Does this sound like ADD or ?? - ADD / ADHD Message Board

harringstone · 08-18-2008, 12:11 PM

Hey all, new here but I had a couple questions regarding symptoms that may or may not be related to ADD or if theres another underlying cause but I read that I probably would have been diagnosed when I was younger so its probably not Adult ADD but here it goes...

I went through middle school and high school with pretty decent grades, mostly all A's and B's... doing the schoolwork was so tedious to me and I always would start it and just get so bored that I'd go and do other things and eventually would go back to it at the last second and get it done but the worst was reading and writing assignments, i can never just start a paper, it just takes forever... reading is another story, i cant ever read a full book, whether it be an assignment or just on my own time, it just makes me so tired.

When i went to college, it only got worse, now that i didnt have the slack that teachers in high school would give, I get so anxious when it comes to assignments and the problem only seems to get worse with multiple courses with reading and term papers it just gets so hectic, i cant handle it... i eventually stopped college after two years and have been working full time for about a year now. I decided to continue my education and go back to school but am worried that this will continue or even get worse.

Theres a lot of other problems I have as well but I'm not sure if its pertains to this or not but some of them include:

-Getting extremely frustrated easily over little things that people normally wouldnt... for example, just a tangled cord in my room will literally make me scream if it gets caught on something when im trying to untangle it

-often trouble sleeping

-trouble sticking to things... except for maybe computers which is my job.. but things like guitar, workout regime, projects, reading books

-extremely fidgety, always shaking my leg when im sitting down or tapping on tables

Again, I'm just trying to get some insights from people who have any idea what my problem would be, and any comments/opinions would be much appreciated. I'm not sure what I have to do or who I should go to see to figure out if there is even anything wrong with me... thanks and sorry for the long rant!

janewhite1 · 08-18-2008, 05:24 PM

It's not unusual for bright kids to not be diagnosed, and it sounds like you were bright enough to pass under the radar. The language skills displayed in your post show that you're pretty bright all by themselves. So, as long as you were getting A's and B's in school, no one paid much attention to your work habits or lack thereof.

I am no doctor, nor have I interviewed you. However, your descriptions sound a lot like what I go through.

I think it would be a good idea if you were evaluated. A good place to start would be a psychiatrist who treats ADHD regularly or an educational psychologist or neuropsychologist.

If you get diagnosed, and find a medication that helps, great. Then the hard work begins--once you are capable of studying, listening, and being organized, you have to actually learn how.

Thunor · 08-19-2008, 01:47 AM

What Jane said. You're me. I'm ADHD. Get it checked out.

Go ahead and search the posts I've made here, pay special attention to the threads I started early on, and I'm betting you'll see a lot of yourself. Make sure the professional you see specializes in ADHD, it will make things a lot easier. You may need a referral from your family doctor, but don't count on just him to reccomend the right psych, do your research.

harringstone · 08-19-2008, 12:39 PM

thanks for your replies, I tried to bring this up to my mum when i was a senior in high school but she basically just shrugged it off and it wasn't to be spoken of again... so next time I go to my doctor, I should just ask him who he recommends to go see to be evaluated? even if I'm not diagnosed with it, I would rather know whether or not I do. Furthermore, how expensive is it to have an evaluation?

lucylucy · 08-19-2008, 02:22 PM

It might be worthwhile to get tested, just in case it's something OTHER than ADHD, or if you plan to go back to school. My son was diagnosed with (I may have the name wrong, it was a long time ago) with a cognitive processing disorder not ADD. (He's very smart and very disorganized.) It's very expensive though. It would be most helpful if you think you want to try college again. With a valid diagnosis you might qualify for special services at the college, such as extra time on exams and personalized coaching designed for your issue.

Don't go to a regular psychologist, and definitely not a psychiatrist. Go to someone who specializes in diagnosing ADHD and learning disabilities. To get the names of the best psychologists for a good evaluation, check with school psychologists - maybe even your college's disability office. Call a bunch of them in different schools, don't go by just one recommendation.

Also look for an ADD support group in your area, such as CHADD

First it might be good to do some reading. Driven to Distraction is a good place to start, or anything written by the same author.