# Adult ADD.....



## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Anybody else been diagnosed with this? I suspect I have it so my dr. is sending me for testing to confirm. 

I am 46 and have found for years that I have a hard time focusing/concentrating, etc. I get easily distracted. I also have a hard time handling emotions as well...when I have to use my brain to figure something out I give up before I even started. At one point a couple of years ago I signed up for an online course toward my degree then when I began the course I gave up as I got bored and/or found the material non interesting so I could not force myself to even do it. I did this for about two years straight...register for a course then drop it within a month...probably went thru about 7 or 8 courses...


I do not like the idea of taking medication if that is what it comes down to however if it improves certain things in my life why not...

I used to scoff at labels such as ADD as I thought it was just an excuse that people used however I started to think well maybe something is off with my wiring (so to speak):scratchhead:

I also can be talking to someone and will change subjects on a dime if something comes into my head..people have commented on this to me...I am also a fast talker and I do interrupt people often in order to get everything in that I want to say.


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

My father, brother and ex-husband all have ADHD. All are undiagnosed, but fit the diagnosis so well as to be laughable. My boss is the poster-boy for ADHD, but no diagnosis for him either, since real men apparently don't go to "shrinks".  My son does have a diagnosis from a clinical neuropsychologist. 

Medications can be greatly helpful. There is usually some amount of trial and error when figuring out how to get the best result from the meds with the least amount of side effects. However, it's also wise to look into learning positive coping strategies. A psychologist who deals with ADHD patients will likely have a number of different recommendations for you. The book _Smart but Scattered _addresses childhood ADHD, but may have some strategies that you can adapt for use in the adult world.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

Thanks....I take out the H as I am not hyperactive...

I will see what happens if I get diagnosed..I almost hope I am this way at least maybe I can start working on things that are frustrating for me and I know why I do what I do.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

I wonder if something like acupuncture would help as well...


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## Rowan (Apr 3, 2012)

highwood said:


> Thanks....I take out the H as I am not hyperactive...
> 
> I will see what happens if I get diagnosed..I almost hope I am this way at least maybe I can start working on things that are frustrating for me and I know why I do what I do.


In clinical circles, you will often see ADHD used as the norm, with three types specified often with shorthand notations. ADHD-I is the predominantly inattentive type. ADHD- H or H/I is the predominantly hyperactive/impulsive type. ADHD-C is the combined presentation type where the patient is both inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive in fairly equal shares. My son is ADHD-I, while his father is combined type, leaning more heavily to the impulsive end of things. Just don't be surprised if you hear ADD used interchangeably with ADHD or ADHD-X - even if you aren't hyperactive.


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## Kerry (Jan 9, 2009)

highwood said:


> I wonder if something like acupuncture would help as well...


Hi there,

Sorry to hear you're struggling with ADD. I read a book called "ADD at Work" by Dr. Lynn Weiss. She approaches ADD/ADHD as more of a "brainstyle diversity" issue. For example, you may have a more creative-type brain (you see things as connected and layered) rather than a linear brain (see the "logical" steps in things 1, 2, 3). Her website/blog is lynnweiss.com. 

Hope this helps!
Kerry


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## Deejo (May 20, 2008)

Diagnosed 20 years ago.

Have Type II ADHD, which basically is without the H ... same as yours.

Same story surrounding school and work that I did not find engaging.

Grew up being told that I was lazy and didn't apply myself. People thought I was brilliant, but I barely finished high school and never finished college despite many attempts. My most glaring story is that I got an F in Anatomy and Physiology over the course of a regular semester. I took an accelerated 4 week course and got an A.

The diagnosis never even crossed anyone's mind, particularly mine, and I had a brother with standard ADHD. My then fiance recommended that I get it checked out. I was stunned with the diagnosis. 
My parents, didn't believe it, because I had never, ever been a behavioral problem ... which is what they though ADHD meant.

I can tell you that if you truly have it, and you take one of the standard stimulant medications, your ability to function is like night and day, or a better analogy is thick fog versus clear and sunny.

There are side effects however, of which I have been effected after taking the meds for over a decade. Although, you don't have a prostate. 

I have a saying when it comes to ADHD. 

It's only an issue if it's an issue.


