Oops, I Forgot My Keys Again... Could This Be ADHD?

Oops, I Forgot My Keys Again… Could This Be ADHD?

A quick attention challenge for curious minds, busy brains, and people with 47 tabs open.

Ever walked into a room and forgotten why you went there? Lost your phone while holding it? Started cleaning the kitchen and somehow ended up reorganising the garage?

Everyone gets distracted sometimes. But for some children, teens, and adults, difficulties with attention, organisation, motivation, memory, and emotional regulation can significantly affect school, work, relationships, and everyday life.

At Choice Point Psychology, we provide comprehensive and neuroaffirming ADHD assessments for children, adolescents, and adults.

Quick ADHD Attention Challenge

Tick how many of these sound familiar:

• ☐ I lose keys, phones, wallets, headphones, or school/work items regularly.
• ☐ I start tasks with good intentions but struggle to finish them.
• ☐ I procrastinate, even when something really matters.
• ☐ My mind wanders during conversations, reading, meetings, or class.
• ☐ I interrupt because I am worried I will forget my thought.
• ☐ I can hyperfocus on things I enjoy but struggle with boring tasks.
• ☐ I often feel mentally scattered or overwhelmed.
• ☐ I have been called lazy, careless, messy, or “not applying myself.”
• ☐ I leave things until the last minute, then rely on pressure to get them done.
• ☐ My emotions can feel big, fast, or hard to regulate.

0–2 ticks: Probably everyday human forgetfulness.

3–5 ticks: You may relate to some ADHD-like experiences.

6+ ticks: It may be worth exploring this further with a psychologist.

This is not a diagnostic tool. It is a reflective exercise only.

ADHD Is More Than Being Distracted

ADHD is often misunderstood as simply “not paying attention” or “being hyperactive.” In reality, ADHD can affect executive functioning — the brain-based skills we use to plan, prioritise, remember, regulate emotions, start tasks, and follow through.

Attention

Difficulty sustaining focus, switching tasks, filtering distractions, or staying mentally present.

Organisation

Challenges with planning, remembering deadlines, keeping track of belongings, or managing time.

Emotion Regulation

Big feelings, frustration, rejection sensitivity, irritability, or emotional overwhelm.

What Happens During an ADHD Assessment?

A comprehensive ADHD assessment looks at more than a checklist. It considers developmental history, school or work functioning, family history, executive functioning, attention, emotion regulation, and whether other factors may better explain the concerns.

An ADHD assessment may include:

• Clinical interview and developmental history
• Parent, teacher, partner, or self-report questionnaires
• Review of school reports or relevant background information
• Executive functioning and attention measures
• Exploration of anxiety, autism, learning difficulties, sleep, trauma, or mood concerns
• Clear feedback and practical recommendations

This matters because ADHD can overlap with anxiety, autism, learning disorders, trauma, sleep difficulties, depression, and stress. A good assessment helps clarify what is going on, rather than simply guessing.

How Assessment Can Help

For many people, ADHD assessment provides language, clarity, validation, and direction. It can help identify supports for school, university, work, therapy, emotional regulation, relationships, and daily functioning.

You can learn more about our assessment services here: Psychological Assessments at Choice Point Psychology.

For Psychologists and Supervisees

ADHD assessment is also a common area of interest for psychologists seeking supervision, particularly around differential diagnosis, executive functioning, report writing, and neuroaffirming formulation.

Learn more about supervision here: Clinical Supervision at Choice Point Psychology.

Curious About ADHD Assessment?

Whether you are exploring concerns for yourself, your child, or someone you support, assessment can help provide clarity and practical next steps.

Meet Our Team Contact Us

Final thought: ADHD brains are not lazy brains. Sometimes they are just trying to run a full orchestra with no conductor, a missing timetable, and one very enthusiastic trumpet.