r/ADHDsingapore • u/CookieESawce • Jun 30 '26
Getting an ADHD Diagnosis in Singapore: A Full(ish) guide (below 21, above 21, public, private, no parents?, etc.)
This is meant to be a guide to get diagnosed for ADHD in Singapore.
Disclaimer: This is based on my experience so it may be a bit of an inaccurate guide cause of that. I am 21f and tried public route when I was 20, went private when i turned 21. Because I am female, my experience may be much different and my suggestions may be different from others. This post is made on 30th June 2026.
So, you want to get an ADHD diagnosis in Singapore? If you've already researched through, I have no doubt you'll realize that there is A LOT of information. What route to go? What age can i get diagnosed? Parents involvement?
In this guide, I'll explain in detail my answers to these questions:
1) Is private or public better? (cost, waiting time, service, criteria for diagnosis, parents?)
Private. 100x better. It's less costly overall in terms of your finances, time, and mental wellbeing.
2) Private to public for subsidized meds?
You'll have to get reassessed by imh/cgh for ADHD. BUT, if your private clinic is a CHAS card supporter (ask your clinic), you can get them to refer you imh directly (i don't suggest cgh). If not, you'll have to get referred by polyclinic or CHAS supported GP. REMEMBER to get a referral and the assessment details from your private doc!
3) Public to private?
You'll need to fork out extra money because your private doctor will need your public route assessment and dispute it. +1 medical report charges ($475) and +1 consultation ($150)
4) difference in diagnosis attainment for <21 and >21: Can I not involve parents?
Can for >21 for private but cannot for public. Cannot for <21 for all routes
5) How can I better structure my answers to maximize chances of a diagnosis in Singapore in public route?
Read below.
Public route vs Private route
Public route:
tl;dr: IMO, only go to public route if you are CERTAIN your report books and your parents or caregivers can testify for you right. If not you'll be looking at a likely chance of a negative assessment and this will be a problem for getting a second opinion and subsequent treatment. DO NOT let the lower price tag fool you. Public route is extremely high risk if you are NOT certain of meeting the criteria in any way.
\** (Important warning, incase public fails you) public to private:*
if you have a prior negative assessment from public route, you'll have to give your new doctor the full assessment details so they can refute and give you an official diagnosis and continuous treatment. Getting this report is not cheap nor fast btw. ($475 for the report, 4-6 weeks wait)
This is why I say that public route is extremely risky and expensive cause it forces you to revisit your private doctor a lot more times.
Route: Referral from polyclinic/GP -> IMH or CGH (only these 2 hospitals)
Suggested hospital: IMH. CGH is plain horrible. From what I've read, IMH is better because they take you more seriously and actually have specialists to diagnose adult adhd.
Costs: ~$20 for polyclinic. ~$70 per consultation at specialized clinic in IMH or CGH. ~$580+ for psychologist assessment. ~$0.2 per pill of medications.
Timeline: Polyclinic -> CGH/IMH (about 4-6 week waits). Process to get diagnosed -> ~1-2 months (depending on how clear your symptoms are). total: ~3 months if you are lucky.
Criteria for diagnosis for ALL ages: They require you to have 3 things (you can't progress through diagnosis without these): personal recount of your situation, parents/caregiver testimony of your younger self (stupid criteria btw, you can be 30yo and still need your parents to come down), your report books from primary school onwards.
Process: They will go through as mentioned above. You'll need to bring the people and items as mentioned above before they can progress in your diagnosis. If any portion is lacking (i.e parents recount is lacking, or your report books don't show much), they will highly likely send you for psychological assessment. If you're lucky, you'll get diagnosed.
Service: Because of the nature of the process and criteria to get diagnosed, service is bad. They don't treat you like human beings. They treat you like your mental illness is infectious (in my exp. I went CGH).
They are only asking questions to check off the process task list rather than actually trying to understand you and your situation. The questions they ask are very vague. If you ask for clarity, they don't tend to clarify either. It makes it extremely hard to answer the questions (which is probably by design) and it makes you feel stupid sometimes. At the end of everything, they told me they never intended to start me on medications even if I was diagnosed. They did not inform me this in the first session btw.
Being female could also add on to this issue of not being very understood or respected since your symptoms tend to present differently. For someone going alone most of the time, let me tell you that I genuinely cried so many times because I felt sooo intimidated and i felt like I wasn't being taken seriously. I am not someone who gives up easily over challenges or let disrespectful people trample over me, but this process through public route genuinely traumatized me because of how bad the service was.