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## Maricha75 (May 8, 2012)

My husband was diagnosed a few years ago, too. He does take medication for it, which helps. We can definitely tell the difference when he doesn't take it. He didn't start showing symptoms until he was in tech school. He did very well in school before, but started getting restless, bored in tech school. He made it through, and passed, got a job, but he was continually losing focus. Anyway, he's doing better with the medication, for sure.


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## WonkyNinja (Feb 28, 2013)

highwood said:


> Thanks....I take out the H as I am not hyperactive...
> 
> I will see what happens if I get diagnosed..I almost hope I am this way at least maybe I can start working on things that are frustrating for me and I know why I do what I do.


Since I'm not a Dr nor do I know you I can't make anything other than a guess but your description sounds pretty spot on!

I understood that the title ADHD had been replaced by just ADD and ADD split into 3 types Innattentive, Hyperactive and Combined. You sound like ADD Inattentive. That's me and my daughter. (Edit: Sorry, duplicated what Rowan said although I thought ADD was the term used.)

I don't know how old you are but I was around 40 when my daughter was diagnosed and I realized that was me as well. Every one of my school reports said "could do much better if he just put his mind to it", there was no ADD back then but that would have been the diagnosis if there had been.

Meds can help a lot but you need to get the right med and the right dosage, don't just go with the first prescription. When you can get the negatives under control there can be positives as well.

On the other end of the spectrum you'll probably find you hyperfocus when you get something that really interests you. Unfortunately that something is not always good, such as video games and persons with ADD are also much more likely to become addicts.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

THe doctor is sending me for testing...not sure where or what this will involve. I am still waiting to hear back from dr.'s office regarding details.


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## Runs like Dog (Feb 25, 2011)

Welcome fellow manic depressives - ADD/ADHD in Adult is a VERY common affect! 

//hey a squirrel !!!


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## Anon Pink (Jan 17, 2013)

I was diagnosed in the 4th grade. I'm 52 and still have difficulty though I don't take medications at this time. 

Treatments that work best are Meds and behavioral therapy combined. You essentially learn to recognize how ADD impacts everything you do and then learn ways to mitigate, redirect and avoid situations that can safely be avoided. 

For instance I hate malls. Can't stand them. Sights, sounds, people, movement...it's too much and my U medicated brain can't filter stimuli. I end up with a crashing head ache with in an hour, unless I keep my head down most of the time. That's the kind of stuff you learn in therapy.

Take the meds and learn tips and tricks for others.

For the record, ADHD has zero bearing on a person's intelligence. In fact, most people with adhd tend to have pretty good IQ's, when you can get the to focus on the test!


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## GusPolinski (Jan 21, 2014)

I've never been diagnosed, but I'd be surprised if I didn't have it.


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## Ceegee (Sep 9, 2012)

My son had a brain scan done a while back that showed a high probability for ADHD. I believe it was a 90% probability. 

So, I scheduled an appointment with a neuropsychologist and had him tested last weekend. It involved several tests with both verbal and written questions. 

I was told to expect the results in two to three weeks. 

If I was a betting man, I would wager heavily that I have it too. 

Please report back after you have been tested.


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## highwood (Jan 12, 2012)

WonkyNinja said:


> Since I'm not a Dr nor do I know you I can't make anything other than a guess but your description sounds pretty spot on!
> 
> I understood that the title ADHD had been replaced by just ADD and ADD split into 3 types Innattentive, Hyperactive and Combined. You sound like ADD Inattentive. That's me and my daughter. (Edit: Sorry, duplicated what Rowan said although I thought ADD was the term used.)
> 
> ...


Yes, one of the online tests I did showed inattentive. 

I was thinking today that even when I read for pleasure..I read really fast as I skip detail..i.e. a scene being described. I always get the gist of the book but I am impatient even with books Even watching a movie at home...I find I often have to get up and do something else...where as my son and H can sit and watch it all the way thru. I keep thinking that I have to go do something else. In a theatre it is different because I have no choice but at home very different.


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## concernstep (Jan 27, 2015)

I do the same thing, can't put my brain in gear before I speak. Feel so dumb when people look at me funny. 

Do you forget a lot? I am 50 and fine myself not wanting to learn something new to remember. 

Only my son has been on medicine for it but he hated it. 

Please share when you get test back.


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