Hi, I'm new here. I have been struggling with the possibility that I may have adult ADD. I have talked to family and they think I'm stupid and that I'm just over exagerating everything. Thinking back to my childhood, all I can remember is always being figety, distracted easily, forgetful, and a big time procrastenator but I always did fairly good in school so ADD was never even thought about and as I got older I started noticing the symptoms but to me they weren't symptoms because I thought everyone went through the same things. It's only now that I am 25 (in 2 days) that I am really really struggling and recognizing it for what it is, not normal... I'm just trying to make sense of everything because I have two young children and I think maybe that's why I am noticing it more because interfering, I feel like I'm chasing my tale all day because I start one thing and start another before I finish the last thing and totally forget about what I was doing before. I had to start cooking on low heat because I would always get distracted and forget I was cooking and I would burn food or boil over tea... I know that these are petty things and people have done them before but is it normal to happen everyday, 5 to 10 times a day and more... it's a constant fight to just get day to day things accomplished... please give me your opinions, I'm desperate for support.... Thanks.

KLC

It isn't possible for us to diagnose you - period - but especially not from the little bit you've written.

I don't think that you would be wrong to look into diagnosed. On the other hand, much of what you describe about your current life is, unfortunately, normal for life with young children. It is chaotic; no doubt about it. But again, it wouldn't be off-base for you to approach a doctor with your concerns.

Okay, now I'm even more frustrated..... I just need support so bad and I can't even get it here.... oh, well.... that's my life....

You can get help here but if you are looking for a diagnosis, you have to see a dr. We are not drs here and can't legally offer medical advice. What we can do is tell you our experiences.

Myself, I am ADHD and have been my entire life.I was diagnosed at age 3 and it took that long for drs to listen when she told them she knew it wasn't normal for a kid that young to sleep only 2 hr in 24 hr (avg). I was like that from the time I was born, my mom always told me she knew when I was sick because that was the only time I got anything close to a "normal" amount of sleep. I was restless & fidgety in school & teachers learned to just let me have a book or something when I was done or I'd drive the whole class nuts. Luckily, I had good teachers who understood I wasn't doing it on purpose. For over a decade, I took the maximum amount of Ritalin my dr could prescribe, and still drove everyone nuts. I was definitley and extreme case.

As I have grown older, I learned to cope and do things differently. I was forced to when my Ritalin was stopped, cold turkey, when I turned 13. The dr told my parents I could become addicted and he refused to write it any more. Every other dr my parents asked also refused to provide the Ritalin. Now we know that you can't become addicted if you truly are ADHD. I'm not on Ritalin now because I am on multiple other medications for fibromyalgia and I am concerned about interactions. So I choose not to use Ritalin, after all, I managed to get by for 2 decades without it so I feel I will be fine without it now.

If your symptoms have been around all your life then you might be ADHD, but again, only a dr can determine that for sure. All 3 of my kids are ADHD and drs are starting to recognize that it can be inherited. However, the distractions and things of that nature can also be normal with young kids. Only a dr can determine if your symptoms are ADHD or just general distractions due to being a parent.

Oh, don't let people tell you that ADHD people have bad grades. I made A/B honor roll every year and never studied for a single test. I breezed through homework and if it didn't have to be turned in, most the time I didn't even do it. I could have easily been a straight A student if I had studied.

Okay, now I'm even more frustrated..... I just need support so bad and I can't even get it here.... oh, well.... that's my life....

Gosh, I'm sorry. I had no idea that my post was not supportive. Apologies.

You sound like ME!!! How about I extend a supportive honorary diagnosis. :jester:

Frustration, the dreaded constant worry and wondering "what's wrong with me" feeling is something us ADD'ers have and quite naturally... unfortunantly, it does get shrugged off easily by others. I still get shrugged off on my concerns even by my wife. What I worry about with our kids, she passes off as they'll be fine. It worries me with what I see and frustrates me I have no support.

Impatients fosterd by frustration... or is it the other way around?... is another irratant we face and deal with more than others...

Okay, now I'm even more frustrated..... I just need support so bad and I can't even get it here.... oh, well.... that's my life....

Gosh, I'm sorry. I had no idea that my post was not supportive. Apologies.

Once it's out of our systems though, we can move on better than others ;)

You have come to a great place for support. I'll share a few thought of mine and see if you can relate.

*********************MY STORY****************************
"Duct tape is a lot like the Force. It has a light side and a dark side and binds the universe together..."

The Dark side of the force:
My family says I'm smart, I know I am. I can feel though that there is no confidence in my capabilities. I have not been able to overcome this. I've read all the books but the miss isn't due to confidence but... capability. Most of my actions result in something I've missed or gotten backwards, forgotten, misunderstood where I thought I understood and such. It seems like the harder I try, the worse it gets. That also leaves me feeling like I'm treated as a child. My views on life.. and just about everything else.. is very different than others. I feel like I see certian things as clear as day where others appear clueless. I can spot a phoney or a lie with easy it seams though I'm the only on to miss the punch line of a simple joke. Missing the simple stuff appears to discredit understanding complex stuff. There is a greater passion in my ways that others don't get. They may say they do but over the years of being mildly "mocked", discarded or eyebrow raised at, I've found that most of my passions stay deep inside. I don't want what is important to be rejected.. again. I don't have a friend to call or talk to that understands me. There's a lonely feeling of being in a glas box with clues, answers and what seems to be solutions to the mysteris of life where you can look out but others can't see in. Am I hitting on some familiarity by any chance?

