Holistic Mental Health Approach for ADHD
- APCNA Executive
- Sep 5, 2023
- 1 min read
As a follow up post to our webinar on ADHD graciously hosted by Jansen and Presented by the Incredible Dr. Chokka, we would like to summarize what we heard for members that may not have been able to attend.
· ADHD often carries on from childhood, and examination of the patient's past and family member history is an important step to diagnosis
along with the screening tools.
· ADHD often does not exist by itself as a mental health diagnosis. It is important to approach all mental health appointments with these important screening tools to ensure an additional diagnosis isn’t missed. (ASRS, MDQ, PHQ9, GAD-7, CAGE, Sheehan Disability Scale).
· When a patient presents with emotional dysregulation remember the Acronym ABBAS for screening A- ADHD, B- Bipolar, B- Borderline personality disorder, A-Anxiety S- Substance abuse.
· ADHD medications carry a large stigma of abuse by patients that is not supported by evidence, the best way forward is to seek education from credible sources on the use of these drugs.
· CADDRA is the national organization that makes recommendations for the treatment of ADHD. Please see their website for Healthcare Provider and Patient resources.
· See the updated resources list on our home page for links to best practice resources.
ADHD CADDRA Practice Guidelines https://www.caddra.ca/wp-content/uploads/Canadian-ADHD-Practice-Guidelines-4.1-January-6-2021.pdfv
Anxiety Canada https://maps.anxietycanada.com/
Mood Disorder Questionnaire https://sadag.org/images/pdf/mdq.pdf
Sheehan disability scale Sheehan Disability Scale
The GAD-7 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale) is one of the most common tools used by therapists and doctors. For a quick mental health check-in, you can use the same trusted assessment online. Find out your GAD-7 score in a few minutes.
Preparing for a doctor's appointment about ADHD? Taking the ASRS test at home can help you gather your thoughts and present your concerns clearly.