DIVA/ADHD Summary

Inattentive Symptoms

"1. Often fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes"

• "I constantly miss small typos in my financial spreadsheets at work, even after checking them twice, which gets me into trouble with my manager."

"2. Often has difficulty sustaining attention"

• "During long team meetings or when reading dense reports, my mind just drifts off after five minutes and I have no idea what was just said."

"3. Often does not seem to listen when spoken to directly"

• "My partner always complains that I look right through them when they're talking to me, like I'm on another planet."

"4. Often does not follow through on instructions"

• "I'll start cleaning the kitchen, find a bill on the counter, go to pay it on my laptop, and three hours later the dishes are still in the sink."

"5. Often has difficulty organizing tasks and activities"

• "My desk is a mountain of paperwork and my digital files are a mess; I never know which project to prioritise first."

"6. Often avoids tasks that require sustained mental effort"

• "I put off doing my tax return and quarterly compliance forms until the absolute last minute because just looking at them makes my brain hurt."

"7. Often loses things necessary for tasks or activities"

• "I lose my swipe card, keys, or phone almost daily. I've had to replace my wallet three times this year."

"8. Is often easily distracted by extraneous stimuli"

• "If someone is having a conversation two desks away in the open-plan office, I physically cannot focus on my own screen."

"9. Is often forgetful in daily activities"

• "I regularly forget to take the bins out, miss dental appointments, and forget to reply to important text messages for days."

Hyperactivity Symptoms

"1. Often fidgets with or taps hands or feet or squirms in seat"

• "I'm always bouncing my leg under the table or clicking my pen until coworkers ask me to stop."

"2. Often leaves seat in situations when remaining seated is expected"

• "In workshops or cinema screenings, I have to make excuses to go to the bathroom or get water just so I can stand up and walk around."

"3. Often runs about or climbs in situations where it is inappropriate"

• "I don't climb things now, obviously, but I have this constant internal restlessness, like an engine revving inside my chest when I have to sit still."

"4. Often unable to play or engage in leisure activities quietly"

• "I can't just sit and read a book or watch a movie quietly; I have to be scrolling on my phone and talking about the plot at the same time."

"5. Is often 'on the go,' acting as if 'driven by a motor'"

• "Friends say I'm exhausting to be around because I'm always rushing from one thing to the next and can never just relax on the weekend."

"6. Often talks excessively"

• "Once I start talking about something I'm interested in, I dominate the conversation and don't realise I've been rambling for twenty minutes."

"7. Often blurts out an answer before a question has been completed"

• "I constantly finish people's sentences because I feel like they're talking too slowly and I already know what they're going to say."

"8. Often has difficulty waiting his or her turn"

• "Standing in a slow queue at the supermarket or waiting in Sydney traffic makes me disproportionately agitated and impatient."

"9. Often interrupts or intrudes on others"

• "I'll just walk into my colleague's office and blurt out a question without noticing they're on a phone call."

Symptoms Present Prior to 12YRS

• "My primary school reports from Year 3 and Year 4 all say the exact same thing: 'Liam is a bright boy but is a constant chatterbox, daydreams in class, and never finishes his worksheets on time.'"
• "Mum always said I was a whirlwind as a kid—constantly losing my school jumper and forgetting my lunchbox on the bus."

Impact on Functioning

• "I was placed on a performance improvement plan at work last month because of missed deadlines and careless errors in client accounts."
• "My relationship is really strained; my partner feels like they have to parent me because I forget to pay bills and leave chores half-done."
• "My university degree took me six years instead of three because I failed several units just from forgetting to submit assignments on time."

Differential Diagnosis

• Nil history or current MSE findings suggestive of schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders. Mood is euthymic; chronicity and pervasiveness of symptoms since early childhood indicate presentation is not better explained by an episodic mood disorder, GAD, or substance use.