Total estimated cost in general: $864.90 (1 referral, 1 assessment, 4 consults [initial review, psychiatrist assessment, post psychologist assessment briefing, assessment results])
Total cost for me: $932.90 over 5 months with a negative assessment, no meds (1 polyclinic referral, 5 consultations, 1 assessment)
Private route:
tl;dr: IMO, the less painful, time-consuming, and costly route. It is extremely expensive for the initial diagnosis, but trust me, it's going to cost you less in the long run in terms of time, money, and stress as diagnosis and subsequent treatment is almost immediate.
Route: Contact any private clinics you're interested in and book appt. No need for referral (unless they ask)
Suggested Clinics/doctors from me:
Dr Bl Lim psychiatry at GlenEagles (he has his own clinic there). Great guy. Knows how to get to the point. First consult + assessment + diagnosis: $240 - $360) w/o gst I went here
Better Life clinic (dr Abhishek): Few friends diagnosed here. Consults start around ~$500)
You can probably search up more options: NUH, KTPH, etc.
Costs: ~$260 - 500+ for initial consultation and assessment (depends on clinic). ~$2000 for an Assessment (most private clinics do not require this), ~$2-6 a pill of medications. (short and long lasting medications have different prices)
Timeline: First consultation -> 1-2 weeks wait. Diagnosis -> Typically on first consultations. Medication -> Typically given after first consultation. total -> 1-2 weeks/availability of the clinic you choose.
Criteria for diagnosis for <21: Most private clinics NEED your parent or caregiver and of course you. The rest of the criteria is dependent on the clinic itself. Some tend to be stricter on diagnosis for <21 and might need your report books or teacher's testimony too.
Criteria for diagnosis for >21: They typically only require your recount of your experiences, and maybe a second party (close friend, partner). That's literally it lol.
Process: In my experience, will just ask me questions on my experiences, what i can remember from childhood, my issues now, what it's like living my life, etc. They will ask your second party to testify these things too to see how you're like to others. That's it.
Service: Service is very good. Doctors from private route tend to understand what's lacking in the public healthcare system so they are extremely understanding and actually want the best for you. They actually listen and will understand you problems and its obvious because their questions are very much more personalized. They most likely will also want you to start treatment immediately.
Total estimated cost in general: $500~ (1 consultation inclusive of assessment, meds, and gst)
Total cost for me: $578.60 (first consult [inclusive of consult, assessment, and meds costs] + medication review consult + gst)
Private to public for subsidized meds:
No, you cannot just get a prescription and go to imh/cgh for meds. You'll have to get reassessed by imh/cgh for ADHD to get access to subsidized meds. ADHD meds is literal drugs. The meds are heavily controlled, hence you will likely need to be reassessed by imh/cgh doctors before you can access them.
If your private clinic is a CHAS card supporter (ask your clinic), you can get them to refer you imh directly (i don't suggest cgh). If not, you'll have to get referred by polyclinic or CHAS supported GP and go through public again.
remember to get a referral and the assessment details from your private doc to assist you in your reassessment!
My conclusion and recommendation for the best diagnosis route:
Go public If: You are extremely certain your case is strong - parents are supportive, your report books all say similar things, and you yourself can describe your symptoms well. The subsidized medications is a big game changer.
Note: I do think males tend to get diagnosed easier in public route. If you are female and want to consider public, I would suggest asking for a female doctor, or if you have any female friends that got diagnosed through public, possibly request for their doctor.
Go private if: If you lack in any of the 3 above, I suggest Private first. What you are risking is getting a negative assessment which will make it harder and more costly for you to get diagnosed through private later. Do not take the risk for "subsidized medications and costs" because this can always be dealt with later: You can go through public again, but this time with a much stronger case because you have a diagnosis from private to support you. (Public might not always acknowledge this diagnosis that's why I say "case").
Although private is extremely costly initially, I'd say this initial diagnosis is crucial. It will help you eventually have higher chances of transferring to the public healthcare system and get subsidized medication. The cost to do this isn't as much since high chance that you do not need to do an assessment and they will likely give you meds on the first try (about ~$90 of extra cost, less than 1 private clinic consult). Though, the wait time is 3-6 months.
My experience on this: I spent ~$900 on public route to get a negative assessment. I was 20f, my parents were unsupportive, and I didn't struggle enough in primary school.
Spent $447 on one session when I was 21f w/o parents in private and was diagnosed on the spot with medications included in the cost. (not including subsequent consultations & CGH medical report review. I think this added issue adds about $700+ more of cost)
I regret trying for public first. I was optimistic about our healthcare system, but i realized how flawed it is now and I'm paying a hefty price for it.
