What to Bring to Your ADHD Evaluation in Midlife (A Practical Prep Checklist to prepare for ADHD assessment)
- Ryan Burns
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
If you’re in your 30s, 40s, or 50s and wondering whether ADHD fits, it’s common to feel pressure to show up “prepared” in the perfect way.
Here’s the good news: you don’t have to perform your way into care. This guide will help you prepare for ADHD assessment with less stress and more clarity about what’s going on.
A quality evaluation is designed to look at patterns over time and in context, not judge you for forgetting details. [1]
In this article, you’ll learn:
What to bring to an ADHD evaluation (and what you can skip)
How to build an ADHD symptoms timeline that’s actually useful
How to describe impairment with real-life examples (without “labels”)
Midlife factors to note, including sleep and perimenopause/menopause brain fog
Smart questions to ask so you can spot a thorough, respectful assessment
🧭 Key takeaway: The best “adult ADHD evaluation checklist” is simple: a timeline, a few concrete stories, and your current health context.
Quick Reassurance: You Don’t Need to “Prove” Anything
Many adults, especially high-achieving or high-masking women, worry they won’t be taken seriously if they can’t produce childhood records or if their life looks “put together” from the outside.
A careful ADHD evaluation isn’t about winning an argument. It’s a clinical process that considers symptoms, impairment, and alternative explanations. [2]
The goal is clarity, not performance
Try swapping the question “How do I convince them?” for “How do I describe my pattern accurately?”
Clinicians typically look for symptoms that have been present across time, show up in more than one setting, and create real impairment. [1]
Forgetting details is common—bring notes to reduce stress
If you blank in appointments, you’re not alone.
Bring a note on your phone (or a single sheet of paper) with:
Your top 5 “pain points”
A few recent examples
Any questions you want answered
✅ Key takeaway: Notes aren’t “cheating.” They reduce anxiety and help your evaluator see the full picture.
Three common misconceptions to let go of:
“If I can focus sometimes, it can’t be ADHD.” Many adults can hyperfocus on urgent/interesting tasks and still struggle with everyday follow-through. [6]
“I need report cards to be taken seriously.” Helpful if available, not required. Patterns can be established in multiple ways. [3]
“If symptoms got worse in midlife, it must be something else.” Midlife factors (sleep, hormones, stress load) can amplify ADHD traits and also mimic them. That’s why differential diagnosis matters. [2,5]
A Simple Timeline (most important)
If you only do one prep step, make an ADHD symptoms timeline.
A timeline helps an evaluator see whether this looks like a long-standing neurodevelopmental pattern (often present since childhood) versus something that started later due to sleep, mood, medical issues, or hormones. [1,2]
Here’s an easy template you can copy:
Early school years: attention, organization, behavior notes, friendships
Middle/high school: homework, procrastination, grades vs effort, “messy but smart” patterns
College/early work: deadlines, schedule management, overwhelm, perfectionism
30s/40s: role load (career + family + caregiving), sleep changes, burnout
Past 6–12 months: what’s worse, what helps, what you’ve tried
When you first remember struggling (school, work, home)
Write 3–5 bullets you can explain in 30 seconds.
Examples:
“I did fine on tests but couldn’t start long assignments until the night before.”
“My room/backpack/car were always a disaster even when I tried.”
“I lost jackets, homework, keys constantly.”
What changed in your 30s/40s (load, sleep, hormones)
Midlife often increases demand load.
If you’re dealing with sleep disruption, increased anxiety, perimenopause symptoms, or caregiving stress, note the timing.
What’s gotten worse recently (and what helps even a little)
Be specific.
Instead of “my focus is terrible,” try:
“If I’m interrupted once, I can’t get back into the task for an hour.”
“I can track work meetings, but home logistics fall apart.”
“Exercise helps for a few hours; late-night scrolling makes everything worse.”
🗓️ Key takeaway: A timeline turns “I don’t know, it’s always been hard” into an understandable story.
Real-Life Examples (Use Concrete Stories, Not Labels)
When people search “examples of ADHD impairment,” they’re usually looking for language.
