ADHD Management at One Point Medical

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a lifelong, inherited behavioural condition which includes poor concentration, distractibility and restlessness. It is often associated with other psychiatric problems such as depression, anxiety and addictions which can have a major impact on quality of life.

However, having ADHD is not necessarily just a negative thing as it is also commonly associated with personality traits and talents, which we value in our society. People with ADHD are often creative, lateral thinking, high energy, driven individuals, who can hyper-focus and entertain. They are often the leaders or “movers and shakers” who generate and value new ideas, who take risks and who drive us forward in our society.

The World Health Organization estimated in 2013 that ADHD affects about 39 million people. It is one of the most inherited and most common psychiatric conditions.

Although reports indicate that ADHD affects 2.5%–5% of adults in the general population, and 5%–7% of children, fewer than one in five adults with ADHD are currently diagnosed and/or treated. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4195639/)

ADHD Management Services: Bookings Unavailable Until May 2024

Please note that due to high demand, our books for ADHD Management services are currently exhausted.

However, reception staff can contact patients through their email provided once availability resumes.

These measures ensure that One Point Medical retains a high standard of care for those patients currently accessing these services.

If you wish to enquire regarding appointment availability or when our books will re-open, please fill out the Contact Form at the bottom of the page for an automatic update.

DSM-V

The official classification is found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Psychiatry version five (DSM-V). There are three subtypes of ADHD.

1. Inattentive ADHD – mostly has difficulty focusing, easily distracted, day-dreamy, procrastinating, forgetful and disorganised.

2. Hyperactive ADHD – mostly restless, fidgety, driven, jumping from task to task, impulsive, loud, demanding, energetic and impatient.

3. Combined type ADHD – symptoms of both inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity.

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What are some of the symptoms of ADHD?

Symptoms that suggest ADHD include the following :

Appears not to listen
Fails to complete tasks
Is in constant motion
Easily distracted
Often loses or forgets things
Is restless and can’t sit still
Makes careless mistakes

How does One Point Medical assess ADHD?

Your One Point Medical doctor will require you to complete a Loffty self-assessment online. Loffty is the world’s most comprehensive mental health self-assessment tool that helps psychologists, GPs and other mental health specialists diagnose, treat and monitor you’re your ADHD more effectively. Loffty generates more detailed information, more quickly to help our GPs make more accurate and more timely diagnoses. They can then make better informed treatment decisions which lead to you getting better, faster.

Your One Point Medical doctor will also take a complete medical history to check for other conditions. A full life history will include questions about your childhood, adolescence, drug & alcohol, relationships, education, work, forensic and family history. An appropriate physical examination, including blood pressure, weight and height will also be completed.

After this a differential diagnosis will be formulated and may be tested with the use of investigations which could include blood and urine tests or quantum EEG.

A Loffty mental health treatment plan is then prepared by your GP including the relevant psychiatric symptoms, possible diagnoses, graphed severity ratings, aims and goals of treatment, patient responsibilities and modes of treatment.

The diagnosis will be confirmed with a second opinion from a specialist psychiatrist who has expertise in attention problems.

A second meeting will then discuss which modes of treatment which may be suitable. These will include possible referral to a psychologist with expertise in attention problems, possible referral to an ADHD coach or drug & alcohol service, discussion about exercise, diet and possible supplements. Detailed discussion about medication including expected positive effects, side effects, interactions, housekeeping and travel. Discussion will also focus on the neuroanatomy and patho-physiology of ADHD and how the patient has come to experience the problems that they have encountered in their life and how treatment will assist in turning these problems around.

Your doctor will carefully monitor your response to treatment by meeting, initially in one to two weeks, then monthly and finally three monthly on an ongoing basis to assist in making sure you get the very best outcomes possible. Our follow-up process will include repeat Loffty self-assessments to assess the clinical response and modification of treatment if required. The specialist psychiatrist will review the response in twelve months and thereafter every two years but will be on hand as part of the team to offer assistance at any time as required.

Does diagnosis differ when determining the presence of ADHD in Adults?

As ADHD is a genetic condition which starts in childhood. Determining whether an adult has ADHD requires similar but more comprehensive assessment which takes into account conditions that develop post childhood such as bipolar disorder and others. Often a diagnosis in a child, will lead to investigation of the family history with the possibility of uncovering the diagnosis in a parent. At other times an adult will seek help for depression, anxiety, addictions or symptoms co-morbid with ADHD and then have their ADHD discovered.

Other than inattention and/or impulsiveness symptoms, adults with ADHD may have other issues that they are seeking help for, including:

Anxiety
Chronic lateness and forgetfulness
Difficulty finishing a task
Difficulty controlling behaviour
Employment problems
Low self-esteem
Poor organisational skills
Restlessness
Short temper

An adult must have persistent, current symptoms that date to childhood to be diagnosed with ADHD.

Is ADHD inherited?

There is a strong genetic link with ADHD supported by extensive genetic testing and a large body of literature including twin studies. It has been suggested that ADHD is one of the most inheritable conditions in Psychiatry. If one parent has ADHD there is a one in four chance that their child will have it and a one in two chance if both parents have ADHD.

What does it mean if I have ADHD?

If the difficulties associated with ADHD are not managed appropriately, they can lead to social, emotional, physical, financial, forensic, academic and occupational problems. It is all about quality of life, mitigating risk and achieving your potential. Management is a course your doctor will pursue to ensure the best possible results for you or your child with ADHD.

What conditions can accompany ADHD?

ADHD is characteristically accompanied by other conditions. The following are a few examples:

Learning Difficulties
Tourette Syndrome
Anxiety and depression
Bipolar disorder
Drug and alcohol problems

What conditions can mimic ADHD or cause ADHD-like behaviour?

Anxiety
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Recent major life changes
Other major life stresses
Sleep problems
Thyroid problems
Undetected seizures
Brain Injury
Chemical toxicity

One Point Medical – Contact Form

If you would like to receive an automatic update of when the books of One Point Medical are open, please contact our friendly reception staff by filling in the information below along with a brief description of your medical needs.

* Please note: All fields to be completed before submitting form.

Adult ADHD Consultation Information

These are the steps to secure the next available Adult ADHD appointment and access Australia’s most comprehensive mental health assessment and treatment planning service with One Point Medical.

Step 1:

You will need to pay a $125 deposit at the time of booking. The total cost of this appointment is $425 and this does NOT include Psychiatrist costs are separate from this assessment. However, you may be able to claim back between $117.40 to $146.90 from Medicare.

Step 2:

After booking your appointment you will receive an email from Loffty with a link to complete an assessment. Click on the link, pay the $59 online to Loffty and complete your assessment at home before your appointment with your doctor. The Loffty assessment takes about 15-30 minutes to complete.

Step 3:

Attend your appointment at One Point Medical. Your doctor will conduct a comprehensive mental health check, review your Loffty report and create a Loffty treatment plan.

Depending on the outcome of your appointment, you may be referred to a psychologist (this may be able to be partially claimed back through Medicare) or a psychiatrist for certain diagnostic confirmation. (Psychiatrist costs are separate from this assessment).

Note:

Please remember you must complete your Loffty assessment before you attend your appointment.

All assessments must be conducted face to face.

Reception staff will require a deposit of $125 at the time of securing your appointment when reception call or when you have responded to their request to phone back.

Please note that this $125 deposit is not refundable if the appointment is cancelled within 24 hours of the scheduled appointment time.

Unfortunately, unless the aforementioned appointment procedure is followed, we are unable to make your booking.

We look forward to providing for your care.