Animal87,

Welcome to PC.

I have a few recommendations for where to start. First how old are you? Also you mentioned your doctor, what type of doctor are we talking about? Is she your family physician or a psychiatrist?

One of the things you will likely encounter as you discuss ADHD with any medical practitioner is the attitude that a) you just want to gain access to stimulant medications, b) that you are struggling academically or career wise and your are looking for an excuse, or c) you are suffering from some other mental health issue such as anxiety or depression. You will need to be prepared to answer questions related to all of these concerns. The practitioners as part of the diagnostic process must rule out other conditions before making a final judgment that you suffer from ADHD. This is especially true if you are an adult, with no previously medical history relating to this condition. All I can say is get ready for these questions and try not to get defensive or take them personally. It is just simply part of the diagnostic process.

If you are an adolescent (under 18) then I would recommend starting with your parents. I know if you are this age this advice likely really sucks. But for most, it really is the best place to start when looking for proper medical diagnosis and treatment. If only for the basic reason... they have the insurance card and the money to cover your co-pay.

If you are a college student, a good place to start would be the campus tutoring center, student services, instructional support or academic support. Most universities/colleges have a place on campus that students can go to get information on these types of services. Although the school may not provide diagnostic services they can give you the names of providers in your area that diagnose and treat ADHD. Also campus counseling centers can be a good starting point. Although they cannot Rx medications, psychologists often have the training to evaluate for and provide non-pharmacological treatment for ADHD. This would be especially helpful if you had some other conditions, such as loss of sleep, anxiety, depression, etc.

If you are an adult, then either your family physician or scheduling an appointment with a psychologist who list ADHD as a specialty would both be good starting options. In my case, I started with a psychologist for treatment of another condition. Then during this treatment, my ADHD was identified. I later went to my family physician. I believe that my family physician listened to my complaints more closely because my psychologist's clinical assessment, supported the ADHD diagnosis. I was not just making an online diagnosis.

If you look at some of my earlier posts, they describe the chain of events that I took to get officially diagnosed and treated for ADHD.