New to the adult ADD/ADHD club. Members only
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I know this is an old post, but I just did a search for ADD/ADHD and this was the first one that popped up. I'm just wondering if you ever finished with your testing, etc.?
I had an appointment with a psychologist for the first time in my life a couple of days ago because I've been dealing with anxiety/depression and what I'm pretty sure is misophonia since I was a kid. It kind of shocked me when he said he thinks I probably have ADD. I laughed it off because of all the jokes associated with it, but then I did research and a lot of things started to make sense. I had no idea the depression/anxiety and feelings of being overwhelmed could be linked to ADD.
I always wondered if I had it, but I never bothered getting tested because I had heard my family tell me that I was just lazy my whole life and thought that was more likely. I couldn't pay attention in school if I wasn't interested (I would draw or write notes to friends or make random lists of things because I make lots of lists for some reason) and I wouldn't sit down at night and do my homework because I needed to be stimulated by other things, whether it be all the TV shows I watched, singing karaoke in the living room or playing outside. I got into trouble a lot with my mother who couldn't understand why I could get As in some classes and Fs in others when she knew I wasn't stupid. In elementary school everyone just thought I was lazy because my only good grades were in music classes, but in high school I also did well in French and Geology because the teachers or the subjects held my interest. I'm not sure which, but still...
It actually makes me mad that people just wrote me off and made me feel bad about something I couldn't really control. I tried to pay attention, but after a couple of minutes my mind would just start wandering and it's still the same. It's hard for me to stay engrossed in a conversation even now. You better tell me what you have to tell me in two minutes or you've lost me, haha.
It has taken me FOREVER to write this out... I go back to read what I wrote, then re-read it a few times and not pay attention and completely lose my train of thought. So I should stop before I go on for three more hours.
I'm supposed to be tested soon. What can I expect during the test? What do they usually do?
I'll PM you soon.
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Exercise can clean eating help A LOT. So does having a job where you're left alone and can manage your own work.0
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I have a GP's tick-box diagnosis, but I'm pretty sure it's right. 2 sibs with ADHD (properly diagnosed); a lifetime of problems with organization (report cards were what you'd expect)... For me it's mainly that & restlessness & 'hyperfocus' - not being able to start, stop or switch tasks easily < helped with some jobs, really hurt academics. (A lot of pain around that. Struggled so much with prioritizing, + perfectionism... making up for it now).
I can't drop $800-2000 on a neuropsych assessment right now, and don't want to mess around with dosages just with my GP's guidance. And I wouldn't want to go the med route without really, REALLY good monitoring (have suffered for it in the past). So for me, it's down to behavioural strategies anyway. The one drug I feel safe using under these circumstances is caffeine, in the form of 2-3 cups of jo a day. I take fish oil supps & Vit C as well.
Exercise has really helped with getting focus & energy & mood levels together. I mean it's improved my quality of life by 10000%.
I'm just now looking seriously at time management again. In particular, the Pomodoro technique. I think just a timer would help a bit, so every 30 mins I'm forced to ask myself, 'anemone, what are you doing?', but ^ involves 1) prioritizing tasks, 2) chunking them into bits that fit into 25 min slots, and 3) assessing things all the time (in case of over/underestimating how long x will take).
Lots of people have been helped by smartphones & apps. I just have a paper planner, which I keep losing - can't wait for my upgrade!0 -
Me!!!! ME!!!! ME!!!
I was diagnosed have having ADHD and dyslexia as a child. I was on meds for a bit, but got massive migraines from them, so I stopped taking them. I still have alot of dyslexic tendencies and am really ADD in real life at times
I have trouble focusing, but found that my smartphone has really helped me... I program my life into that calendar and to-do lists apps for chores, etc. to keep me on track. I have it beep to tell me to get my kids from school, etc. so I don't have that excuse when I zone out. Those reminders help me alot! I also learned the importance of routines (always put the keys on the hook, always do this there right away--- it has cut down on some of the "where is that? drama that plagued me for a long while). I also try to teach my kids the importance of routines for them (packing school bag the night before, making lunches ahead of time, planning clothes, etc.) which helps me help them..... they don't realize it's more for me than for them yet. :-)
I also try to avoid sugar... too much sugar is like a trigger for adding in extra ADHD tendencies, and makes my dyslexia worse. So some days if I know I've had too much sugar, I try to schedule an easy day. I also try to avoid people when I've had too much sugar, I'm likely to flip out on them and have a crying jag. Not fun for anyone working near me.
