Think You Could Have Undiagnosed ADHD? 5 Tips for Coping Pre-Diagnosis

Nov 19, 2024

ADHD , neurodiversity , tips

Waiting lists for ADHD assessments are prohibitively long, and many people feel they are in limbo
ADHD coach Leanne Maskell offers her tips for how you can support yourself pre- and post-diagnosis
We have therapists who specialise in supporting clients with ADHD – find them here

As the number of people seeking an ADHD assessment have risen by 400% since 2020, services have struggled to cope, with waiting lists of up to 10 years. Some have stopped accepting any referrals at all, such as the NHS Leeds Adult ADHD Service, and Herefordshire and Worcestershire NHS Trust.

Private assessments can cost thousands of pounds, with no guarantee it will be accepted by the NHS. This situation results in thousands of people left in limbo, searching for ways to cope.

After my own GP told me their waiting list was seven years long, I decided to write a book to help those waiting for help, ADHD: an A to Z. There are many strategies that can make a real difference; pills don’t give skills, and people’s struggles are valid with or without a diagnosis.

So, here’s five techniques that can help you to cope during this time:

1. Apply for 'Access to Work'

Access to Work is a UK government grant supporting people with health challenges to stay in work. No formal medical diagnosis is required to access this scheme, which can fund support such as ADHD coaching, equipment such as noise-cancelling headphones, and administrative help.

I’ve coached many people on waiting lists through Access to Work pre-diagnosis, seeing a significant improvement in symptoms. You can apply whether you are self-employed or in employment, although you’ll have to let your employer know. The support provided is additional to legally required reasonable adjustments, which you may also be entitled to without a formal diagnosis.

The catch? The application process can be quite bureaucratic (here’s a free guide), and waiting times can be several months, despite less than 1% of the disabled working population using it.

2. Build self-awareness

If you had the ADHD diagnosis, what would you do next? Other than potential access to medication (which doesn’t work for 1 in 10 people with ADHD, and is subject to national shortages), there’s not much practical difference to where you’re at now.

If you resonate with the symptoms of ADHD, try to accept your struggles as valid, and cultivate self-awareness. Learning more about the condition from reputable resources such as books and courses can validate your experiences and help you to work with your brain, instead of against it.

Understanding your challenges and embracing your strengths within the context of ADHD can empower you to identify strategies that work for you. Neurotypical solutions don’t work for neurodivergent brains!

3. Join a support group

Self-identification is generally strongly welcomed within the neurodivergent community, who understand the barriers to accessing support and have likely experienced similar difficulties. Connecting with others who ‘get’ your brain and accept you as you are is a brilliant way to build confidence and community.

There’s many support groups that can be extremely validating experiences. Online communities can offer a range of resources and peer advice, enabling you to begin the process of unmasking and meeting yourself as you are.

4. Seek out support

Waiting for an ADHD assessment can be a stressful and lonely experience. It’s important to reach out to friends and family about your experiences, enabling them to understand how to best support you.

This might feel very difficult, but you don’t need a formal diagnosis to deserve help – you already do! People with ADHD can find it hard to ask for help and to put their own experiences into words, largely due to an approximate 30% developmental delay in executive functioning skills, including self-awareness. However, there is no such thing as perfect, and you can only start from where you are.

Seeking out professional help can make a significant difference, including with having these kinds of conversations, such as from a therapist or ADHD coach. It’s important to take processing the emotions that come pre- and post-diagnosis seriously. Many people understandably experience grief at the life they ‘could’ have had, but you shouldn’t have to go through this alone.

You may also wish to talk to your employer or education institute, for example, where ADHD symptoms may show up. They may be able to easily make changes to support you, such as allowing you to work flexible hours.

5. Practice self-compassion

Many people experience relief and self-acceptance upon finding out they have ADHD. However, it can also be very challenging, especially after a lifetime of beating yourself up for being ‘lazy’ or ‘stupid’. Children with ADHD are said to receive 20,000 more negative comments than their non-ADHD peers by the age of 12!

Thinking that you may have undiagnosed ADHD can be overwhelming, bringing up feelings of anger and powerlessness. It’s important to remember that you are in a broken system - you are not broken yourself. ADHD has only been diagnosable in UK adults since 2008, and everyone is doing the best they can with what they have available to them.

Being kind to yourself and recognising that none of this is your fault will empower you to take control of your future. Simply noticing and challenging your inner narrative enables you to change it. Life is already hard enough!

Ultimately, self-compassion is the key to not just surviving with undiagnosed ADHD, but thriving.

Leanne Maskell is an ADHD coach and the author of ADHD: An A to Z