"ADHD Rejected Assessment"

Recently was referred to the community mental health team as I had been feeling significantly low over the past few months. After battling depression, anxiety, and OCD symptoms over the last ten years I felt as though there was something else going on. I received an appointment with a Psychologist for an assessment. 

I am extremely self aware and pretty sure I have ADHD due to a number of vivid symptoms and external factors and wanted to discuss this at my initial assessment appointment. The first assessment appointment was around getting to know me and understanding my trauma and how depression and anxiety had effected me. I felt as though that was all we spoke about and there was not any space to discuss ADHD.

At my second appointment which was over the phone I had prepared notes, and had filled in the Royal College of Physicians scale and really wanted to discuss it. When I mentioned ADHD I did not get much back, and I kept having to come back to it to get the discussion going. The psychologist said they would have a chat with their team and come back to me.

The third telephone appointment was disappointing as the psychologist explained I did not meet the threshold for an ADHD assessment - but could not tell me what that was.. and I was referred for therapy with a psychologist in the NHS.

I am currently undergoing formulation therapy which is very difficult to engage with, and since joined an ADHD peer support group which has been super helpful. 

I cannot access an ADHD assessment through the NHS. I am at crisis point living in overwhelm constantly and it is seriously difficult to navigate. 

I also made a complaint to the NHS regarding this, and they are out with their own time lines to reply - essentially being ignored. 

The NHS seems unable to:

- recommend where to access a private diagnosis

- guarantee they will take on shared care

- assess anyone who has some sort of a life

What chance do we have? How do we access support? Who can afford to access a private assessment costing £1000 and more? Where do we go if we cannot access our National Health Service? Why are we being denied the rights to access an assessment? Why are we not allowed to explore what makes us behave the way we do?