Exercising also helps me so very much... I tend to lose focus sometimes in the middle of my workout, but overall it helps me get through my day in a calmer and a bit more focused manner.0 -
Squirrel! As a special education teacher I saw a lot of ADD/ADHD diagnosis/misdiagnosis, worked with students with it, became relatively educated about it in the 80's. The lightbulb became even brighter when my son was diagnosed in 3rd grade and meds helped him become a successful student. As my life became more complicated I looked at myself and the light flashed. Meds helped me the way glasses do. Yes, I can see without them, but it's a struggle to keep things in focus, I miss things that are in front of my face, and feel out of sorts and odd. With meds I have been a relatively successful, and far happier.
If time travel existed I would certainly opt to go back and start meds as a youngster....
Finding the right meds however can be a challenge. I'll second the advice from others....find someone you like, trust, and can communicate with. Educate, educate, educate yourself.
Also, I do think the appetite suppressant effect is very individual. For me I think it quiets the internal child demanding a candy bar in the check out line and lets me begin to think about my choices.0 -
i was diagnosed as a kid and have developed lots of coping mechanisms when it comes to work and school. i'm REALLY super regimented at work so people are usually surprised when they get to know me outside of work because i tend to let my ADD flow when there's not a pay check.
also i just wanted to point out that for many of us with ADD/ADHD interest in a subject has very little to do with ability to focus. it's like saying that someone born with a mobility issue can walk or run correctly if they were interested to do so. for many of us ADD is a chemical issue (low dopamine ) so there's no way to will that into happening
in school, i had many things that i was interested in but was never able to focus on as much as i wanted. i lucked out in grade school and high school because my work was relatively easy for me so i breezed through. by the time i got to college and became a physics major/math minor i had a rude awakening because i had not developed any workarounds to help me focus
- caffeine is your friend! i dont take meds, but i find caffeine works really well. i usually start my work day with 1-2 cups of coffee . i also drink a lot of coke zero, diet mt dew or iced green tea during the day
- to do lists are also your friend. i also have a capacity report where i list everything i need to do for the week and the amount of time it will take me . when you make your lists, be as detailed as possible writing down all the steps. that way you can cross them off and make sure that nothing got skipped.
- prioritizing, prioritizing, prioritizing! on my to do list, i identify the 10 most important things to do in a day and work on those first.
- i tend to plan better on pen and paper rather than electronically because there's too much distractions electronically. i could be updating info on my smart phone, get an email then switch over to read it which leads to something else and next things you know i havent accomplished anything
- i schedule 5 minutes of walk around time an hour just to help me stay sane
good luck!0 -
What did you do to get diagnosed?0
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My only though is the irony is that every one of these responses are so long. I mean, I started to read
wanna ride bikes?0 -
for me it was a referral from my pediatrician. we went to some therapists and they give you some tests and talk to you . i dont know what it's like as an adult. i was diagnosed like 30 years ago almost :laugh:What did you do to get diagnosed?0 -
My only though is the irony is that every one of these responses are so long. I mean, I started to read
wanna ride bikes?
QFT.0 -
It's great to know there is more of us ...ooooooohhhh flying saucer....in the world;) I was dx'ed earlier in the year with the ADD goblin.0
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i was diagnosed as a kid and have developed lots of coping mechanisms when it comes to work and school. i'm REALLY super regimented at work so people are usually surprised when they get to know me outside of work because i tend to let my ADD flow when there's not a pay check.
also i just wanted to point out that for many of us with ADD/ADHD interest in a subject has very little to do with ability to focus. it's like saying that someone born with a mobility issue can walk or run correctly if they were interested to do so. for many of us ADD is a chemical issue (low dopamine ) so there's no way to will that into happening
in school, i had many things that i was interested in but was never able to focus on as much as i wanted. i lucked out in grade school and high school because my work was relatively easy for me so i breezed through. by the time i got to college and became a physics major/math minor i had a rude awakening because i had not developed any workarounds to help me focus
- caffeine is your friend! i dont take meds, but i find caffeine works really well. i usually start my work day with 1-2 cups of coffee . i also drink a lot of coke zero, diet mt dew or iced green tea during the day
- to do lists are also your friend. i also have a capacity report where i list everything i need to do for the week and the amount of time it will take me . when you make your lists, be as detailed as possible writing down all the steps. that way you can cross them off and make sure that nothing got skipped.
