Try getting a referral from your family doctor to see a psychiatrist
EDIT: The psychiatrist can do an assessment, prescribe medication, and will generally have the best knowledge on treatment. The appointments are covered under provincial health care. You may just have to wait a while
I called access mental health, and they contacted my doctor with the name of a psychiatrist who does assessments. My doctor then did the referral.
Everything was covered through AHS.
The Family Psychology Clinic has two locations, one in the north and one in the south. They did a great job assessing me and my son for adhd and they do a whole slew of assessments.
If your doctor prescribed you ADHD meds, would that not then be a diagnosis? Women are often missed and undiagnosed in childhood so the fact your doctor thinks you had it is a pretty good chance you do. Also, if you didn’t have ADHD, the meds would not have worked/they would have obviously had effects like being ‘high’ etc.
It’s also not uncommon for women to have both ADHD and autism, but again, due to lack of studies on the female population, we’re often overlooked for that too. If ADHD checks some of the boxes for your behaviour, but autism fits the rest, wouldn’t surprise me at all if you had both.
I’m currently diagnosed with ADHD but have yet to seek out an autism assessment. However I had very similar feelings to you after I started adhd meds - why wasn’t it affecting things in the way I expected? It helped in many areas but if anything it helped the autism traits come through a bit stronger since the adhd ones were now managed.
Going private for an assessment is going to be pricey (been there) so I’d suggest starting a conversation with your primary doc first, and see what options they have for referral.
Riverwest Therapy Collective!!! Contact Meg at the Heart body & mind association there.
I had my assessment done last month and am just waiting for the report now. Good luck!!!
Edit: my assessment was at a reduced rate, ask about it!
You're welcome!! I got recommended there by my psychologist Laurel York at Alberta Counseling Center who specializes with neurodivergence so you could always look at booking a session or two with her to get some input.
You could have both ADHD and autism which is what I think I have going on with me, or you may have one or the other or neither!
Anyways, good for you for seeking answers. It's not easy to advocate for ourselves at times. All the best!
If you pursue a specific diagnosis that's what you'll get.
Also, an autism diagnosis doesn't mean anything any more unless you're completely non-functioning. It's the new ADHD diagnosis. All the cool kids are getting it.
If you’re prescribed adhd medication you are diagnosed. Canada doesn’t consider ADHD on the spectrum yet but some places are beginning too (can’t recall which but I believe aus is one).
My point being, even with a diagnosis it’s confusing. My therapist is trained in autism diagnosis and has done an unofficial test, and said I show very little signs. Yet due to being diagnosed as ADHD, here in Canada, I’m not on the spectrum but in aus I would be.
So IMO, If you’re doing it just for answers, save the money, and just self diagnose like everyone else 🤣
ADHD isn’t considered to be on the autism spectrum in Australia. I’m also Australian and have ADHD. There’s definitely a comorbidity between the two, but I’ve never heard of ADHD being considered to be on the autism spectrum and would be interested to learn more if certain countries are doing that.
Try getting a referral from your family doctor to see a psychiatrist EDIT: The psychiatrist can do an assessment, prescribe medication, and will generally have the best knowledge on treatment. The appointments are covered under provincial health care. You may just have to wait a while
I called access mental health, and they contacted my doctor with the name of a psychiatrist who does assessments. My doctor then did the referral. Everything was covered through AHS.
The Family Psychology Clinic has two locations, one in the north and one in the south. They did a great job assessing me and my son for adhd and they do a whole slew of assessments.
Don’t seek a specific diagnosis. You can get a referral to a psychiatrist via a family doctor.
If your doctor prescribed you ADHD meds, would that not then be a diagnosis? Women are often missed and undiagnosed in childhood so the fact your doctor thinks you had it is a pretty good chance you do. Also, if you didn’t have ADHD, the meds would not have worked/they would have obviously had effects like being ‘high’ etc. It’s also not uncommon for women to have both ADHD and autism, but again, due to lack of studies on the female population, we’re often overlooked for that too. If ADHD checks some of the boxes for your behaviour, but autism fits the rest, wouldn’t surprise me at all if you had both. I’m currently diagnosed with ADHD but have yet to seek out an autism assessment. However I had very similar feelings to you after I started adhd meds - why wasn’t it affecting things in the way I expected? It helped in many areas but if anything it helped the autism traits come through a bit stronger since the adhd ones were now managed. Going private for an assessment is going to be pricey (been there) so I’d suggest starting a conversation with your primary doc first, and see what options they have for referral.
Riverwest Therapy Collective!!! Contact Meg at the Heart body & mind association there. I had my assessment done last month and am just waiting for the report now. Good luck!!! Edit: my assessment was at a reduced rate, ask about it!
You’re an angel. Thank you so much. Going to look into it!!
You're welcome!! I got recommended there by my psychologist Laurel York at Alberta Counseling Center who specializes with neurodivergence so you could always look at booking a session or two with her to get some input. You could have both ADHD and autism which is what I think I have going on with me, or you may have one or the other or neither! Anyways, good for you for seeking answers. It's not easy to advocate for ourselves at times. All the best!
Absolutely LOVE the folks at Riverwest, came here to recommend them as well
Hi! Can you dm me!
You can have both ADHD and Autism. I do
If you pursue a specific diagnosis that's what you'll get. Also, an autism diagnosis doesn't mean anything any more unless you're completely non-functioning. It's the new ADHD diagnosis. All the cool kids are getting it.
https://preview.redd.it/zeguru2n49wc1.png?width=500&format=png&auto=webp&s=1b3c97641ff6b50d2c89012ee2b559983f339e0a
On Reddit
Or tik tok
Definitely don't take medication for something you're not actually diagnosed with.
Doctor prescribed medication. Regardless of the diagnosis, do you expect a child to challenge a doctor on this?
Not at all but as an adult I would stop taking the medication until I got a proper diagnosis.
ah yes, just stop taking a medication that has serious withdrawals among other issues. just that easy
If you’re prescribed adhd medication you are diagnosed. Canada doesn’t consider ADHD on the spectrum yet but some places are beginning too (can’t recall which but I believe aus is one). My point being, even with a diagnosis it’s confusing. My therapist is trained in autism diagnosis and has done an unofficial test, and said I show very little signs. Yet due to being diagnosed as ADHD, here in Canada, I’m not on the spectrum but in aus I would be. So IMO, If you’re doing it just for answers, save the money, and just self diagnose like everyone else 🤣
ADHD isn’t considered to be on the autism spectrum in Australia. I’m also Australian and have ADHD. There’s definitely a comorbidity between the two, but I’ve never heard of ADHD being considered to be on the autism spectrum and would be interested to learn more if certain countries are doing that.