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ADHD checklist

Do you think you might have ADHD?

Answer a more detailed set of questions to create a clearer score and a practical summary to take to a GP or other health professional.

Important

This is not an ADHD diagnosis and does not replace a formal assessment. ADHD can overlap with anxiety, depression, trauma, sleep problems, substance use, autism, medication effects and other health issues. A GP can help check what else may be contributing and discuss referral options.

If attention, restlessness or impulsive symptoms started suddenly later in life, or came with major mood, sleep, substance use or physical health changes, please discuss this with a GP promptly.

1. Attention to details

Making careless mistakes, missing details, skimming over important information, or finding it hard to stay accurate at work, study, home or daily tasks.

2. Sustained attention

Finding it hard to stay focused during reading, conversations, paperwork, meetings, chores, driving or tasks that take effort.

3. Listening and follow-through

Seeming not to listen, losing track of instructions, starting tasks but not finishing them, or needing repeated reminders.

4. Organisation

Difficulty organising tasks, paperwork, belongings, workspaces, appointments, steps in a task, or multiple responsibilities.

5. Time management and deadlines

Running late, underestimating time, missing deadlines, procrastinating, rushing at the last minute or finding priorities hard to manage.

6. Avoiding sustained mental effort

Avoiding or delaying tasks such as forms, bills, study, reports, planning, reading instructions or complex decisions.

7. Losing things and forgetfulness

Losing keys, phone, paperwork or tools, forgetting appointments, errands, bills, messages, medication or everyday commitments.

8. Distractibility

Being easily pulled away by noises, thoughts, notifications, other tasks, conversations or visual clutter.

9. Restlessness or feeling driven

Feeling internally restless, needing to move, finding it hard to relax, fidgeting, pacing, talking a lot, or feeling "always on".

10. Waiting, interrupting or acting quickly

Interrupting, blurting things out, impatience, difficulty waiting, impulse spending, risky choices, or decisions made before thinking them through.

11. Emotional regulation

Strong frustration, overwhelm, mood swings, rejection sensitivity, impatience, or difficulty calming down once upset.

12. Work, study or daily responsibilities

Attention, organisation or impulsivity concerns affecting employment, study, household tasks, parenting, appointments, money or relationships.

13. More than one setting

Concerns happen in more than one place, such as home, work, study, relationships, community activities or managing money.

14. Childhood pattern

Similar attention, restlessness, impulsivity, organisation or school concerns were present before age 12, even if they were missed or managed well.

15. Coping effort and exhaustion

Using lots of reminders, alarms, lists, pressure, overworking or last-minute stress to keep up, then feeling exhausted or burnt out.

What to take to the GP

Take examples from childhood and adulthood if you can, plus school reports, work or study concerns, medication list, sleep concerns, mental health history and family history. Ask whether referral to a psychiatrist, psychologist or other trained clinician is appropriate.

Official information