ADD/ADHD Frequently Asked Questions
Can I be tested for ADD/ADHD at CAPS?
Why not?
How does one typically get tested for ADD/ADHD?
Is there any way I can have ADD/ADHD medications prescribed here through CAPS physicians?
What is the second way I can have ADD/ADHD medications prescribed here at CAPS?
Are there any situations in which CAPS would refuse to prescribe ADD/ADHD medications, even if I have met the requirements ?
What if I think I may have ADD/ADHD but I have never been diagnosed, my previous evaluation was too long ago, or my previous evaluation was not complete enough for UofA standards?
It seems I have always had problems with concentration, being easily distracted, and doing things impulsively. I'm not very good at keeping myself organized. Also, I took this test on the internet that shows I have ADD.
Lets' say I got an ADD diagnosis over the summer and a prescription for Ritalin from my family doctor in my hometown, but now I find out that the prescription will not be continued at CAPS. Why not?
What if I have run out of my Adderall that was prescribed by my doctor outside the University, but I cannot get an appointment with him or her for another two weeks? CAPS does not write interim prescriptions from other doctors. I have an important exam in a few days. Can't an exception be made?
What if I find out that my health insurance plan through my parents has an exclusion for evaluation or treatment for ADD? I don't currently have the several hundred dollars to get an evaluation. Also, I found out the waiting list for these appointments out in the community is at least a month. What am I supposed to do?
What if I was diagnosed as having ADD, but I have another medical condition which contraindicates use of a so-called"stimulant medication" for it?
I'm pretty sure I've never had ADD before, since I never used to have a problem focusing and concentrating, but now I do, and I don't know why. Do I have "Adult onset ADD?" Or is it something else? Who should I talk to about this?
Can I be tested for ADD/ADHD at CAPS?
No. CAPS does not do ADD or ADHD testing.
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Why not?
CAPS currently does not have any Psychologists on staff that do this kind of Psychological Testing. The Psychologists here are trained in Psychotherapy, and are here to provide that type of treatment - helping students with anxiety, depression, stress-management, relationship issues, self-esteem issues, substance abuse, etc. In addition, CAPS currently has only one full-time psychiatrist and one half-time psychiatrist who can prescribe these medications. Since there are some 39,000 students at the UofA, and over 1000 in the SALT Center for Learning Disabilities and/or the Disability Resource Center (DRC) programs, there is no way that CAPS can provide care for a fraction of those who are seeking new evaluations for ADD/ADHD.
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How does one typically get tested for ADD/ADHD?
Thorough testing for ADD/ADHD should involve at least two differet types of appointments:
1) The first is with a licensed Clinical Psychologist (PhD) who will use a battery of several different psychological tests that can assess a person's memory, concentration, focus, attention, and distractibility. If this is done in childhood, a School Psychologist (Master's degree) often does this test through the school itself.
2) The second type of appointment is with a Psychiatrist, who performs a Clinical Interview, looks at the test results from the Psychologist, and makes a decision about which medications, if any, to use. Sometimes, if this evaluation is done in childhood, a child's Pediatrition or Family Medical doctor prescribes the medication.
For a list of Psychologists who do testing in Tucson, go to the following webpage:
http://drc.arizona.edu/drc/diagnostic-services.html
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Is there any way I can have ADD/ADHD medications prescribed here through CAPS physicians?
Yes. There are two ways.
If you have previously been diagnosed and treated in childhood or adolescence, i.e., before you came to college. we will want to see documentation of what kind of evaluation you've had. If it meets our approval, we will continue the medications that you've been on. The documents that we need to see are:
1)The original Psychological Test results - whether it was from a PhD Clinical Psychologist, or if it was through a School Psychologist. If you never had this kind of testing done, or if you can't find a copy of it, you must be re-tested. We can give you names and referrals of local Psychologists in the Tucson community with whom you can schedule an appointment. (See the url above for a list of providers who do testing.)
2) Doctor's notes, or a summary letter, from the Physician who was prescribing you your medication. If your testing from the past does not meet our approval, you willl have to be re-tested (see next question).
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What is the second way I can have ADD/ADHD medications prescribed here at CAPS?
The second way is if you have never been diagnosed before (or if you have, but your testing was insufficient or the documentation cannot be found), you must be diagnosed, treated, and stabilized outside of the University. This process is the same as described in the first question. You will need:
1) Psychological testing from a licensed Clinical Psychologist (since you are in college, this kind of testing from a School Psychologist would not apply).
2) An evaluation and at least 3 months of stabilization on medication by a Psychiatrist (again, beause you are in college, we will require this physician to be a Psychiatrist, not a family Doctor, Internist or other General Practitioner).
Once you've met these two criteria, and one of our CAPS Psychiatrists approves of the quality of these evaluations, we will continue to prescribe your medications. We can give referrals for Psychologists and Psychiatrists out in the community who will do these kinds of evaluations. (See the url above for a list of providers in Tucson who do testing.)
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Are there any situations in which CAPS would refuse to prescribe ADD/ADHD medications, even if I have met the requirements?
