain to pen)
65. _____ Poor handwriting, often prints
66. _____ Coordination difficulties

The Harder I Try The Worse It Gets

67. _____ Performance becomes worse under pressure.
68. _____ Test anxiety or during tests your mind tends to go blank
69. _____ The harder you try, the worse it gets
70. _____ Work or schoolwork deteriorates under pressure
71. _____ Tendency to turn off or become stuck when asked questions in social situations
72. _____ Falls asleep or becomes tired while reading

Sleep/Wake Difficulties

73. _____ Difficulties falling asleep, may be due to too many thoughts at night
74. _____ Difficulty coming awake (may need coffee or other stimulant or activity before feeling fully awake.)

Low Energy

75. _____ Periods of low energy, especially early in the morning and in the afternoon
76. _____ Frequently feeling tired

Sensitive To Noise Or Touch

77. _____ Easily startled
78. _____ Sensitive to touch, clothing, noise and light

When you have completed the above checklist, calculate the following:

1. Total Score: _______
2. Total Number of Items with a score of three (3) or more: _______
3. Score for Item #1: _______
4. Score for Item #6: _______
5. Score for Item #7: _______

More than 20 items with a score of three or more indicates a strong tendency toward ADHD. Items 1, 6, and 7 are essential to make the diagnosis.

The amino acids, vitamins and minerals required to produce the neuro-transmitters in sufficient quantities associated with ADD/ADHD are available in one multi-amino acid formula called Neu-Becalm'd.