INTRODUCTION
ADHD, or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting between 3 and 9% of young Canadians and between 3 and 5% of adults. Its symptoms vary from one individual to another and do not necessarily appear at the same time, which complicates the diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, with or without hyperactivity.
However, it is possible to recognize the early signs of ADHD by observing its most characteristic symptoms over six months or more. Based on these signs, clinicians develop effective diagnostic and treatment methods for this neurodevelopmental disorder. Neurofeedback by Neuroperforma is one of these methods. For English-speaking Canadians, Talk With Frida offers a self-diagnosis and treatment solution for ADHD. We discuss it in this report.
WHAT EXACTLY IS TALK WITH FRIDA?
Talk With Frida offers a comprehensive online diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up service for individuals with or potentially suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
This online clinic operates in Canada, primarily in British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, Nova Scotia, and Alberta. Patients from other Canadian provinces can also benefit from its services, provided they speak and understand English fluently. All the features of “Frida” are indeed available only in English.
Talk With Frida’s offer includes:
- A four-step online diagnosis under the guidance of experienced clinicians;
- A personalized follow-up and treatment plan.
The uniqueness of Talk With Frida lies in its operating model and treatment plan. The online diagnosis is not limited to ADHD.
The clinic comprehensively evaluates your adult mental health for a total price of CAD 599. This diagnosis notably includes the analysis of depressive symptoms, the search for anxiety disorders, and the evaluation of ADHD.
If the diagnosis of ADHD, depression, or an anxiety disorder is positive, the clinic provides a tailored treatment plan costing CAD 79 per appointment with a clinician from the Frida network.
Available only in English, Talk With Frida has no equivalent in French in Canada.
THE PROBLEMS WITH SELF-DIAGNOSIS
Before offering the services of its clinicians, Talk With Frida invites you to perform a self-assessment of your mental health. This preliminary diagnosis consists of a 6-item questionnaire. These questions aim to determine the frequency of occurrence of the main symptoms associated with ADHD, including:
- Difficulty completing a personal or professional project;
- Difficulty organizing a seemingly simple task;
- Forgetting appointments and other social/professional obligations;
- Procrastination;
- Difficulty staying still;
- Feeling overly active or compelled to do certain things.
Only after this initial questionnaire can you register on the site, request a more advanced—and paid—diagnosis, and receive support from a healthcare professional.
Talk With Frida’s service primarily relies on the results of an initial self-assessment that can be biased. A 6-item questionnaire completed in 2 minutes rarely suffices to confirm or refute the possible signs of ADHD.
The language barrier also poses a problem if you do not speak or understand English well. Frida’s services, including the 75-minute video call following the self-assessment and the physical or online appointments with a clinician, are offered in this language.
HOW TO GET DIAGNOSED OTHERWISE?
For all these reasons, you might choose to get diagnosed differently if you suspect you have ADHD.
Several options are available to you:
CLINICS
Among specialized hospitals, mental health centers, and private clinics, you have a wide range of healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat your ADHD.
If you are looking for noninvasive and non-drug solutions, consider specialized Neuroperforma clinics. They offer customized services based on Neurofeedback, a technique developed to improve cognitive performance, emotional management, and concentration while alleviating symptoms of anxiety and disorders like ADHD.
Necessary: Neuroperforma clinics do not diagnose ADHD. However, following the first phase of the process, which is the brain evaluation (QEEG), a member of our psychology team will be able to establish a custom neurofeedback protocol to help reduce the various effects of ADHD.
DOCTORS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS
ADHD diagnosis can also be done by a licensed psychologist or a psychiatrist. You can find the contact details of these professionals in the Order of Psychologists directory in your province.
CONCLUSION
A self-assessment of ADHD done in a few clicks will never equal the diagnosis performed by a psychiatrist or a psychologist. This observation also applies to online AI-assisted diagnostic services. If you think you suffer from ADHD, nothing beats the support and customized services of a specialist.