20 years old, pretty sure I have ADHD, GP told me to go private. Looking for advice.
Hi everyone,
I'm 20 years old and I've suspected I have ADHD ever since I first learned what it was. I only recently worked up the courage to bring it up with my GP because I struggled so much in college.
The actual course content wasn't difficult for me at all, but attending lectures, starting assignments, keeping up with coursework, staying organised, and actually getting myself to do things felt almost impossible. After looking into ADHD more, I realised this pattern has been present throughout my whole life with pretty much every project, hobby, or goal I've ever had. College was just the point where it became too much to ignore.
My GP referred me to a counsellor. After speaking with her, she said she thinks I most likely have ADHD, but she isn't qualified to diagnose it. I went back to my GP with that, and he told me there's no way he can get me assessed through the public system and that I'd have to go private.
What concerned me was that he also immediately started warning me that an ADHD diagnosis could make it harder to get loans in the future, and that the medication is highly addictive. Even after hearing that, I still want to pursue an assessment because ADHD is affecting my life enough that I feel it's worth it if medication could help.
I have a few questions and would really appreciate advice from anyone who's gone through this in Ireland:
Is it better to go with an in-person clinic or an online ADHD clinic?
Are there any providers you'd recommend or avoid?
I have a medical card. If I'm diagnosed privately, will my medical card cover the medication?
I've read that my GP has to agree to take over/take on the prescription. What happens if my GP refuses? Would I have to keep paying privately for prescriptions and reviews, or are there other options?
I'm feeling a bit lost with the whole process, especially because it's a lot of money for me at the moment. I'd really appreciate hearing about other people's experiences or any advice on the best way to go about this.
thanks guys.