Concrete stories give your evaluator data. Labels don’t.
Aim for 2–3 examples per domain, ideally from the last month.
Time: lateness, time blindness, underestimating tasks
Try:
“I start getting ready on time, but I lose time between steps and arrive late anyway.”
“I underestimate how long emails, errands, or transitions take.”
“Deadlines feel unreal until they’re right in front of me.”
Tasks: starting, switching, finishing, forgetting steps
Try:
“I can plan a project, but I stall on starting without pressure.”
“I get stuck deciding the ‘right’ way and then avoid it.”
“I forget steps mid-task: laundry in washer, stove on low, forms half-done.”
Emotion/overwhelm: shutdown, irritability, “snapping” after holding it in
Many adults describe emotional overwhelm as the most impairing part, even when they’ve learned to mask it. [7]
Try:
“I keep it together all day and then crash or snap at home.”
“One more request and my brain freezes.”
“Small setbacks feel disproportionately intense.”
🧠 Key takeaway: “I’m overwhelmed” becomes clearer as “When X happens, my brain does Y, and the impact is Z.”
Records and Context That Can Strengthen the Picture
You don’t need a binder. Bring what’s easy. Quality assessments typically combine history, symptom measures, and careful consideration of other explanations. [3]
If you’d like to understand what a structured process can look like, you can explore our psychological assessments approach.
Past mental health history (anxiety, depression, trauma, burnout)
Bring a short list of:
Past diagnoses (if any)
Therapies you’ve tried and what helped
Medications you’ve taken (and side effects)
This matters because anxiety, depression, trauma, and chronic stress can overlap with ADHD symptoms, and they also commonly co-occur. [2,6]
If trauma is part of your story, you may also want to note that for your evaluator; here’s our overview of trauma-focused care.
School/work history (report cards, performance reviews—if available)
Optional, not required.
Helpful examples include:
Report cards mentioning “inconsistent,” “talks too much,” “not working to potential”
Job reviews referencing missed details, time management, disorganization, or brilliance with follow-through gaps
Family history of ADHD/autism/learning differences (if known)
Family history can be relevant because ADHD tends to run in families. [6]
If you don’t know, that’s fine.
🔎 Key takeaway: A few context points can do more than a stack of paperwork.
Midlife-Specific Notes to Bring
In midlife, cognitive symptoms can sit at the intersection of ADHD, sleep, mood, stress load, and the menopausal transition.
Your job isn’t to figure out which it is. Your job is to bring the clues.
Sleep patterns (insomnia, night sweats, fragmented sleep)
Sleep issues can worsen attention, working memory, and emotional regulation.
Jot down:
Bedtime/wake time range
Night wakings (and why)
Snoring, restless sleep, or daytime sleepiness
Anything that helps (cool room, magnesium, CBT-I strategies, etc.)
If insomnia is a major factor, you might find it helpful to review options for insomnia treatment.
Perimenopause/menopause symptoms + timing
Many people report “perimenopause brain fog,” including word-finding issues, forgetfulness, and reduced processing speed.
Research suggests cognitive complaints are common in perimenopause and may be associated with sleep disturbance, mood symptoms, and vasomotor symptoms (like hot flashes). [5]
Note:
Cycle changes (if applicable)
Hot flashes/night sweats
Mood shifts
When cognitive changes began relative to these symptoms
Medications/supplements and any recent changes
Bring a list (a photo is fine) of:
Prescriptions
OTC meds
Supplements
Recent starts/stops/dose changes
Some medications can affect sleep, appetite, anxiety, or attention.
🧩 Key takeaway: Midlife context helps your evaluator rule in ADHD and rule out (or address) other contributors. [2,5]
Questions to Ask Your Evaluator
A good evaluation should feel collaborative and respectful.
If you want to advocate for a thorough process (especially for ADHD testing for women and high masking ADHD women), these questions can help.
“How do you handle high-masking presentations in women?”
