When I was diagnosed with ADD, my shrink said that it tends to run in families? Anyone else in your family have it?

Looking back, I see now that my father had it and rather badly. I don't see it any of my children, except that my oldest son has a tendency to think "different" and was mildly hyper when he was very young.

My daughter reports that there appear to be signs in my grandson. He's 2 so it's early days yet. She says that he seems to be like me (nail biting, having to have things a certain way or he gets very agitated and is very rigid about his behavior (I never got in trouble because I HATED being corrected to a pathological degree). Thank God he's not disorganized though. I told her to tell his pediatrician about the family history and just keep an eye on him. He may not be have it at all or maybe he will be less affected.

I haven't been officially diagnosed yet. But I can see now that perhaps my father suffered from ADD or depression and anxiety. I always suspected that I inheirited what ever traits he had but I didn't know what to call it until recently.

He suffered from depression and low self-esteem. He was always rather moody and on edge all the time.

I also wonder if my sister my be suffering. She is also rather anxious and has a slight speech impediment. She rushes her words to the point that you can't always understand what she is saying.

I think both my parents have it. My father was happier when he was in the army, as that gave him a structure. His life fell apart when he retired. I only recently realized that my mother probably has it as well -- she's been saying for my entire life "well, I just have to get into that room (or garage) and organize things." There's so much stuff collected in her house that there's barely a path to move from room to room. I imagine that she's like me (now where did I get my ADD from ?) in having her brain shut down when she thinks about organizing or clearing things out. When your brain shuts down, you can stop thinking about it, and you can sit down and read or watch tv or do something in peace -- and nothing ever gets organized. :-)

--Rheanna

Both of my children have a form of ADHD...my son has the full blown combined type and my daughter has mostly the inattentive part...although lately in the evening I'm starting to see more of the hyperativeness in her. I have never been diagnosed with ADHD but when I think about it somethings that I do could be a symprtom of a mild form. When I was in elementary school I was always getting into trouble for talking. In kindergarten they atually moved me to a table all by myself so I wouldn't bother the other kids lol. I am also very disorganized. I'm lucky if I can find anything! You should also see my house! It is a complete and total wreck. I always chalked it up to my being lazy...but maybe it isn't! As far as I know neither of my parents has it...they bpth do have depression though. Anyway, my kids' doctor is just watching and waiting for my youngest son (almost 3) to show signs of having it too lol. The only people in my family who have been diagnosed besides my children are two cousins, one on either side of my family. My two older kids' father may have it though. He has never been one to keep a job and never follows through with anything he says he will. Who knows?!?

Oh good Lord.... LOL :D I got one pitiful family tree when it comes to ADD.... LOL

My Mom
My Dad
My Grandmother on my mother's side
I've got 2 Asperger's/ADHD boys and they have a mom AND Dad with it too. They were double whammied like me lol.
My Grandmother on father's side and possibly Grandfather. Not sure about him. He died a few days after I was born. I am going on things that I have been told about him but never knew him personally.
I have an Aunt I'd bet that's got it
and two cousins.

let me sit down and think about it longer and I am sure that I can tell you a few more that I am forgetting at 1:50am when I can't sleep because my mind is too hyper!

I do have it too, if I didn't make that clear. But I am ADD not ADHD. I was ADHD when I was a kid, but outgrew the hyper part. Now sometimes I wish that I still had it. LOL

I am not quite sure of my extended family, but my mother and brother both have ADHD. As well, my father has ADD but no symptoms of hyperactivity or impulsiveness as my brother did.

I have ADHD, but tend to be more on the inattentive side.

I also have Aspergers/HFA, and all my family exibits traits.

But I do indeed believe that it runs in families. Especially considering the genetic forms of the brain.

SGH

I agree, I think it runs in families too. I think both my father and my mother have it and my sister's son has been diagnosed with ADHD combined type. My mother recently got a call from a first cousin who was doing some genealogy research and it runs in her family too. They came to visit recently and the similarity in family traits was uncanny. I asked her about ADD and she said yes, she has it (inattentive type) and so does her son (combined type). We laughed about how we can tune people out during a conversation and have to cover up the fact that we weren't listening.

When my family gets together for holiday dinners it can get quite loud with everyone interupting each other or shouting over one another. Sometimes I feel sorry for the spouses because I am sure it is overwhelming at times.

I think my father is the combined type because he is always on the go, doesn't read social cues, blurts things out, is disorganized, forgetful and is forever losing things. When he is over my house working on a project and he has to drive back to his house about 8 times to get another tool he forgot...and then he leaves them all laying around my house...adding to my already cluttered environment. So there they sit until I can get motivated enough to clean it all up or until he needs them for another project at his house and is looking for them. Then it is the reverse...he is driving back to my house 8 times to get what he needs. :D

My mother on the other hand is more the inattentive type. You fades out of conversations frequently, always loses her keys and is constantly running late, but has a lack of energy due to depression. She is does keep her house neat and clean though, because her mother was so disorganized it was tramatizing for her. However, when I am there cooking and need a particular utensil, she is running around trying to remember where she put it.

It was quite an interesting experience growing up in my household especially since my father was in the military and we were moving every 3 years. It has it's advantages though...because my father was hyper and always on the go we did get see and experience a lot of different things. We lived in Europe for 4 years and he made sure we took full advantage of it while we were there. On one vacation we saw 7 different countries in 7 days.

Let's see...
my mother
definitely my father
both my brothers
my sister
myself
many cousins, aunts, uncles...geez, we're a walking advertisement for meds!!
*life in our household growing up bordered on chaotic at best and Cat 5 hurricane at worst* :bouncing:

All of us kids have add, one boy , three girls, I dont think neither of my parents do (did ), but I cant be certain, its almost like I cant pick up when someone has it, because I think I do , and I find it normal behavior ?