Alex's Answer

I do not know what condition I might have

Your Question

I don’t know if I have ADHD or autism

Answer

Hi there, you are very welcome to Ask Alex. 

We understand from your message that you think you might have ADHD or autism, but you are not sure which. It is completely understandable that you feel a bit unsure about this, and we are glad that you reached out to us about it. It takes a lot of strength and courage to take a positive first step like you have done today.  

We would like to let you know that you have the right to be listened to about the things that affect you. This means that if you feel that you might have ADHD or autism, you have the right to share this with someone who can listen and support you. This might be a trusted adult in your life, such as a parent, guardian, a grandparent, or teacher. Have you also thought about going to your GP?  You could go to your GP if you are 16 years or over and, they would know if you need a formal assessment. Certain types of psychologists are qualified to carry out formal assessments for ADHD and autism. Getting a formal assessment is the only way to know for sure if you have either one of these conditions.  

If you do get an assessment, you might find out that you do have ADHD and/or autism. If this happens, you might want to learn more. It would be important that you do this using reliable and accurate sources. You might find some of these links helpful: 

Finally, we would like you to know that you have the right to get help and support around how you are feeling or might be feeling in the future. If you would like to speak with someone, we are here for you 24/7 at Childline, either by phone at 1800 66 66 66, or through online chat at www.childline.ie (just click on the orange Live Chat button and send a ‘hi’ or a ’hello’). We will not judge you, and we will give you the space to talk about anything you want. We can help you to explore what you would like to do, and what options you feel you might have.  

We hope you found this helpful. 

 Take care for now, we hope to hear from you soon. 

Alex  

Ask me a question

You can ask me about anything you want, there’s nothing too big or small.
Ask me a question