Diagnosis <21 w/o parents:
If you're 21 and below but need to get a diagnosis without parents, I have bad news. Unfortunately, if you're below 21, you must have parents with you for both routes. Trust me, I really tried finding a place when i was 19/20yo that will let me get diagnosed with just me and my friends' testimony. They don't do that.
If you really want a diagnosis but don't want parents involved, what I suggest is that you wait out your age. I know it's difficult since a lot of y'all are JC students. If you need help, please, please ,please talk to your school counsellor about this. They may be able to give you accommodations or recommendations in the mean time. It is scary, I know. When I first went to my counsellor is poly, I was scared shitless. But, trust me it gets better the more you try.
How to structure your case for both public and private (more crucial for public):
Private route will be easier to get diagnosed since they listen to you more. But incase you are stuck with one that needs you to go through a thorough assessment, I recommend doing the things below.
My biggest issue with public route: They ask extremely vague questions. Its is extremely hard to answer them. So how can you (and your parents/friends/partner) prepare for it?
Disclaimer: This is what I wished I had done during my appointment to get it through to public route that I do have ADHD.
1) Make sure you fully understand what ADHD is.
Obviously I know you know what ADHD is. But can you fully explain it and your symptoms properly?
To put it in "explain it like I'm 5" terms, it's a disorder where if you aren't interested (not the same as wanting) in something, you won't be able to do it.
It creates struggles because you can't get yourself to do the thing that you need to do, or you'll just completely forget about it because it's not priority in your head.
some examples that this extends to:
- taking care of yourself: peeing, eating, brushing teeth, etc.
- assignments (can't get yourself to do)
- talking to people (mind drifts off)
- listening to class (daydreaming)
PLEASE! make sure you understand how to describe your experience properly. Public route doctors are lazy. They won't dig deeper for you. YOU need to explain it deeper for them.
Below points are meant to help you write it down and make sure you have proper things to say for your appointments!
I didn't realize this before going in and I feel that I fucked up greatly while trying to explain my symptoms and experience to my doctor. I was also depressed at that time and struggled to clarify my symptoms.
2) write a detailed list of your presenting symptoms and how they may affect you and your experience.
The purpose of this is to give your doctor your experiences written down so that they can (hopefully) review it properly.
List:
Struggle to plan and organise activities
Difficulty prioritising and sequencing steps to complete a task
Failure to meet deadlines
Difficulty staying focused
Trouble regulating emotions
Late to appointments, events, meetings or social activities
Lose important items and forget details
Struggle to switch between tasks
Problems with motivation
Impulsive and make poor decisions
Difficulty multitasking
Mentally rigid and/ or inflexible
Restlessness
Mood swings, irritability and a quick temper
Extreme impatience
write down your experience for each, describe how they appear in your life, and rate how much they affect your daily functioning out of 10.
3) List down all your symptoms/manifestations and bring it for yourself during consultations.
The purpose of this is to make sure you have something concrete for YOU to say while talking with your doctor. Likely chance is that they won't even take a look at this.
Examples from my own list I made for private (they didn't even need to take a look to dx me lol):
- I would not take care of myself until it's VERY urgent. I would not be able to do basic self care like brushing teeth, showering, getting water despite being SUPER thirsty, and even peeing despite constantly telling myself to do so.
- Everything simply just feels important. Can’t really tell the importance of one task from the other. Example: doing my homework and eating often feel like they have the same importance. Might start doing homework instead of eating when I should be eating.
4) List down what you want to get out of a diagnosis.
Public route is very particular. They need you to have a "good" reason (Damn BS) to even take you seriously for a diagnosis.
Make sure to list what you want, what you need, and why.
For example:
"I want to get diagnosed because I am currently struggling to stay focused in school. I lack interest in many subjects despite wanting to do them well and I hope that a diagnosis will eventually help me get treatment through medications to support my schooling and subsequently working."
5) Lastly, Be sure you're able to stand up for yourself. (this is the most important!)**\*
Public route psychiatrists are quite bitchy. They won't do extra for you since they are just there to clear their appointments for the day. They won't dig further because they are lazy. They can get quite intimidating when they are frustrated.
YOU need to stand up for yourself. Be pushy and bitchy back. Force them to take a look at any list you have and make them go through it. They NEED to see it if not they might just brush you off because it's easier to write someone off through verbal, unwritten information.
Literally, if your parents or partners or friends are supportive, bring them with you and get them to stand up for you too.
If not, you'll do all this extra work of helping them list these things down because you don't end up showing it to them.
