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Adult ADD - any sufferers here?

#141
lustersilk said:
I have AADD. May way of dealing with this the most successfuly is to do several things at the same time, when possible. I work on several projects simultaneously at work. At home, I'll rehearse for 20 mins or so, then go clean part of the bathroom for a bit, then fold some laundry, take a break, etc etc. It sounds chaotic, but for me this really works.
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I try this but then I end up with like 15 unfinished tasks.... that's the problem - actually finishing anything.. and like Stratovani posted about bands, actually sticking with something is a big issue because I get bored with it.. and yeah it IS depressing. I cant say that I'm outright depressed, ala in clinical terms, but I'm definitely frustrated and tired of it. Exercise kind of helps me, one thing I really need to try is eliminating caffeine. yet there again though is a problem. I get stressed and end up waking up most nights worrying about stuff so I'm always sleepy. To be able to function I need caffeine..blah, it sucks.
 
#142
fenderhutz said:
High IQ - Check (tested in the high 140's multiple times)
Learn things quickly - Check
Remember small details and photographic memory - Check

Attention span of a toaster - Check
Can't focus on detailed tasks - Check
Will look past people and think about other things while they are talking - Check
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This. Sometimes it's a struggle for me to pay attention to things, sometimes it's not.

Never been tested, and have no intention to. I can cope with it whether or not it's ADD. I'm able to succeed at anything I put my mind to, but it doesn't mean I don't struggle with it sometimes.
 
#143
I don't know how I never came across this thread, but it hits home for me really hard. The things that most of you describe going through, especially the memory, misplacement and forgetfulness, and the terrible time forcing yourself through unlikeable tasks, paint a pretty good picture of my life.

I've never been diagnosed but I guess that's because I haven't made the initiative (gee, imagine that). I was one of those kids like you all describe, my parents asked about ADD early on but were told "No, that can't be it, because he's too smart for that." That was in the early or mid 90's. The lack of hyperactivity symptoms kept them from pursuing it as well. Now I'm married in my twenties with kids, and the chaos of everyday life is starting to convince me that I need to do something about this.

How do I go about making that first step to getting checked out? I could go to my family doctor, but I don't want to get brushed off if he's not well versed in adult ADD, and I don't want to bring it up out of the blue and make them think I'm just trying to score a script for some stimulants. Should I just ask for a specialist to go to right away?
 
#144
Go to your primary doc first get some bloodwork done first and make sure you are 100% healthy first. And bring it up.. See what he says... My doc was surprisingly supportive...

Then go see a psychiatrists or psychologists...

Google add and get educated... I finally followed thru with it this week I was diagnosed...
I too was smart and not hyper active as a kid... But having my son diagnosed and learning about the symptoms ... Man it hit home.

I had the same reservations you have... Don't wait... Go get checked out so you ay least know for sure...

I took my meds for the first time today... I haven't had enough time to comment if it helped... But today was different... Is about all I can say
 
#145
I had an interesting experience in this regard. My wife, and my Mom, on two separate occasions without knowledge of the other told me that they had seen something on TV or read something about ADHD and had a light go on in their heads that it was me. I kinda thought, meh, could be. I have always blamed my scatterbrainedness on overindulgence in alcohol and drugs as a youth. ( I've been clean for years )
I was doing some work for a lady and we clicked and talked about a lot of things and ADHD came up. I told her that my wife and mom thought I had it and without skipping a beat she said " I do too. One of the worst I've seen". Yup, got my attention. Turns out she has two generations of it, kids and grand kids, and she was a retired school teacher to boot, so, lots of experience. I have read some things, and I'm pretty convinced now. It would answer a lot of questions over the years.
I definitely don't qualify for the hyper part. At any rate, I told them all I wasn't going to pick up "I'm ADD" as a mantra at 60, I guess I've learned to cope/compensate. I do take it seriously though and as in all things, strive to improve.
 
#146
fenderhutz said:
High IQ - Check (tested in the high 140's multiple times)
Learn things quickly - Check
Remember small details and photographic memory - Check

Attention span of a toaster - Check
Can't focus on detailed tasks - Check
Will look past people and think about other things while they are talking - Check



No pills for me.
Click to expand...

That's me! To a T! Back when I was a lad, they didn't have ADD. I just didn't pay attention. I'm not really stupid, I'm just thinking about other stuff. I should have gone into philosophy......
 
#150
turbo chicken said:
I took my meds for the first time today... I haven't had enough time to comment if it helped... But today was different... Is about all I can say
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It's been couple of months. I can confidently say my quality of life had improved.

If i had to give an analogy ... the Medicine gets you to the ball park ... but you still have find your way to the batters box , hit the ball and run around the bases to score.
 
