just joined.do i have adhd ??

[memikee]

ok,im angry,lose my temper very easily,then cant understand why the people ive got angryangry about are still upset,when now im fine.cannot keep still,cannot ever relax,have difficulty in keeping track of what someone is talking to me about.bad memory.always coming up with different ways of making a living,or having ideas that are the best  ever,and cannot stop thinking about them,until someone reminds me this is my plan number 198.mind is never ever quiet,always thinking and repeating coversations or situations in my head.some twitches and tics.i am an alien,there is no one who thinks like me.stressed,frustrated very easily.cannot keep still.very emotionally sensitive,yet find it hard to understand other people when they get upset.terrible road rage.cannot read a page of a book without jumping lines,racing to reach the bottom.procrastination.low self esteem.sad.bills iled up in drawers,not doing anything about them,till threatened with bailiffs.fidgiting.daydreaming.no job satisfaction,always looking for something different to do.

this isnt even half of it….im 46,do i have adhd ??

ok,im angry,lose my temper very easily,then cant understand why the people ive got angryangry about are still upset,when now im fine.cannot keep still,cannot ever relax,have difficulty in keeping track of what someone is talking to me about.bad memory.always coming up with different ways of making a living,or having ideas that are the best  ever,and cannot stop thinking about them,until someone reminds me this is my plan number 198.mind is never ever quiet,always thinking and repeating coversations or situations in my head.some twitches and tics.i am an alien,there is no one who thinks like me.stressed,frustrated very easily.cannot keep still.very emotionally sensitive,yet find it hard to understand other people when they get upset.terrible road rage.cannot read a page of a book without jumping lines,racing to reach the bottom.procrastination.low self esteem.sad.bills iled up in drawers,not doing anything about them,till threatened with bailiffs.fidgiting.daydreaming.no job satisfaction,always looking for something different to do.

this isnt even half of it….im 46,do i have adhd ??

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[blackdog]

Hi memikee. I just joined too. Well, actually I joined a little while ago, forgot to become back, then came back but forgot my password, reset my password, then forgot to come back again……

Anyway, I’m certainly no expert, but your description does sound a lot like ADHD. In fact, it sounds a lot like a normal day for me. But there are other conditions that can cause symptoms that look like  ADHD. Depression and/or anxiety could also be responsible for all of things you listed, for example. Whatever it is, it sounds like it is interfering with your life a lot so I think you may want to talk to your doctor about it, if you haven’t already. It’s no fun living like that.  And you don’t have to.

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[shutterbug55]

The only one who can say for sure if you have ADD, is your Psychiatrist or Councelor. This is after they give you a number of tests and questionnaires which are filled out by you, your spouse if you have one, your parents, and any siblings.

ADD not only affects you, but those around you as well. The people closest to you are probably better suited to seeing the ADD traits in your behavior. This is why they are asked questions during your diagnosis.

You might feel like you have ADD and you may in fact have it. To be sure, you need to start the diagnosis process with your regular doctor. If it turns out you have it, you have my condolences.

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[Patte Rosebank]

@Memikee, a proper diagnosis can only be done by an ADHD specialist.

But you can give yourself a bit of a head-start, by doing the Virtual Doctor and related tests here: http://totallyadd.com/tools. Print out the results, and take them with you when you ask your family doctor for a referral to a specialist. That way, you’ll have an answer to, “So, what makes you think you have ADHD?”.

The full diagnostic process involves getting a full physical examination first, because many ADHD symptoms could have other causes, including thyroidism and sleep-apnea.

The psychological testing takes several hours. It involves doing a variety of tests, and investigating your history, right back to early childhood, because symptoms must have been present before the age of 12.

The specialist will also want to know if you have/had any relatives with ADHD symptoms, because it’s almost entirely a genetic condition, with the exception of a tiny percentage of cases that happen because of a brain injury.

We now know that, like other inherited things, it’s yours for life. If you had it as a kid, you do NOT outgrow it. It just changes as you learn to compensate for it *a bit*.

If you do find out that you have it, it’ll be the start of an interesting adventure, as you re-examine all the things you thought you knew about yourself. That can be very scary and emotional.

But being diagnosed with it can also open up huge possibilities, because ADHD gives us tremendous strengths in some situations, and tremendous weaknesses in others. Which is why we often hear, “He can concentrate when he wants to.”

The tricky part is figuring out which situations are which, and finding how to work with them instead of fighting them. And that is a lifelong process!

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[mez]

Memikee, I am 58 and my 19-year-old daughter has just been diagnosed with ADD.
You sound just like me, except I am able to hyperfocus on books – thrillers or really interesting books. I read at least 200 books a year and always have done. I read an entire children’s encyclopaedia at the age of six, when I was left alone for two months. I was being cared for physically, but I was so confused and alone the books (the only reading matter these people had) were an escape.

I have no patience with myself or others. I kick cars, auto-checkout machines, and the other day I killed my keyboard.
My rage and frustration can be triggered by the tiniest things. I’ve been self-medicating with cannabis since I was 17 because it helps me to see the big picture. I can be FURIOUS with someone, then have a smoke and realise my fury is misplaced – I’m really, REALLY pissed at MYSELF.
Road rage and public rudeness are everyday occurrences for me. I wake in the morning, say “Oh, fuck,” and go back to sleep. Sometimes I can manage another two or three hours’ sleep before I have to get up and face another confusing, frustrating day.
I”ve always known my reading is abnormal and an escape from reality, but now looking back on my life I realise I have failed at everything I ever did. I could be really excited and interested in class, then I would just vague off and forget all about it.
When I leave a job, I don’t just burn my bridges; I blow them into rubble.
Last week I was diagnosed with Bipolar Lite after 40 minutes with a shrink whose pet speciality is Bipolar Lite. All shrinks have their favourites. She prescribed Seroquel. I haven’t taken it.
I think if I’d ever had a manic or hypomanic episode I would at least have cleaned the house, which is what shits me the most.
I am now certain I have ADD and have had it all my life.
Somewhere I have all my old childhood school reports and thinking about them now, I realise they have “ADD” written all over them. They would help with a diagnosis and I even know where they are – in my walk-in wardrobe, which is stacked up to the ceiling with stuff – so much so I can’t find my clothes.
There is no way I could find them alone.
I would far rather be mad than bad. If I DON’T have ADD, then I am the laziest and worst person in the world. My husband did the hard yards of parenting. Luckily my children understand there is something wrong with me and love me anyway.
Crying now; gotta go.

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[blackdog]

hi @mez. 🙂

Try to hang in there. And don’t kill anything else.

I’ve been there. Bipolar is a common diagnosis for people with ADHD. So is Borderline Personality Disorder and Anxiety/Depression disorders. Though being manic/hypomanic wouldn’t necessarily mean that you would get your house cleaned, you would likely know if you ever had an episode.

You should try to go for an assessment for ADHD and get an official diagnosis. If your daughter has it then odds are you do too. Getting on the right medication can make a huge difference. But it is a matter of trial and error to find what works. And it is possible that you have more than just ADHD. It is often accompanied by things like depression and anxiety, which also need to be treated.

In the meantime, take a look through the forums here and post any questions you have or vent your frustrations. There is lots of useful information here and there are friendly, helpful people who can give you support and tips on how to make things better.

And trust me, no matter how bad your house is, mine is worse. 😉

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[mez]

Thank you Blackdog.

This site is really interesting to me and right now I need all the help I can get.

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