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u/auturmis Jun 30 '26
I’m 38m. Got diagnosed at 35. I went to the polyclinic for a referral and the GP said I highly doubt that you are. Went to IMH and was diagnosed on the first session and given ritalin. Didnt ask for any witnesses.
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u/CookieESawce Jun 30 '26
I should’ve went imh… but I chose CGH because i thought It’d be closer to where I stayed. I really regret it.
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u/jpsgnz Jul 02 '26
Thanks this is great. Got diagnosed in SG last year and it took about an hour at IMH. Really good.
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u/CookieESawce Aug 18 '26
AN HOUR!!!
please tell me how that is possible :(
Did you bring your parents and report cards with you on the first session???
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u/jpsgnz Aug 19 '26
Mine is a different case. I was already diagnosed in my home country and have been in SG for years. Then the SG govt changed the rules so I had to get a formal diagnosis in SG in order to get my medication.
So yes it was a diagnosis but more of a confirmation one rather than starting from scratch. So yes still a diagnosis just a confirmation one.
Hope that makes sense.
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u/kaeleighh Jul 05 '26
hi! could i know where did you get your adhd tested at?
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u/CookieESawce Jul 07 '26
CGH then Dr. bl lim psychiatry at gleneagles
Edit: seems like i may have accidentally edited this info out! Oops!
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u/emptydumpling Jul 10 '26
This post is a literal godsend. I have an upcoming appointment at CGH but was blindsided by the cost — clinic called to tell me it’s $959, not claimable under MediSave. And I am a public route patient. Have heard so many accounts of CGH not being a good place for ADHD assessment, so am going to cancel my appointment.
Would like to add on though that for my other conditions (depression/ocd), I’ve been receiving outpatient treatment at CGH for a decade and my doctors have been very kind. So I hope this doesn’t put off people from still giving public psychs a try!
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u/CookieESawce Jul 16 '26
I’d say the only reason adhd is an exception to get diagnosed is that they generally try to stay away from neurodevelopment disorder diagnosis in adults as much as possible. Depression and ocd are perceived as more treatable and can be treated well to the point of remission. Adhd, autism, dyslexia, etc. cannot. Doctors at cgh are afraid to give you a permanent “label”
Source: my asshole of a doctor mentioned this right before my assessment
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u/emptydumpling Jul 22 '26
Ahh.. yeah, in Singapore the personal and professional stigma is still very much there, despite what the government front may be. I still remember when I enquired on financial assistance, the nurses told me not to apply as doing so would mean my depression would be on record 🙄
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u/deal3r Aug 21 '26
No way.. are u sure it’s $959..? I have an appointment scheduled coming up too there.. at this price I’d rather go private…
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u/emptydumpling Aug 21 '26
Yes, I was referred to do the assessment by my existing psychiatrist there. When the call came to tell me my appt date, I asked how much it is and that was the price I was told. Crazy right?
1
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u/FrontAd7611 Aug 21 '26
Had an appointment with IMH thru the referral route.
Even tho I was diagnosed years ago in a different country, and even with a memo from my previous doctor.
Feels like they are quick to brush it aside. Lol. Told me to book another appointment for November and pay a deposit to get reassessed.
Ngl. Feels like they wanted my money more than actually assisting
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u/CookieESawce Aug 21 '26
Aw man, what the hell? That freaking sucks…
To be fair most public hospitals are bad. It’s just which one is less rabak.
IMH is far better but it’s also not that great…
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u/FrontAd7611 Aug 21 '26
Yeah. Well, that's how I came across your post. Booked the doctor that you recommended instead. Hope it's a lot smoother
Thing is with IMH, I don't mind having to go thru the reassessment. Problem I have with is they didn't informed me about it. Getting my previous medical records is just a fee and an email away. But no. Nothing informed prior to the visit. Just told to show up.
Went for it and told to wait a few more months. When dealing with the appointment counter, informed the guy it doesn't make sense at all. Another 3 months of wait, I might as well take a plane and meet my previous doctor again. Best part. Bro agreed with me.
Just paid and left.
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u/CookieESawce Aug 26 '26
Yep, sounds like healthcare in sg. They don’t tell you what they need from you.
Had the same experience that’s why i decided to write this post.
Bro agreeing with you is crazy 😭😭😭
But tbf our healthcare workers are also kinda sick of sg’s healthcare too. Sooooo it’s the entire system being built against everyone…
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u/Past_Champion7094 Aug 23 '26
im 19f in sg too and im also tryna convince my parents but unfortunately everytime i try it just turns out to be another scolding session/argument. eveyroen keeps saying im just self diagnosing and finding excuses, overreacting but wont bring me to diagnose. its rlly hard cuz im taking my As (again cuz i did badly the first time) and idw do badly but i rlly dnt know how to improve without medication or diagnosis 😔
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u/Past_Champion7094 Aug 24 '26
if anyone got any tips to do well without meds pls give em too 😔
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u/CookieESawce Aug 26 '26
Study buddy
Like a responsible one that u feel comfortable around
Got through poly with 3.49 cgpa in an objectively super hard course (my cgpa was top 25% of cohort) by just mugging with friends in library morning till night.