Why it matters: research and clinical consensus note that ADHD can be missed in girls and women due to less overt presentations and compensatory strategies. [4]
Follow-ups:
“How do you assess impairment when someone looks ‘functional’ externally?”
“How do you screen for internalized anxiety or perfectionism that may be masking symptoms?”
“How do you rule out sleep/hormone-related cognitive changes?”
This is a green flag question.
A careful evaluation considers differential diagnoses and overlapping conditions. [2,3]
“What documentation and next-step recommendations will I receive?”
Ask what you’ll get after the appointment:
A written report (or summary)
Diagnostic impressions and rationale
Recommendations (therapy, coaching, sleep care, medication evaluation, accommodations)
If you like having a starting point before your visit, our online ADHD screener (ASRS) can help you organize what you’re noticing.
✅ Key takeaway: The right questions help you spot quality, not just speed.
A quick “What to bring to ADHD evaluation” checklist
Use this as your final adult ADHD evaluation checklist:
1-page timeline (childhood → now)
6–10 real-life examples across time, tasks, and emotions
Sleep + perimenopause/menopause notes (timing matters)
Medication/supplement list
Relevant records (optional)
Your questions (saved in your phone)
If support with planning, follow-through, and systems would help while you’re waiting for testing, you can explore executive function coaching.
Online ADHD assessment in Tennessee and telehealth ADHD testing
If getting to an office visit feels like “one more demand,” telehealth can reduce barriers for many adults.
If you’re considering an online ADHD assessment in Tennessee, ask any provider:
Are you licensed to provide services in Tennessee?
What does your evaluation include (history, rating scales, collateral input, differential diagnosis)? [3]
What will you receive after (report, recommendations, coordination of care)?
You can learn more about our team on Meet Us, and if you’re ready to ask about next steps, you can reach out through our contact page.
📌 Key takeaway: Telehealth can be convenient, but the process still needs to be comprehensive and clinically grounded. [3]
Conclusion: You’re Allowed to Seek Clarity
Preparing for an ADHD evaluation in midlife is not about collecting evidence to “prove” you deserve care.
It’s about reducing stress, bringing the most useful information, and helping your evaluator understand your pattern over time.
If you take only one step, make the timeline.
If you take two, add a handful of concrete stories.
And if you take three, include your midlife context: sleep, hormones, medications, and load.
When you’re ready, a thorough evaluation can help you move from self-doubt to an actionable plan, whether that includes therapy, skills support, coaching, sleep treatment, or a referral for medication evaluation.
About ScienceWorks
ScienceWorks is led Dr. Kiesa Kelly is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist by training. She has 20+ years of experience in psychological assessment and completed an NIH-funded postdoctoral fellowship with a focus on ADHD in both research and clinical work.
Dr. Kelly provides neurodiversity-affirming assessments for adults, with particular attention to presentations that are often missed in previously undiagnosed adults, including women and non-binary folks.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Diagnosing ADHD. Updated Oct 3, 2024. Accessed Jan 17, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/diagnosis/index.html
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management (NG87). Published Mar 14, 2018. Last reviewed May 7, 2025. Accessed Jan 17, 2026. https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng87
Skirrow P. Practice Standards for the Assessment of ADHD: A Synthesis of Recommendations From Eight International Guidelines. Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists. 2025;35(1):96–116. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.16743965
Young S, Adamo N, Ásgeirsdóttir BB, et al. Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in girls and women. BMC Psychiatry. 2020;20:404. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-020-02707-9
Metcalf CA, Duffy KA, Page CE, Novick AM. Cognitive Problems in Perimenopause: A Review of Recent Evidence. Current Psychiatry Reports. 2023;25(10):501–511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-023-01447-3
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). ADHD in Adults: 4 Things to Know. Accessed Jan 17, 2026. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/adhd-what-you-need-to-know
American Psychological Association (APA). Emotional dysregulation is part of ADHD. Published Apr 1, 2024. Accessed Jan 17, 2026. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2024/04/adhd-managing-emotion-dysregulation
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or psychiatric advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
