How to choose a psychiatrist for adult ADHD: 7 questions to ask

The best psychiatrist for adult ADHD is not a name on a ranking list but a clinician whose process you can understand: one who takes a full history, uses a structured interview, considers other explanations, and stays with you after the diagnosis. Seven questions help you check this before you book. You can ask them of any clinician, including me.

There is no objectively “best” psychiatrist. There is a good fit between your situation and a careful process, and you are entitled to ask how that process works.

Why the process matters

ADHD is underdiagnosed and undertreated in many European countries [1]. But inaccurate diagnoses are possible in both directions, and a wrong label has costs too. The UK assessment standard stresses that missed diagnoses and wrongly applied diagnoses both lead to poor care, and that remote and online assessments need the same rigour as face-to-face ones [2]. That is why the quality of the assessment is the first thing to look at.

One simple sign of a careful process is the order of steps: assessment first, treatment second. When treatment starts without a diagnosis, nobody can say what it is treating, or judge later whether it worked. A clinician who assesses before treating lets the diagnosis guide the plan.

Psychiatrist, psychologist or GP: who does what?

This depends on the country and on the service. In the UK, the NHS says an ADHD diagnosis is made by a specialist, for example a psychiatrist [3], and NICE says that only a qualified specialist should diagnose, on the basis of a full assessment [4]. Medication for ADHD should be started and monitored by a specialist [3]. In every country only a doctor can prescribe medication. Psychologists and psychotherapists play a major role in psychological treatment. For the full picture, it matters less which title someone has and more whether they have specific training and experience in adult ADHD.

The 7 questions

1. Do you use a structured interview, and which one?

A semi-structured interview such as DIVA is a recommended core of the assessment, together with other schedules such as CAADID or ACE+. The standard warns that tick-box checklists risk confirmation bias and missed alternative diagnoses, and suggests using rating scales only as a baseline for later change [2]. NICE also states that rating scales alone should not be used to diagnose [4].

2. Will you ask about my childhood, and will someone else be involved?

Symptoms must begin in childhood [5], so a good assessment includes a developmental history. Information from another person who knows you, ideally someone who knew you as a child, is recommended whenever possible [2]. If nobody is available, that is not a barrier. It simply means the history is taken more carefully. This article helps you prepare.

3. How will you check for other explanations?

Anxiety, depression, sleep problems, trauma and other neurodevelopmental conditions can look like ADHD or sit alongside it. More than 60% of people with adult ADHD have another condition [2]. Co-occurring conditions do not rule ADHD out [5], and ADHD should not be diagnosed when another condition explains the symptoms better [2]. Ask how the clinician decides between these possibilities. When symptoms can have more than one explanation, we examine all of them, because only then does the diagnosis hold up after the appointment.

4. How much time is the assessment, and is it split up?

The UK standard suggests at least about two hours of total contact time in most cases, in one long session or several shorter ones, including feedback and a discussion of treatment options [2]. At this practice the assessment is a structured DIVA-5 interview, usually over two 45-minute sessions at 130 € each. See the Adult ADHD service page for the current details, and the assessment article for how it unfolds.

5. What happens after the diagnosis?

A good assessment ends with a conversation: the outcome explained in clear language, time for your questions, and a discussion of options, including psychological treatment and, where appropriate, medication [2]. Look for a clinician who presents alternatives and decides with you. Alternatives are presented and the decision is made together. And what if the conclusion is “not ADHD” or “not sure yet”? A good clinician explains why, and says what to do next.

6. What checks come before medication, and who follows me up?

Before medication is considered, a doctor should assess cardiovascular status and record baseline blood pressure, pulse and weight [2]. During treatment NICE advises checks of heart rate and blood pressure before and after dose changes and every six months, and weight every six months [4]. Ask who will do the follow-up and how often. Whether you receive any prescription is decided by the doctor after the appointment. It cannot be promised in advance, and you should be wary of anyone who promises it.

7. Practicalities: language, format, cost, paperwork

Can the appointment be in your language, in person or by video? What is the fee, and what documents will you receive, for example a written report? If you live in Greece without an AMKA, or you are visiting, how does prescribing work? At this practice an e-prescription without AMKA needs your passport and an email address. There is no EOPYY reimbursement, so you pay the full price at the pharmacy, and the code arrives by email and goes to the pharmacist. This also covers controlled medicines and is the same for tourists. Details are in this article, and visitors may also like psychiatric help for tourists in Greece.

Thinking traps to avoid when choosing

Three thoughts commonly get in the way, and each one can be tested with a concrete question.

• “I have to find the perfect doctor first.” That is all-or-nothing thinking. If the first appointment gives you a clear process, a clear explanation and a next step, is it a failure that it did not answer everything?

• “I should have sorted this out on my own by now.” A rigid “should”. Struggling in an environment that does not suit you is not failure; it is an expected reaction. Asking for an assessment is a practical step, not an admission of weakness.

• “Waiting for the right moment.” Action comes before mood. Booking the appointment is the small action. You do not have to feel ready first.

A fourth trap is quieter: “They will think ADHD is just my excuse for laziness.” That is mind-reading, and it rests on a myth. ADHD is a real condition, a different way the brain works, not a character flaw. A careful clinician looks at the evidence from your life, not at a stereotype.

When to seek an assessment

The question is not whether you recognise some of the traits. We seek help when something systematically gets in the way of how we function, not merely when we feel discomfort. If that describes your work, studies or relationships, an assessment is reasonable.

How I work

I am Dr Georgios Mylonas, a psychiatrist and psychotherapist. I have trained in the DIVA-5 structured interview through UKAAN, I have specialist training in CBT, and I am also registered with the UK General Medical Council. Consultations are in English and Greek, in Trikala (Anni Komninis 1-3, 3rd floor, 42131) and online, serving Trikala, Karditsa, Kalampaka and online across Greece. You can read about the process on the Adult ADHD page or book directly in the calendar. If you do not know yet what you need, a general psychiatric evaluation is also an option.

Choose the clinician whose process you can understand and whose answers to these seven questions satisfy you. This article is general information and does not replace a medical consultation.

Before any treatment for ADHD, I also screen for bipolarity and look at how intense anxiety or low mood is right now. If bipolarity is suspected, mood is stabilised first; if anxiety or depression is intense, it is treated first. In both cases the reason is the same: ADHD treatment could make things worse.

Sources

1. Kooij JJS, Bijlenga D, Salerno L, et al. Updated European Consensus Statement on diagnosis and treatment of adult ADHD. Eur Psychiatry 2019;56:14-34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.11.001

2. Adamou M, Arif M, Asherson P, et al. The adult ADHD assessment quality assurance standard (UKAAN AQAS). Front Psychiatry 2024;15:1380410. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1380410

3. NHS. ADHD in adults (last reviewed 19 March 2025). https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/adhd-adults/

4. NICE. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management (NG87), amended September 2019 (recommendations 1.2.10, 1.3.1-1.3.3, 1.8.5-1.8.11). Copy on NCBI Bookshelf: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493361/

5. Faraone SV, Banaschewski T, Coghill D, et al. The World Federation of ADHD International Consensus Statement: 208 evidence-based conclusions about the disorder. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021;128:789-818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.01.022