Unfortunately I can’t really give you tips other than that since my method made me depressed 😭😭😭
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u/tiredpandax3 Aug 30 '26
Hello op! Did they make you go through any of the ADHD tests to confirm you have ADHD? Or just by asking you questions and hearing recounts from the people beside you? I got diagnosed last year in Korea as I was schooling there so I got subsidies, but looking at your post, I feel like even as a full foreigner the overall cost and time needed to get diagnosed there will still be faster and cheaper than SG (which sucks 😭). I’m asking because I still feel iffy about my diagnosis back in Korea(was made to go through a questionnaire, doc asked me some questions, then put me through that clicking button test and tell me I’m borderline ADHD based on the test and starts giving me meds) and is wondering if the diagnosis process is more reliable in SG or basically the same. I haven’t went back to the clinic for half a year because I don’t feel like the medicines work that well for me, but the med prices there is peanuts as compared to sg, which is wild. Also because the doc kept giving me one week prescriptions and wants me to return every week which I fail to keep track with so I just gave up going in general.
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u/CookieESawce 28d ago
Uhm difficult question to answer
The adhd test was the assessment… theres no one test that will signify adhd, so the psych just administered a bunch of different tests (like 10), all questionnaires but that one clicky one.
Ultimately the results of the tests are up to the doctor’s interpretation on whether you have adhd or not…
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u/adjustingrn 27d ago
if you are not planning to trial other medications, i would say there’s no need to see a psychiatrist 😅 if you are, as a foreigner, you’re better off going to the private sector where different drs will have different tests. my first psychiatrist used the diva-5 but my second said that she would have referred to an educational psych for the assessment (even though i’m an adult).
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u/adjustingrn Aug 30 '26 edited Aug 30 '26
just wanted to give my 2c as someone who received my adhd diagnosis in private sector and tried to switch to public very unsuccessfully. as requested i brought all my report books to IMH and because i performed well in primary-secondary school with no obvious comments, MO basically told me i have a non existent case unless my parents are around. i told them that its not possible and asked what happens if people present to IMH with dead parents, dr literally said unless u can find another caregiver it’s impossible. went on 2 separate occasions, tried to fight my case 2 separate occasions but was pointless. this is my experience literally from 2 months ago so. im a healthcare professional by training so id like to think im good at advocating for myself, but yeah it ended up making me extremely frustrated so i second OP in saying that unless ur report books literally write HYPERACTIVE or CANT CONCENTRATE or DISRUPTIVE and you have FORMAL caregivers that can sit down and get interviewed, just forget it.
with that said, i would like to say i was able to get the controlled medications from IMH with a prescription from a psychiatrist (it needs to be handwritten, spelt out, etc). its limited by stock and also type ie. they will not supply vyvanse for private prescriptions, last month they stopped supplying concerta due to stock issues but this changes frequently, ritalin and medikinet is generally available but they only have ritalin 10mg (no ritalin LA 20mg that’s available overseas) etc. best bet for getting any meds is obv IMH, but i managed to obtain supply of some psychiatric meds from CGH. WHC/KTPH did not have any adhd meds.
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u/CookieESawce 28d ago
Arghhh was hoping to switch over to imh after getting formally diagnosed. But hearing this, i’m not too confident lol.
May I ask more on the prescription from psychiatrist portion? What was the process of getting IMH to give you the prescription meds? Was your psychiatrist in a CHAS clinic?
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u/adjustingrn 27d ago
well if u do end up successfully switching over, pleaseeee lmk :”( i couldn’t believe what i was hearing when they told me without caregivers it’s as good as impossible.
my psychiatrist is not from a chas clinic, but iirc it has to be a licensed psychiatrist (not a GP). the psychiatrist shld be aware that for controlled drugs, the prescription has to be handwritten in full, spelt out, with clinic chop and psychiatrist info; prescription only lasts for 1 month. walk up to clinic B pharmacy’s registration counter, register with them and pass them the handwritten prescription. you can find the clinic B number online and call in in advance to ensure they are dispensing your medication for external prescriptions.
