Am I crazy? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

innerstrength86 · 03-01-2008, 07:33 AM

Oh man, my life is a mess...

I am a college student and have had the hardest time concentrating lately. I don't know when it started, but things have gone downhill since high school. My grades, once all A's, are now C's and B's (if I can pull that off). My parents consider me to be extremely smart and creative, and because my grades don't show it, they think that I'm taking too many hard classes (not the case, in my opinion). I feel like I know the material at first, but can never remember it. I have stopped going out so that I can study...I study for hours/days for an exam and still have no idea what I'm learning. I read pages over and over again and can't retain information. When I get the test, I spend like 10 minutes on one multiple choice question, trying to figure out what the question is asking and (stupidly) justifying all the answers so I confuse myself more! It is so frustrating. When writing papers, I jump from idea to idea because they all come flooding at me at once and I don't want to forget them...of course the paper I end up writing is a jumbled mess and I can't stare at it long enough to make it reasonable.

I feel like I have lost patience, which is FAR from the way I used to be. I'm always thinking about what I could be doing instead of standing in line, volunteering, watching movies, going out to dinner. I get frustrated easily. My parents think I have an anxiety disorder, but I don't feel my heart racing and I don't get nervous before exams (which they assume I do since I can't do well on them). But maybe I'm wrong...

Two things help me concentrate - caffeine and food. I can't sit down and finish anything unless I'm eating (or chewing gum, if I'm in class), and of course I've gained a ton of weight which I'm definitely not thrilled about.

My mom had ADHD (has been diagnosed) but doesn't admit it or do anything about it. My sister has it too, and has been medicated (something my parents don't know). I'm not sure if it can run in families...

Anyway, I don't know where to start. I went to my college's health center and they said they can't do anything regarding ADHD because students lie to get the drug. I made an appointment at the end of March at a place off campus, but I wonder if I'll just be wasting my time. Does it sound like I could have ADD? or depression, or an anxiety disorder?
or am I just crazy? haha, I guess that's possible

rheanna · 03-02-2008, 02:40 AM

innerstrength86,

It sounds to me like it would be worth while to get an evaluation for ADD. What you are describing sure sounds like ADD to me.

Being frustrated at not being able to do things that other people find easy to do can certainly lead to depression and anxiety. But if the underlying reason is ADD, then treating the depression or anxiety won't do anything to help you to concentrate.

Keep us posted about other thoughts and questions, and about the results of your evaluation later in the month.

--Rheanna

innerstrength86 · 03-02-2008, 07:21 AM

Thank you! That seems so true... that whatever is causing this is leading me to not enjoying things (feeling depressed). I'm counting the days till I see a psychiatrist, seems so far away

Aenanna · 03-03-2008, 01:00 AM

Read Thunor's post a little farther down, he knows exactly how you feel and can possibly help you out when your feeling at a loss while trying to navigate things while trying to get the right diagnosis. Keep at it because it sure sounds like ADD and you know yourself the best. Don't get discouraged even when it seems like no one will listen.

and females are also harder to diagnosis because it can show itself differently in some ways which is why we rarely get diagnosised as children.

Thunor · 03-03-2008, 01:07 AM

Ugh, don't get me started.

The only advice I'll give you off the top is make sure whomever you see as a psychologist/psychiatrist is a specialist in ADD, because there seems to be a high occurence of mental health 'professionals' whose understanding of ADD is seriously lacking, at least here in Canada. So far the best I've done for a diagnosis is "maybe." Of course it "may be ADD, may be depression, may be a personality disorder."

Fortunately I've finally got a line on a Psychiatrist that specializes in ADD, hopefully I'll get something a little more firm once I actually get to see the guy . . .

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