Re: Just watched this program and have some questions, help please

[ADDled]

Believe it or not most everyone here has a similar story. You are not alone. Feeling lonely, confused and scared? You are not alone there also.

I agree with ladyg, get an assessment but first of all make sure your doctor is up to date on Adult ADD. According to some people using these forums, there are doctors that, for whatever reason, don’t believe Adult ADD exists. So you may need to do some research and find someone who can help you.

Do you have it? Sounds as if you may have it, but I’m no specialist. I can only comment on how your symptoms kind of mirror what I feel and I am ADD. Not “suffer from” ADD, I have ADD.

Search this website and I think there is a self-test you can do, but please understand it’s only a self-test and can form a basis for further action on your part.

Naturally, these other feelings you have about anxiety and depression or bi-polar will need a professional opinion. Many of these conditions can occur with (called “comorbidity”) ADD, or are a result of ADD. This is where professional assistance is needed to sort all that out. While going through getting my diagnosis one of the things that was investigated was the possibility of being bi-polar. Surprised the heck out of me, but he’s the doctor and has a pretty good reason. He is a specialist in ADD and has an “alphabet-and-a-half” of letters after his name. So a lot of these things need to be sorted out.

Even though ADD, I still issues with depression and anxiety and am taking meds for those also, but the depression and anxiety parts aren’t so severe any more.

Many of us here will tell you that medication does work and has helped and will be an important part of your recovery, in fact the first step. Some say it can be controlled without pharmacological intervention. And that will be a decision you and your doctor will need to work out. I have not met anyone who has made significant changes without using meds. They may be out there, but I haven’t met them yet. Meds will help you get a leg-up on your symptoms, then you can make those changes you want to make easier. I think in the documentary it refers to “putting on a pair of eye glasses”. A good analogy. Many of us feel the same way.

Will you be cured? No, this is a neurological thing, it’s how your brain is wired. The only thing you can really do to change your reality of being ADD is managing it. I found it really helped to accept it then learn to manage it. Read, become aware, ask questions, accept your ADD and don’t be afraid of assistance such as therapy or counseling or even these forums here on ADD and Loving It.

As a side bar: The forums here are a really good resource because we’re all going through it, some are further along than others, but because, as ADDer’s, we tend to be more empathetic, accepting and want to help people (a good by-product of ADD). So, you’ll find are beginners and continuing members here. Where I practice Tai Chi , for example. we have only a “beginners’ class” and a “continuing class” for instruction. No one has a rank of expert in Tai Chi, we are all still learning. Even out instructors are instructed! The only experts here are Dr. Jain, and maybe Rick or Patrick, because they did the documentary….

We also don’t have resident “basement trolls” to do nothing but bait, deny, confuse, irritate and anger the members here as happens in other groups. Maybe it’s because all this discussion about ADD cuts too close to home? I found it helped to tell a few close friends. That, and tell yourself that ADD is the reason: not the excuse. Part of managing is to take ownership.

I still have ADD. I have learned, and am still learning how to manage it. Don’t get me wrong my life is more in control now than it has ever been. But because ADD for me has been life-long thing, so will be the managing and learning all about ADD.

You may want to view the documentary again, now that the “Hey, that’s me they’re talking about…” shock has worn off and the self realization of the possibly being ADD has set in, to figure out where you go from here. There are a lot of things to absorb.

In a nutshell, you’ll be fine. Since my diagnosis of ADD, I’ve never been happier…my ADD is being used for good rather than evil.

Hope this helps…and good luck.

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