Adult ADD

That scary moment when you read a comprehensive list of symptoms and your other half tells you that's you, and you recognise every single one of them and can think of a time (nearly weekly or daily) where they apply! Then you look at more lists and 99% of them apply... Lol. Got to love google self diagnosis

Seriously though... Then what do you do?!





FYI, this is the list I read out loud....... Oh dear lol.

http://www.nacr.org/wordpress/91/common-symptoms-of-add-in-adults

I was diagnosed with ADHD last year, and to be honest I only sought out a diagnosis because it was impairing my schoolwork and I felt I could benefit from extended time on exams and so on.

To be honest, seeking out a diagnosis is expensive and time-consuming, particularly if it isn't impacting your day-to-day life and you don't plan on taking medication to alleviate your symptoms. Just keep on trucking...there are lots of self-treatment options to help you if it starts to get trick (cognitive therapy, this website: http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_strategies.htm)

:yikes: You mean I had to go through highschool and college like a normal person when I could have gotten extended time on exams?

LOL, seriously just teasing. I don't have Adult ADD, I am an adult though with life long ADHD, I have been since puberty or earlier. I was diagnosed after a ton of responses from doctors, psychiatrists, and counselors.

It impairs my life, however medicine that I have taken for it has only made my life worse in many ways. I have in turn found a lot of "old school" suck it up and get **** done attitude has helped. It's not perfect but no ones life ever is. It can be very easy to read and list and go, Heyyyy that's meeeeee but if you feel medicine or better yet counseling would help I would seek a diagnosis.

I was diagnosed two years ago at 23. Medication helps me a TON.

When I can remember to take it.

Because ADHD.

Hahaha I told my dad he should go out and hit me with a shovel and then maybe I could get them to curve my tests for me too

It never bothered me academically until college, where I had yet to complete an exam by my sophomore year. The dean gave me the extra time before I even got diagnosed, but my doctor decided to slap a label on it just for good measure.

-shrug- Mostly I just feel like it makes me the way I am. There are certainly good and bad things about it.

I'm thinking back to my first degree days, when id literally sit up and have an hours sleep before my exams (and still pass), and too my second degree days when I'd write all my essays in about 3 days.....

Extra time wouldn't help me. If I know I have time, ill happily sit and stare out the window or do something else till i have precisely 10 mins left to bosh it out! I can't work unless its pressurised. I do my best work then actually (so I believe.....).

We did establish I wouldn't be me without the traits I read, but honestly, it would make life easier without them :/

My biggest offence is zoning out. I do this Alll. The. Time. All the time. I often have to ask people to repeat things because I don't hear them. Or more often, I don't even realise they are talking. I can't multitask. If I'm on something, I don't hear anything they say. Even sat on chaz I'm gone. I have learnt active listening skills through my work, but it's not easy! And in my personal life I struggle to hear people talking to me!

Yup, this is me.

I doubt ill ever do anything about it, but I'm not entirely sure I've ever seen anything so much and felt, that's me to a tee!

It's interesting though would make a lot of sense. A lot. Huge amounts even. Huuuuuuuuuuge.

Certainly not hyper though, bordering on lazy so we can deffo drop the H.

I was like this in high school, but once things got academically harder in college I couldn't do this and would end up failing/not finishing.

I tend to be very, very physically busy, but I can usually stay focused for 10 minutes at a time or so if I'm walking. So basically I take my exams pacing around the dean's office or sitting under the table (where the novel environment keeps me fairly focused).

Hyper active refers to the impulsivity, the restless leg, fidgety inability to settle in a "boring" environment, and the blurting or interrupting in conversation commonly followed by panic and regret. This creates a ton of anxiety and often overt self control or rather avoidance.

ADD is described as the withdrawn, daydreamy, trouble focusing, often seen as shy but mostly just dissociated.

From what I remember.

Oh. Crap

I don't have ADD, but lots of the symptoms of ADD are also present with other disorders (depression, bipolar). Even if you never seek a diagnoses, treatment, medication, etc. there are a lot of resources for coping skills and ways to improve focus, listening skills, etc. You can look for a time management or communication skills course, even an online forum or something, to help you out.

If it's really affecting your day-to-day life, you're struggling with work or your personal relationships are regularly strained because of it, I'd seek further help (not necessarily meds, but counseling or a coping skill class)...however, if it's just a minor inconvenience, you can probably improve it yourself.

Also, things like a poor sleep schedule, poor diet, etc. will definitely make it worse.

I know a few people who have started on ADD medication as adults. Most of them, it didn't last very long, and wasn't worth the side effects. But, I do know one person (who was always a good student, successful young man) who's life drastically improved after he started prescription ADD medication. Since he's started, probably about a year ago, he's lost a great deal of weight by healthy eating and exercise, taken on various projects with success, and his already-good grades have improved, as well as his social life. He's never been in any kind of behavioral therapy, so it's safe to say the drugs are what's made a difference, but I don't think that's the typical outcome.

I'm not an adult, although I'm almost considered one... but I started ADD medication, Concerta, back in August/October. It's worked wonders and I'm really starting to see the differences.

Half the time, I didn't even realize I was zoning out... I'd probably zone out for a good quarter of the class or more. Now, on days that I forget my meds, I can notice a big difference in my attention span. I forgot it the other day and had to keep reminding myself to pay attention after I caught myself in "la la land".

I still can't multitask too well, but I'm only on the 27mg. Typically they go from 18mg to 36mg but I didn't respond well to that big of an increase so we ordered in the 27 and it's made a ginormous difference. I got a 78 in math last semester and right now, I'm getting an 89... not too much the 90s in both my science classes.

I'd go talk to a psychologist and get their opinion on medication. The psychologist I went to, actually both, said it's really hard to diagnose at times because it varies so much. The first said that I seemed bright and alert, so my mom sent me to a different one who did agree that I showed signs of ADD. She recommended the Concerta and said that many people do really well on it once they find their perfect dosage. Although she also said that there is a brand name Concerta and a generic Concerta, so you need to make certain that it's the brand name.

Worry not, I have been clinically diagnosed with ADHD since I was about 7 or 8 years old, I don't take meds for it, I had wonderful parents that found tutors that taught me coping skills tht allowed me to function without meds thank god cuz most of them have horrible side effects.