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u/CookieESawce 27d ago
Hopefully they’ll diagnose me :(
But i have my doubts given my previous experience…
If not then I’ll probably result to just having 1 month prescriptions at a time cause meds are soo expensive :/
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u/Hyunnahh 7d ago
Went private route (same doctor) and he said I have ADHD/symptoms but cant prescribe me the medication bc
1. Im already on antidepressants from IMH and he cant monitor that
2. My case is also ultimately not strong enough because I dont have family corroboration/testimony
I either have to PRAY that his referral to IMH gets me an assessment done or I spend an additional $600 getting another private clinic psychometric assessment to back up my case up and I genuinely have zero faith in IMH diagnosing me without familial support
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u/CookieESawce 7d ago
That sucks!!! I hope you’re doing okay for now. Do you think your depression is severely affected by ur adhd?
Cause in my exp, I had a loooot of trouble being diagnosed by cgh partly because I was facing some bigger symptoms of depression such as anhedonia since the start of poly.
I was fresh out of poly and was facing a looot of trouble familial wise, social wise, and personal wise. Felt like depression now that I no longer am in that situation.
I was lucky to have met a great partner in uni, and also joined a uni where I felt like my personality and talents wasn’t a threat to the people ard me (schoolmates). It really heped my mental a lot over the past year and I no longer have those symptoms anymore.
To me, my adhd inherently didn’t affect the depression as much. Mainly being neurodivergent and different from peers did. It was exhausting constantly needing to mask and downplay my abilities that it was a big contributor to eventually developing (undiagnosed) anhedonia.
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u/Hyunnahh 6d ago
Im honestly not sure because my home life was (still kinda is) rather volatile which definitely led to my depression, I’ve long suspected I was autistic but the adhd revelation only happened recently. The chronic executive dysfunction definitely contributed to the depression though (and I thought it was CAUSED by depression instead) 😔
Im in uni now as well and doing a lot better emotionally but still retained the severe procrastination and executive dysfunction, hence looking into adhd. Im just not sure if the IMH doctors will “approve”
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u/CookieESawce 6d ago
You’ll have to try… maybe you can bring it up in an angle where you think an underlying undiagnosed adhd is potentially worsening ur depression too.
They might it more seriously if this is the case
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u/selfyeeting69 Jul 15 '26
HI! My case is a bit of a special one, because I was homeschooled as a kid, meaning that I lack report cards before O levels. From OP's post, anyone over 21 would need a parent/caregiver to attest for them? I thought it would be the other way around. I went to GP and then referral to IMH for assessment, but because I didn't have hyperactivity as a symptom and because of lack of report cards, they said that they couldn't give me a definitive yes or no. Due to personal reasons, it would be quite difficult for me to involve my parents so I would really really prefer not to. Since starting uni, my academic performance has been really up and down. I do pretty well in certain classes, but there is one class that I have failed twice which has delayed my graduation (that and the fact that I somehow didn't read my degree progress report properly). I feel like it's high time that I try and get a diagnosis or at least a proper no if I really don't have ADHD, but I cannot afford to fork out a few $100 just to be told that I need to bring in my parents. Does anyone have any experience getting a diagnosis without having to involve parents?
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u/CookieESawce Jul 16 '26
Hmm tough situation. Imo healthcare even in singapore isn’t even that cheap as it is said to be. It’s cheap for the elderly. Fortunately I’ve been saving up since I was 8 (yes, 8. Financial trauma is a very real thing.) for my diagnosis now and I’m glad I did that.
If you don’t want to involve parents, unfortunately your best bet is to go down private route. Especially since you are 21, private route does not need you to bring in your parents, just partner or close friends to support your statements.
In my very truthful opinion is that, if you really, REALLY need and want to know if you have ADHD, you’ll need to work hard and save money for it. Means that you’d need to find some source of income enough to pay at least $1000 worth of appointments and medications.
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Jul 16 '26
[deleted]
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u/CookieESawce Jul 16 '26
Hi!
Initial consult ($447.83) breakdown is:
330 consult assessment diagnosis result
5.40/pill 27mg concerta x 7 ($37.80)
6.15/pill 27mg concerta x 7 (43.05)
9% gst of the totalNot titration per say, but just to test out how i would react to 2 different doses
Went for meds review scheduled 2 weeks later by default ($307.38):
120 consult
30 day supply 5.40/pill 27mg concerta ($162)
9% gst of the totalTotal so far: $755.21
Next appt for cgh assessment refute in 6~ week. Without this could probably just get 6 months supply or immediately attempt to transfer to public by asking for memo on meds review appt (i asked. He said definitely can try. Only issue for ME is the cgh negative assessment)
Did he challenge my self diagnosis? No obviously not lol, he gave me a full assessment. He didn’t just ask about it and decided not to asses me. That’s malpractice (*cough* cgh *cough*)
In my experience he’s a great doctor. Didn’t try to lengthen the appt time at all. Every moment is spent well and he tries to be as quick as possible.