Yes, There are two situations that we monitor to make sure use of these medications continues to be appropriate, and both of these situations involve substance abuse:
1) If you are abusing the medication itself. The medications usually prescribed for ADD/ADHD are amphetamines, they all can be addictive. They are readily available "on the street," and they are as popular now on university campuses as they ever were. So, if we suspect a student is not using these medications properly - saving them up and using them at night for "cramming," using them to get high, selling them to other students, or "doctor shopping," meaning getting prescriptions from a CAPS physician as well as another doctor, etc., we will stop prescribing these medications.
2) If we find you have developed other substance abuse problems, such as with alcohol or marijuana, or of course other "hard core" drugs like cocaine or ecstasy, etc. Again, these medications are low-dose, clinically-approved, low-potency amphetamines, but they are amphetamines nonetheless. Substance abuse is, and has been, a concern on college campuses for several generations. We have a zero-tolerance policy for having ADD/ADHD medications prescribed for students with ongoing substance abuse problems. We reserve the right to require random urine drug screens (UDS) on any student who is prescribed ADD/ADHD medications.
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What if I may have ADD/ADHD, but I have never been diagnosed, my previous evaluation was too long ago, or my previous evaluation was not complete enough for UofA standards?
You will have to be tested and stabilized on medications out in the community first, as per our policy described above.
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It seems I have always had problems with concentration, being easily distracted, doing things impulsively. I'm not very good at keeping myself organized. Also I took this test on the internet that shows I have ADD.
Not all concentration problems are ADD. There are other learning disabilities besides ADD/ADHD. ADD/ADHD can be identified with proper psychological testing. Anxiety and depression, even mild, are actually the most common cause of concentration difficulties in young adults. Besides, a self-administered test on the Internet is never the same as seeing a Psychologist.
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Let's say I got an ADD diagnosis over the summer and a prescription for Ritalin from my family doctor in my hometown, but now I find out that the prescription will not be continued at CAPS. Why not?
Since you did not ever have Psychological Testing, your original evaluation does not meet UofA standards. Also, you were not diagnosed or treated when you were a child or in High School. Therefore you will need a more comprehensive evaluation, as described above in our policy.
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What if I run out of my Adderall, which was prescribed by my doctor outside the University, but I cannot get an appointment with him or her for another two weeks? CAPS does not write interim prescriptions from other doctors. I have an important exam in a few days. Can't an exception be made?
No. Be sure to make appointments in advance, especially with off-campus doctors. Anticipate your future needs. This is part of becoming an adult and learning how to use medication responsibly. Also, using these medications to "cram" for tests or papers the night before is not appropriate - it ends up making the ADD/ADHD symptoms worse over time.
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What if I find out that my health insurance plan through my parents has an exclusion for evaluation or treatment for ADD? I don't currently have the several hundred dollars to get an evaluation. Also, I found out the waiting list for these appointments out in the community is at least a month. What am I supposed to do?
Remember that ADD or ADHD is not an acute condition. There are no such things as "flare-ups" like with asthma or some other conditions. By definition it has begun by age 7 years old. If you made it through childhood and High School without being diagnosed, if you do in fact have it, it's probably a mild form. Practicing regular study habits and making sure you are always fully rested are good behaviors for all college students, but they are especially important for people with ADD or ADHD. Wait until you can arrange to have the evaluation and to pay for it. Once you've been properly diagnosed, the treatment may even take several more weeks. Take a long-term view of the problem.
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What if I was diagnosed as having ADD, but I have another medical condition which contraindicates use of a so-called "stimulant medication" for it?
Look to non-medication techniques for dealing with distractibility and attention problems. The book Driven to Distraction has many good ideas. Review techniques with your SALT/DRC specialist. Seek tutoring. There are a couple of different antidepressant medications (i.e., non-stimulant, non-addictive, much safer for long-term use) that are commonly used to treat ADD/ADHD symptoms, even in children. You can talk with a CAPS Psychiatrist about these options without having to go through the extensive evaluation process. Biofeedback using brainwave training has also been shown to have outstanding results, with a good chance of permanent benefits after only a few months of treatment (and of course no possible side effects like with medication!). There are Psychologists here in the Tucson community who are trained in Biofeedback for ADD/ADHD.
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I'm pretty sure I've never had ADD before, since I never used to have a problem focusing and concentrating, but now I do, and I don't know why. Do I have "Adult onset ADD?" Or is it something else? Who should I talk to?
There is no such thing as "Adult onset ADD." Again, by definition, ADD or ADHD must be clinically recognized with symptoms by age 7 years old. Remember, in young adults, stress or other mental health issues like depression and anxiety disorders are the most common reasons for such problems with focus and concentration. Do anxiety or depression problems run in your family? Have you chosen a major but now you're having significant doubts? Are things OK with your family and friends? Are you over-using "energy drinks" or drinking too much coffee? Are you abusing alcohol or other drugs? You can schedule a clinical evaluation for such causes here at CAPS, or with any mental health professional.
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