- prioritizing, prioritizing, prioritizing! on my to do list, i identify the 10 most important things to do in a day and work on those first.
- i tend to plan better on pen and paper rather than electronically because there's too much distractions electronically. i could be updating info on my smart phone, get an email then switch over to read it which leads to something else and next things you know i havent accomplished anything
- i schedule 5 minutes of walk around time an hour just to help me stay sane
good luck!
Re school stuff - same.. was labelled as 'gifted' (imagine you were as well?), which is awful, in retrospect. Organizational probs were interpreted as moral failings. "Not living up to potential", "poor discipline", etc etc. Consequently, I grew up feeling I was letting everyone down. (Though I did ok early on as well, usually by pulling it out of my *kitten* at the last minute, but like you was totally screwed at uni when it came to eg putting together a research paper).
Label-related fallout included internalizing high expectations I was simply not equipped to meet. That did a number on me - still working through it.0 -
for me it was a referral from my pediatrician. we went to some therapists and they give you some tests and talk to you . i dont know what it's like as an adult. i was diagnosed like 30 years ago almost :laugh:What did you do to get diagnosed?
Yeah, for me as an adult, it was similar. I had been going to a therapist for depression and she referred me to get psychological testing. It was so easy and enlightening. It has literally been the best experience of my life.
ETA I'm so happy to see so many of us on here! I thought I was all alone in this club. It relieves me to see so many happy, functioning people with ADD/ADHD.0 -
I think I might have AD....hey! look! Toy Hunter! I love that show! Anyone see that? This one episode...Seinfeld is on right now too...such a cool episode. Its the one where Kramer....oh man i hope the dvr can record it....its gonna rain this weekend. My dog has to go out....did I pack my lunch for tomorrow?
This is what goes on inside my brain....thankfully I have learned (except in my most unguarded moments) not to let come out of my mouth!0 -
I think I might have AD....hey! look! Toy Hunter! I love that show! Anyone see that? This one episode...Seinfeld is on right now too...such a cool episode. Its the one where Kramer....oh man i hope the dvr can record it....its gonna rain this weekend. My dog has to go out....did I pack my lunch for tomorrow?
lmao....been there, done that
That is me in a nut shell daily, hubby usualy says HEY turn signals pet dont forget to signal when changing lanes lol0 -
Hi, i have ADD but for the life of me can't seem to get doctors to take the next step and diagnose me, so frustrating. (i don't recommend this) but i did once take my friends son's retalin tablet - the difference in my thinking was amazing, for the first time in my life i could concentrate on one thing at a time. it's such a shame, i'm an adult and would go on retalin in a heart beat.
any advice on getting diagnosed would be welcome (i live in the UK)0 -
My only though is the irony is that every one of these responses are so long. I mean, I started to read
wanna ride bikes?
lol caffeine is a hellavu drug during the work day. :laugh:
but it also took me over 30 minutes to write that response :drinker:0 -
I was diagnosed last week...at the age of 39. I started meds today (adderall xr 10mg). It would be nice to have some friends that are in the same place in life.0
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I'm here! One of the worst too!
JM0 -
Hi everyone!
I was diagnosed and treated OFFICIALLY with ADD about three years ago when I was 20. As a kid, my doctor diagnosed me and recommended medicine as treatment, but my parents objected. When I was diagnosed, I was worried about graduating and being able to find a job so I went to the doctor because I thought I was having anxiety or depression. I was actually diagnosed with ADD for a second time and I got a prescription to 20mg of Adderall XR. My grades were terrible in college until I started taking Adderall, and then it all finally clicked to me. I did okay in grade school and high school because that was all I had to do, but when I started having to deal with actual responsibilities I guess I started to panic. I take 30mg of XR almost every during the week and occassionally on weekends.
I will admit it did significantly impact my appetite. At first, it would kill my appetite until the late afternoon. Now, I feel myself hungry if I DONT take it, and it kind of keeps my appetite in check. I have lost about 60lbs since starting it, but that is mainly because of exercise. My doctor noted that he usually did not prescribe Adderall to kids my age because he didn't want them to abuse it for weight loss or sell it at college, but he truly felt that my anxiety and depression were BECAUSE I couldn't focus on school, work and life. By my junior year of college, I was taking 18+ credit hours to make up for failing classes early on, and working 30-40 hours a week, dealing with family issues, long distance bf, etc. I definitely think being treated helped me deal with everything. Good luck 0
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