The Light side of the Force:
You'd think that most of that would lead to a doomed life. It does if you look at it that way and I don't like to feel bad. I can work with kids (since I apparently act like one). The truth will always prevail over a lie (or office politics in my case). I'm a no nonsence person. Office politicians, hidden agenda-prone managers and stupid people hate me because I eventually stand out honorably. I'm an individual that stands out because I'm different. I get frustrated and have little patience with people so when I have to deal with a tense situation, I adopted a "walk the block first" idea that is known company wide. I don't have what it takes organizationally to be a manager but I shine to the best of my abilities and have a good reputation. My character speaks well. Sure, I'd like more but I''ve learned to be happy, most of the time, with who I am.

What about the light side of the force in your life? What do you see as a good different about your life?

o.k, like everyone else said-nobody here can diagnose you. However, you have a lot of very similar problems I had and I too would chalk it up to having two young kids. Last year I was diagnosed as bipolar type 2, basically I was having difficulty sleeping and was hyper-which worked great for having two kids, but not with my irritability with everything, so I was placed on meds for that-which helps out great, however there were still those nagging things that happen to everyone, but like you-it was happening several times a day. I was actually diagnosed with ADD very recently-I am 26. I would let food burn, I would try to clean my house, but when I would take something to another room-I would start cleaning that room. Since I have been on the meds I have noticed a significant change-I can walk down the hall and remember why I went that way in the first place-oh and I haven't lost my keys! I remember my kids doctors appointments, which I would forget about-I have a large calender and a PDA and I would still forget. I was never diagnosed in school either-because there was never a conduct issue-I just shook my foot a lot. Also, my sister doesn't believe in meds, she thinks I should be able to just try harder, or it's all in my head-obviously it's not since the medications I take work great. If your getting upset at the thought of being diagnosed as being- 'not normal' , don't be-I struggled with it too when I was diagnosed with bipolar. A lot of uneducated people make dumb assumptions about things they don't understand. All in all you just have to remember to weigh your pros and cons-do you not want to see a doctor for fear he/she will diagnose you and then you're no longer 'normal', but you'll still struggle daily. Or possibly getting the correct help, possibly some medicine and maybe improving your life. Ask around your area for a psychiatrist that you can talk to-I have a great one that works well with my thearapist. If you have to don't tell your friends, maybe they'll notice a difference-then tell them. Also remember to ask yourself-what really is the definition of normal? of average intelligence-sound in mind and body, obviously your doing everything fine just as I was-just working twice as hard to get everything done! hope this helps.

Okay, I'm back. Sorry I blew up at first, I was just dealing with everyone telling me to get over it and then to see that reply.... I just blew up. I wasn't trying to get a diagnoses, I just thought I was explaining what was going on with me and asking for support and advice.... my mind just scrambles things up I guess. The best way I have found to describe my brain and the way I feel is like my brain is an overstuffed, unorganized filing cabinet.... everything is there and stored but totally out of order.... and that's why I can't remember things except when I'm not trying to remember them or trying to remember something else. I have an appt. next Tuesday with my doctor, I just hope something helps because I desperately want to go to school when my kids start school, I want to be a nurse but I'm scared that I'm not good enough. It's really frustrating. Thanks for all the posts, they really did help, and I promise I'm not a mean person like I sounded.... I was just tired.....

KLC

Okay, now I'm even more frustrated..... I just need support so bad and I can't even get it here.... oh, well.... that's my life....
Your best best is to let a professional make that prognosis and treat you. Not all treatments/forms of therapy work for everyone. They will conduct a series of tests that will determine the best way to treat you. I know it can make you feel helpless (been there at one point in my life) but I promise that it will get better. The best thing you've done is realize that you have a problem now the next step is to do something about it...Good luck!!!

ha! you just described my life too! I am also 25 (happy bday, btw!) and I have had ADD all of my life but was only just diagnosed a little over a year ago when I started grad school. Gosh, if I had only known before! I always did well in school-made As and Bs mostly-but I would make Cs and even Ds in classes that required a lot of reading. I tested on gifted levels but never achieved the grades that I was capable of. Here's how my ADD shows itself everyday...Does this sound familiar to you?..start to clean the kitchen and find something that belongs in the bedroom...go to the bedroom and forget that you're cleaning the kitchen and find something that needs to be put away there...wait the hamper...that reminds me i need to do the laundry..start to take the laundry but have to go to the bathroom...while you're in there you think gosh I should clean the tub and you start to clean the tub...well you get the point-at the end of the day you've had a lot of good intentions and nothing fully got done. It is soooo frustrating! Anyway, it sounds like you have a lot of the symptoms...I would definitely get tested. Also, I recommend the book "Driven to Distraction". I'm reading it now (my attention span doesn't allow me to read much but this grabs the attention-if not they also have it on CD lol) and it goes into great detail on the different aspects of ADD and how they play out in everyday life. I cry every night when I read it because I realize more and more problems I have had all of my life are from ADD! I guess I cry because I can relate so well and it is a relief to know that I am not alone. It is a good cry :) Anyway, I'd definitely pick up that book and make an appointment with your doctor. The more you know about the disorder, the better you can understand how to cope.

Hi all, I just wanted to give an update.... diagnoses was confirmed by my doctor and I started adderall today.... I was scared to take adderall but she said that she has seen that adderall was the best thing in most of her patients.... I started on 10 mg.... so we'll see what happens.... I'll keep everyone updated. Thanks again for all the support............ I'm not crazy:dizzy: , YES!!!!!

KLC

Whooohooo!!!:D