"Acquired ADD" ??

[Anonymous]

I’m the Mom of 4, one boy diagnosed with ADHD, one is dyslexic, genius and mood-disordered and my 22 yr-old daughter who has a baby and is in college has finally reached a point of accepting what teachers, friends and bosses tell her about having flaming ADD . My father, though not diagnosed in his era, was ADHD and ended up using alcohol to “medicate”. My husband who is a dyslexic genius architect has read your blogs and can see many of his life challenges as coming from ADHD, though he has managed to figure out how to manage. Anyway, back to me… CAN I HAVE ACQUIRED ADD DUE TO BRAIN BRUISING AND A PREDISPOSITION COMBINED WITH A CHAOTIC HOME LIFE and stress overload?

I have been involved in 3 car accidents in which I was knocked unconscious, and sustained whip lash.. (Blessed to be alive!) Having lived thru the years of growing chaos that ensued with 4 challenged kids, 5 yrs ago we lost 50% of the house to toxic mold. We added the baby in as we shrunk our home to a laundry room/kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, The economy has kept my husband’s architectural firm on the edge of collapse, so we couldn’t borrow nor afford to restore the house quickly. We still have no kitchen or living rooms, tho we are closer. I am treated for depression. BUT, I now have every sign of inattention you can name. I went to college and held a job as a dietitian/dept. manager years ago, where I annoyed staff by being scattered ,but I accomplished a lot because I was smart and creative. Now I lose everything, I am late for everything. I don’t finish anything. I can’t plan effectively. I hate myself and my chaotic life.

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[Anonymous]

Wow, you really have been through a lot.

I believe it’s possible to have ADHD or at least ADHD type symptoms through brain injury, but with all that stress you should also get your cortisol levels checked (adrenal overload can cause brain fog and distractibility, and stress causes adrenal overload).

Also I read an articcle by Dr. Hallowell once about ADHT. Which isn’t actually ADHD but similar symptoms brought on by an overly hectic lifestyle (I think, it was a while ago), and often once people learn to relax it clears up.

Based on your family history I’ve gotta wonder if it is possible you had inatentive ADD as a child and just slipped through the cracks as like many girls because they’re not disruptive.

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[Patte Rosebank]

While the vast majority of ADHD cases are genetically inherited, a small percentage of cases are due to brain injury.

Stress and other environmental factors don’t cause it, but they can definitely aggravate any symptoms you might already have.

Also, extreme stress can bring on depression and/or anxiety, and many of their symptoms overlap with the symptoms of ADHD, including inability to concentrate, and emotions at either 0 or 11 with nothing in between. And when ADHD shows up, it often brings comorbidities like depression & anxiety along with it.

Considering how stressful your current situation is, your symptoms may be due more to depression & anxiety than ADHD, but only a full assessment by a specialist can make this diagnosis, and must also take into account your history of severe head injuries.

An assessment will also look at whether or not you had any symptoms when you were a child. This can be tricky for women, because most girls with ADD are quiet, shy daydreamers, so their symptoms are often overlooked. It’s the boys bouncing off the walls who get pegged as having ADHD (whether or not they actually do).

Are there any programs in your community to assist caregivers like you? Even having someone come in for just a few hours a week to give you a break, is a huge help. Or is there a support group for people who are caring for challenged family members? Sitting and talking with them will take a lot of the load off your shoulders, if only for a little while at a time. So will interacting with us, here on this forum.

If you feel so overwhelmed that you’re thinking of harming yourself or others, get help right away. You’ve been caring so much for your family for so long. Remember that YOU need caring for too, and you deserve it!

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[Anonymous]

Oh and I just googgled it its ADT not ADHT and it’s mostly about executives and executives who never shut off their devices.

I hope you don’t mind my saying but I just re-read your post and “I annoyed staff by being scattered ,but I accomplished a lot because I was smart and creative” sounds a bit like you could have lived with mild ADD before, just aggravated by the stess of recent years. My own has been magnified by stress.

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[Anonymous]

Thanks for the feedback; it feels good to be able to talk to understanding “folks”. I am willing to see a specialist for evaluation. Anyone know a good psychologist/specialist near Cleveland,OH. I know we have tons of everything medical, but I’d rather not waste time/money! I’d like to get my family, especially my daughter to work with someone. Checking this site and links, a coach sounds like a good idea. I just can’t take on being anyone else’s coach, so she needs someone else to help her get started and keep on trying to manage her ADD.

My stress buster is prayer/meditation, but I’m so tired I realize I have to find help to get the physical chaos and disorganization tamed.

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[ipsofacto]

Cookie, it really takes a lot of variables out of diagnosis, if you can find someone that specializes in adult ADHD. Psychology Today website has a great search engine http://therapists.psychologytoday.com/rms/prof_search.php

It’s not a bad idea to have your family doctor check out other possible causes of the symptoms as well.

As others have said, many factors affect the severity of ADHD in adults. It’s seem common for people to have good and bad periods. Aside from anxiety and depression, there is some evidence that nutrition plays a role as well.

If you have experience with meditation, you might find this book helpful. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/listing/2685096707774?cm_mmc=GooglePLA-_-Book-_-Q000000633-_-2685096707774&cm_mmca2=pla&r=1 It has helped me a lot.

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[Author]

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