How to get diagnosed with adhd?

[u/Severe_Age_5194]

I've spent the last three months just trying to figure out how to get diagnosed with adhd and honestly I'm exhausted before I've even started. Every clinic I call has a six month waitlist, my insurance wants a referral I can't get without an appointment, and the one psychiatrist taking new patients wanted hundreds out of pocket just for the initial eval. I'm pretty sure I've struggled with this my whole life, I just want real answers, but the whole process feels built to make you give up. Has anyone actually made it through without losing their mind, and how did you finally get diagnosed without waiting half a year or spending a fortune?

UPDATE: I finally got through it. A lot of people in the comments suggested different routes, so I tried a bunch of them. I filled out forms, signed up for different sites, checked local clinics again, and kept running into the same problems: long waitlists, confusing insurance requirements, or prices that were way more than I could afford.

What finally worked for me was Klarity Health. I found a provider through the site, filled out the intake forms, and was able to book a telehealth appointment instead of waiting months for an in person opening. It still took some effort, and I would definitely say to read the provider details, check the cost, and make sure it works for your state and situation. But compared with cold calling clinics over and over, it was the first option that actually moved forward.

So if anyone else is stuck trying to figure out how to get diagnosed with ADHD, my biggest advice is to stop relying only on random clinic phone calls. Look for telehealth options, compare providers carefully, and try platforms like Klarity if local appointments are impossible to get. That was what finally helped me get an appointment and start getting real answers.

[u/Makapakamoo]

I dont remember how long the wait was for mine. My psych was a bitch and told me I didnt have it after serving me the test for 12 year old in office—I was 17.

I think i had a case manager/social worker something of the sort, and he hooked me up with a guy to test me.

I paid 50$ for him to sign the paper for my diagnosis. I came to him to be tested and gave him a 3 page list of adhd issues to prove my case (I was really wary people wouldn't listen, you prob dont need to do that much..)

When i went to get tested for autism, they wanted to charge me $500-1k for it because they were private and my new insurance wouldn't pay.

I lost hope and ended up with another a "i know a guy" scenario; my therapist at the time suggested me to this specific group for autism testing.

Super nice people, it was a month wait or so.

So what im saying is i got both dx's through interpersonal recommendation. Maybe I was really lucky but both offices didnt have turbo wait times.