How do you know if you have ADHD? You cannot tell from a quiz or a checklist alone. Only a trained clinician can confirm it, after a thorough assessment that looks at your history, your daily life and how long symptoms have been there.
This guide explains the signs people look for, how a proper assessment works in Australia and what to do next. For the full pathway, see our guide to getting an ADHD diagnosis in Australia.
The Australian ADHD Guideline describes ADHD through nine inattentive and nine hyperactive-impulsive symptoms, and the number needed depends on age (AADPA).
These questions can help you reflect before talking to your GP. They are not a test.
Laziness is a judgement, not a diagnosis. A clinician looks at the pattern behind your difficulties.
If you keep asking “am I lazy or do I have ADHD?”, that is a good reason to talk to your GP rather than keep blaming yourself.
A quiz can be a useful starting point if you treat it as a prompt for reflection. ReachOut Australia states that ADHD can’t be diagnosed online or through an ADHD quiz (ReachOut Australia).
Only a qualified professional can assess this properly.
These questions are for reflection only. A clinician decides whether an assessment is needed.
Our guide to the ADHD test for kids explains what assessments involve for children.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →There is no simple online test that answers “is it ADHD or high IQ?”. A clinician looks at the overall pattern.
Finding out usually takes more than one appointment.
The same guideline notes that direct observation, neuropsychological testing, neuroimaging and EEG did not increase the accuracy of diagnosis. Our guides to how ADHD is diagnosed in adults and how they test for ADHD cover each step in more detail.
Start with small, practical steps, and keep in mind that wanting an assessment is a reasonable thing to do.
ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition, which relates to how the brain develops. It is not caused by poor parenting or a lack of discipline.
You do not have to wait until things feel overwhelming. Book an appointment if any of these sound familiar.
If you are feeling overwhelmed or in crisis, call Lifeline on 13 11 14. Call 000 in an emergency or if someone is in immediate danger.
TQN Care support workers help with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home across Sydney, Melbourne and surrounding areas (NSW & VIC). Tell us what you need and we will call you back.
Make a referral →At TQN Care, we do not diagnose or treat. Our support workers help NDIS participants with personal care, community access, respite and help around the home. If you or a family member has an NDIS plan, see our TQN Care NDIS services or make a referral and we will call you back to talk through what you need.
You cannot be sure without an assessment. Clinicians look for symptoms that began before age 12, lasted at least 6 months and cause difficulty in at least two settings. Your GP can refer you to the right specialist, and a quiz can only help you prepare.
Laziness is not a diagnosis. If you try hard but still struggle with focus, starting tasks or finishing them, and this has been true for years, talk to your GP. A clinician can look at ADHD and at other possible explanations such as stress, anxiety or poor sleep.
Free online tests can help you reflect, but they cannot diagnose. ReachOut Australia states ADHD can’t be diagnosed online or through a quiz. Use the results to prepare for a GP appointment, and expect a proper assessment to involve a clinician and a detailed interview.
Start with your GP, bring examples of your difficulties and any school reports, and ask for a referral. Adults need evidence that symptoms began in childhood. A detailed clinical interview may take between 2 and 3 hours, and a psychiatrist or other credentialled clinician makes the diagnosis.