Do I Have ADHD? Understanding the Criteria for Diagnosis

It all begins with an idea.When I first started exploring the possibility that I had ADHD, I wasn’t sure if my experiences “counted.” But as I dove into the diagnostic criteria, I realized how much of my daily life had been shaped by these challenges.

To qualify for an ADHD diagnosis, an adult must meet at least five of the nine symptoms in either the inattentive category or the hyperactive/impulsive category. In this post, I’ll focus on the inattentive type, breaking down each symptom and how it has shown up in my own life.