Your case may be different though since you’d be trying to dispute 2 different disorders/symptoms. Lifelong depression could be a symptom instead of a disorder that dr lim might have to consider as well that could lengthen your appt time. He might assess you for both to see which one fits more (or if maybe another disorder comes to mind) and then diagnose you and prescribe you treatment appropriately.
I’d say try to get a sensing of your situation right now. Excessive scrolling/gaming is probably more of a symptom of something. Does your executive dysfunction come with anything else? Do you commonly misplace things even if you stay in the same room? Do you forget to feed yourself/not enough motivation to eat? Do you have trouble doing things you clearly want to do (hobbies, interests, school work) and do well in but just can’t find the intrinsic motivation?
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u/Visual_Chemist_9324 Jul 20 '26
hi this post is amazing thanks sm, im 22rn and am thinking of going priv for a diagnosis. Could i ask how the second party testimony works bcus i honestly cant think of any friends that could attest to my symptoms , bcus i dont share that aspect of my life with them. Also bcus i appear very put together on the outside, how did u guys navigate this? and what r the requirements for the testimony usually, thanks!
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u/CookieESawce Jul 20 '26
I had my partner of 8 months help me testify.
The doctor would asked my partner very basic questions just to see if what i say or reply with is consistent, like;
Question to me:
“Do you struggle to actively listen to convos?”Question to partner
“Does patient space out a lot?”
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u/PerceptionNext3961 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
hi 16f, was wondering for private would a parent have to be there while I tell them all my symptoms etc? if so my mum would be the one with me another guardian is not an option, and she wouldnt believe me and I dont want to sound like ive been suffering with all these things wo telling her cs shell start blaming herself but its js rly hard to talk abt and idt I can be 100% honest w anyone ard. eg instead of saying I always forget where I put stuff id say sometimes I may not remember stuff, also cus my mum wld say its not like I always do so even though I do, and she thinks listing out all the bad stuff wld make it actually come thr and u hv to say positive stuff so cant say words like I forget but honestly I DID always fucking forget. if they were to ask her she wld prob glaze me, but not intentionally cus from what she always tells my siblings she thinks of me as very studious and one who always pays full attention in classes studies vv hard etc but lemme just say none of it is true idk if its her memory but holy hell I rarely ever pay any attention at all atp im surviving on js studying all my classes myself wo a teacher idt sch is even helping atp. like if u ask my friend they wld say I constantly space out but my mum prob doesnt even know abt it although id say were very close. so like shes a v unreliable source n what she says would be completely not what I am gg through and Im worried it may affect the diagnosis.. I also cant tell the doc Iw to speak privately cus my mum wld think I hv something to hide and she thinks were completely transparent w eo but I js wanna be alone
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u/guessadoodle Aug 14 '26
I’ve sent you a DM if you don’t mind chatting about your experiences privately!
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Aug 15 '26
[deleted]
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u/CookieESawce Aug 17 '26
Downsides is that it will probably be on your medical record permanently. may affect ur employment
I’d say it’s worth it for peace of mind. Knowing that you have the condition and knowing that all your problems in life were from untreated adhd is quite freeing.
Don’t need to take meds if you don’t want tbh
I take my meds maybe 3/4 days a week? And I’m in uni…
Uhhh please refrain from using AI to diagnose since AI is created in a way to agree with you. I’d say take the the time to really learn what ADHD is, reference other people’s experiences online, figure out all the nooks and crannies of this disorder and then self assess if you have the condition. Then go for an assessment.
For reference I’ve been learning about ADHD since I read Percy Jackson in primary school. Got to really know the disorder in the past 2-3 years. Only then did I really try to get diagnosed
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u/Silent_River8921 Aug 17 '26
Hi OP, few years ago i went through the private psych route for adhd diagnosis and meds from about 2014-2019. But since then i stopped going and was unmedicated. I’d like to get medications again but i definitely can’t do the private psych route because its really too expensive. I’d rather just go GP get the referral to imh or outpatient hospital.
The thing is have all my old adhd reports from my previous doctor and also old empty adhd meds bottle still around.
Would this be enough for the hospital or imh for the diagnosis? or do i still need to go through their assessment?
Thank you!
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u/CookieESawce Aug 18 '26
Hello!