#151
Right on, Turbo Chicken. That was my experience too. A small dose is all I needed, and other people noticed a change for the better, which was really comforting to me: it's not just in my head. I don't talk as loudly. I was told I seem more "even" by several people. I'm getting a lot of detailed documentation written for the projects I'm working on, a task which I used to loathe, but now once I get started on it, it's done in no time, and at a level of quality and detail that has made my manager very happy.

I'm also playing better, and "getting the hang of it" more easily, because it's easier to maintain a consistent practice regimen.
 
#153
highfive.jpg
 
#155
I have ADD and a high IQ and was a police officer for 22 years. Sitting in that car for 8 hours a day was rotting my brain. I retired early at 46 to go to school, and at 52 years old got an engineering degree and MBA with a 3.9 GPA. Focusing is at times very difficult and my wife says I am always "watching squirrels" because I just drift off when people are talking to me and look off into space. I refuse to take meds because of dangerous side affects. Exercising and eating less processed foods and sugars is a big help.
 
#156
I was diagnosed with it a few years back. The meds I was put on didn't help much and, when I compared the benefits to the side effects (serious depression and a few other issues), I decided living with the disorder was easier and came off the meds.

It's one of those "invisible" issues that people Think you're making up as an excuse. Because I'm not deformed, don't walk with a limp, etc people often don't believe me. So, I rarely speak of it.
 
#157
I got aspergers I probably have it by default. Although, I wouldn't say I have a short attention span all the time, it varies greatly. I'm a person that can pay attention intently for hours, or phase out between words.

The five tips I got are.

1) Sleep properly, and eat well. Sugar crashes or caffeine cravings will ruin you.

2) control your environment, get ear plugs for noisy environments, show up to work early, etc etc.

3) Identify if what your trying to do is actually interesting. Too often ADD sufferers assume that things like golf, are only uninteresting to ADD sufferers fact is many tasks require a cultivated interest.

4) Respect the fact that your an intellectual sprinter, your not a jogger or a walker allow time for rest.

5) Understand that paying attention to things, is actually painful. Understand that a mentally intensive task will make you feel bad, there are few ways around this feeling, learn to deal with it.
 
#158
ProgRocker said:
I was diagnosed with it a few years back. The meds I was put on didn't help much and, when I compared the benefits to the side effects (serious depression and a few other issues), I decided living with the disorder was easier and came off the meds.

It's one of those "invisible" issues that people Think you're making up as an excuse. Because I'm not deformed, don't walk with a limp, etc people often don't believe me. So, I rarely speak of it.
Click to expand...

Meh I think it's disability portion is a bit overstated.

Being short isn't automatically a disadvantage.

However it is if you wanna join the NBA.


ADD is essentially a disorder that wouldn't exist if it weren't for modern working structures.

Disorders are defined as pervasive patterns that interfere with a persons daily life.

The human body isn't designed to spend 8 hours a day at a desk job.

Worst yet marketing has lead us to believe that every man should be a domestic kings, keeping his house order while being out of the house for 10 hours a day.

Were intellectual sprinters.
 
#160
MuinXing said:
Meh I think it's disability portion is a bit overstated.

Being short isn't automatically a disadvantage.

However it is if you wanna join the NBA.


ADD is essentially a disorder that wouldn't exist if it weren't for modern working structures.

Disorders are defined as pervasive patterns that interfere with a persons daily life.

The human body isn't designed to spend 8 hours a day at a desk job.

Worst yet marketing has lead us to believe that every man should be a domestic kings, keeping his house order while being out of the house for 10 hours a day.

Were intellectual sprinters.
Click to expand...

It was not my intention to imply it is a disability, though depending on severity, it certainly could be. Your analogy is broadly applicable, vague, if you will. For what it's worth, I don't have a desk job. My tasks vary throughout the day, and I'm on my feet most of the day.

I don't know that it wouldn't exist in the absence of modern trappings. In fact, I think it's been around a long time, just misdiagnosed or called something else.

Like how "Shell Shock" became "battle fatigue", and is now called "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder". All are the same condition, just different names.

You are certainly entitled to your opinions, but I am curious... what do you base yours off of? I was diagnosed by a Neurologist who has treated me for an unrelated issue since my early teens.

I underwent testing to be sure because like others here, I'd long felt it was just in my head. I have the worst time sticking to anything. Even things I'm passionate about, like music. Sticking to a practice schedule it ridiculously difficult.

With all due respect, I doubt marketing or the trappings of modern life are the culprit. I do think they exacerbate the issue, even amplify it though. I say this based on personal experience.
 

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