Should I take my current mental health medications before an ADHD assessment?

Yes, keep taking your current medications exactly as prescribed

An ADHD assessment does not require you to stop or change any medication you're currently taking, including antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or anything else prescribed for an existing condition. Continue your regular dose and schedule right up to and through the appointment unless your own prescriber, not the assessment itself, has told you otherwise for an unrelated reason.

Stopping a psychiatric medication abruptly can cause withdrawal or relapse, without helping the assessment

Some medications used for mood or anxiety conditions can cause uncomfortable withdrawal effects, or a return of the original symptoms, if stopped suddenly. None of that trade-off buys you a clearer ADHD assessment. A qualified clinician interprets your symptoms with your current medication status in mind, so being on treatment does not distort or invalidate the process the way people sometimes assume.

This idea, that you should be "unmedicated" to get an accurate read, is a common misconception rather than a clinical requirement. It sometimes comes from confusing an ADHD assessment with something like a medication trial, where a clinician deliberately adjusts one medication to observe its effect. An initial diagnostic assessment is a different process: it's built around history and current functioning, not around temporarily removing your existing treatment to see what happens.

Being on stable treatment for anxiety or depression can make an ADHD assessment clearer, not muddier

Mood and anxiety symptoms can overlap with, and sometimes mimic, ADHD symptoms like poor concentration or restlessness. When those conditions are reasonably well managed, a clinician has an easier time distinguishing which difficulties are tied to ADHD specifically versus which were driven by an untreated mood or anxiety condition. Canadian practice guidelines for ADHD explicitly account for these overlapping presentations as part of a thorough differential assessment, rather than treating current treatment as a complicating factor to eliminate first.

Bring a complete list of what you're taking, rather than deciding what seems relevant

Rather than guessing which medications matter, bring or be ready to state everything you currently take, including the name, approximate dose, and how long you've been on it, along with anything you've tried in the past and stopped. This gives your clinician the full picture needed to interpret your symptoms accurately and to plan treatment safely if a diagnosis follows.

This is also relevant to safety, not just accuracy. If treatment for ADHD is eventually discussed, whether that means a stimulant medication, a non-stimulant option, or a non-medication approach, a clinician needs a complete and current medication list to consider potential interactions and make an appropriate recommendation. Leaving something out, even something that feels minor or unrelated, removes information your clinician needs to plan safely.

• Current medications, doses, and how long you've taken them
• Past medications you've tried and stopped, and roughly why
• Which prescriber manages each medication
• Any recent dose changes

Your sleep and daily routine matter for the assessment, and don't require any medication changes

Poor sleep can worsen attention, memory, and mood, and can make it harder to give a clear picture of your baseline functioning during an interview. The Public Health Agency of Canada recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night for adults aged 18 to 64, along with habits like a consistent bedtime and wake time and limiting alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine before bed. Aiming for your normal, reasonably rested routine in the days before your appointment, rather than making any medication changes, is the more useful kind of preparation.

For more on what to expect on appointment day, see how long does the online ADHD assessment appointment take and how long does it take to get ADHD assessment results.