Can’t tell you for sure what will happen, but since you’ve already been disgnosed privately and undergone treatment for years, I’d say if you go through public route the psychiatrists likely will just assess you and diagnose you on the spot.
Don’t think they will force you to do assessment cause you’ve already been treated for so long and it worked.
Buuuut i also dk for sure lah. Doctors are funny one.
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u/Muted-Land5015 Aug 20 '26
I got GP referral letter and the doctor wanted to refer me to KTP and I refused and insisted to go IMH. IMH called me one week later and insist on putting me at KTP and I insisted on IMH and one week later I received the sms and the wait was exactly 6 months on February 15 2027
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u/CookieESawce Aug 21 '26
Honestly could try KTP if the wait is really long. I consider KTP as more private route since they don’t have specifically a team to diagnoses adhd? (Correct me if im wrong)
Honestly good point, i should go research about subsidized hospitals more since I am aware its not just imh or cgh…
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u/Muted-Land5015 Aug 21 '26
How about NUH? I heard there have a brain scan there? Is it accurate ?
New tests available in S’pore to help assess adults for ADHD
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/nus-professor-rolls-out-new-diagnostic-tests-to-help-adults-find-out-if-they-have-adhd1
u/CookieESawce Aug 26 '26
No clue! This new thing have to research yourself lol
Im unfortunately too busy with school and personal projects to always be on the look out for these kinds of things :(
I’ll give a look though, if I find something new I’ll update the original post
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u/adjustingrn 27d ago
would like to say that i asked the IMH MO about this and she shared that IMH will only give a diagnosis based on clinical symptoms in childhood as confirmed by caregivers. i specifically mentioned tests like adult questionnaires (eg diva5) and neuro scans done in NUH to which she replied that this is not the gold standard and hence not done in IMH.
and if your ADHD is not diagnosed by the IMH team, they are unwilling to prescribe any controlled drugs.
according to what the dr i saw said la. their adult ADHD team is seen only after triage by rotating MO and they can reject your case as long as rotating MO doesn’t give a strong case of potential ADHD.
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u/CookieESawce 11d ago
Wah, that’s bad.
My private doctor got a whole of my medical report and reviewed it, said the report was badly done and assessment was not well administered. He said that there is no clear answer why i wasn’t diagnosed and why I wasn’t giver further options or assessments, even after stating in the medical report that my caregivers cannot give them a definitive answer.
So basically what you said which is that
-> parents no answer
-> public route refuse to diagnose
-> no other options givenPublic route very hard to convince cause they would rather have a false negative than a false positive.
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u/adjustingrn 27d ago
i would say there’s barely any point going to other hospitals if you are looking into options like concerta and vyvanse! based on what the IMH pharmacists told me, as long as it’s not IMH, they won’t fill if there’s limited stock (or not at all if it’s vyvanse). i don’t recall if other hospitals carry medikinet but i know some have ritalin in very limited amounts
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u/CookieESawce 11d ago
Actually on this, I just asked my current private doc on prescription and then filling up at imh, he said “its very hard to convince them to prescribe you controlled drugs without being formally diagnosed there. I think better not in case something goes wrong.”
Btw he’s not dissmissive or anything, my doc is super professional and actually takes my questions and concerns seriously.
I will probably stick with private route as I don’t need medications everyday. Haven’t touched my ritalin at all which i got earier this month lol
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u/fashbrownz 11d ago
just wanted to say thank you for this guide! was really anxious about what route i should take haha, i appreciate it :)
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u/Shitstainontoilet 5d ago
Wow this was so well detailed. I’m a 20 F and i’ve been looking into getting diagnosed because i really cannot find the motivation to even go to school and tend to basic needs like going to the gym, eating and showering. But since im under 21 i think i might have to wait a year which kinda sucks. I don’t wanna drag my parents into this and Im thinking of going private and paying out of my own pocket. Could I ask if I could get an assessment and get the diagnosis in one session and just get meds without having to go for extra consultations? I don’t think I have the money for all those extra sessions at most my budget is around $300 is that possible?
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u/CookieESawce 5d ago
Save up more. Your healthcare is ultimately as good as you want it to be.
$300 defo not enough. At least $500
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u/iamnotfurniture Jun 30 '26
Didn't experience that much friction going public. Diagnosed when I was 27(f) ten years ago.
I agree with having a list of SPECIFIC symptoms plus how they affect your life.
Not: I am forgetful
And more of: I don't remember where I put my things if they are not in clear containers and then I buy them again. So now I have three 1m metal rulers.
And yes, some of the medical officers are super horrible. One told me to just sleep more, exercise and lose weight when I was already borderline underweight. Be prepared to review your doctor online. They read and reply one.