Do I have it?

[Ivriniel]

Rick said:

“So let’s say I have a 700 word article to write. Rather than wait for inspiration and a two hour gap to sit down and write it, I can convince myself to at least create a Word document on my computer. “I’ll just open a document, and write the title. And throw down three ideas.” I won’t spend more than five minutes. (And by the way, i don’t do this if I really only have five minutes. I do this when I have all day but can’t get started.) Three minutes later I’ve got the document, a title, and a couple of ideas… Then another idea, perhaps one that makes me smile, so I expand that with a couple of more thoughts… and that often triggers something… And I’m writing. Sometimes I’m not, but most times I find myself doing way more than five minutes. Even if I go 20 minutes rather than 2 hours, I’ve now done more than I thought.”

This reminded me of a Doctor I know. He’s made a commitment to do 2 minutes of Yoga every day. He says that way, on days when he doesn’t feel like doing Yoga, he gets up and does the two minutes, and usually, by then, it’s feeling good enough that he continues on for a whole hour. If however, at the end of two minutes, he still really feels like he doesn’t want to do Yoga that day, he’ll stop. Then instead of beating himself up for not doing an hour of yoga, he’ll congratulate himself for fulfilling his commitment.

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[Rick Green – Founder of TotallyADD]

Chunking things is a great practice. Another thing I do is use the commercial time to get up and do one small thing. Since most TV shows include anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes of commercials, I find I can usually get the dinner dishes done during Jeopardy and a whole room tidied during a one hour program.

A benefit of doing this is that I’m way more aware of time and what is involved doing something. In my mind I would have guess doing the dishes would take 20 minutes. When I’ve done it, it often takes less than five. If Ava and I do it together, one washing, one drying, we actually get to yack and have time together. Bonus!

I often feel reluctant to start something because I am convinced it will take much longer than it does. By breaking it into tiny chunks, as tiny as it takes to get me off my butt and moving, I almost always stick with it longer than I thought I would and accomplish more done that I thought I would. And if I don’t, hey, I did what I said I would.

And all self esteem and confidence comes from success and accomplishment.

You can build some very impressive muscles just by starting with a two-pound weight.

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[Anonymous]

i haven’t been diagnosed yet. I want to go, but I am also very scared, what happens if i go and they tell me i don’t have it, would that mean I am actually lazy? kinda seems on one hand an irrational fear cuz i definately have symptoms 9/9 on innatentiveness and I’m noticing more resltlessness by paying more attention to myself, i fidget a lot. (i used to make things out of office supplies too when i worked in that environment, just like Bill’s ADDventures). My brother was diagnosed with ADHD in the early 90’s, and looking back on my report cards it looks as though i should have too. Self esteem plays a big part in my thinking, i’ve been really hard on myself for years about not finishing tidying and cleaning.

Despite not diagnosed yet, I’ve been trying the tips and tricks to get things done, my husband says” just try, just do it”. if only he knew how hard i try to just do it. I really struggle with dishes, i look at the pile and i just get frazzled to i procrastinate, and when i do, do them, i have to wash little bits at a time, i for example, wash the cups and throw the cuttlery in the water, then i go and bake banana bread, then i wash the bowls and plates, then I’ll go play with my cats, and before i know, I’ve only done half the dishes, made a bigger mess with baking and end up being really frustrated with myself, and feeling really down in the end that i couldn’t get anything cleaned.

As you can see I have a lot going around in my mind, thoughts all just bouncing around in my head.

any help?

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[Anonymous]

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was younger. I was allergic to Ritalin and my mother felt that I needed to change my diet somewhat. For example, no or little sugar, mild allergy the list goes on and on. So, I have never been on medication. In fact, I do not know if I have it still or not. I do feel like my life has been spinning out of control. My wife is frustrated with me not getting some things done, my time management is horrid and it it a constant roller coaster of good and bad times due to these frustrations. I made an appointment with a counsler and requested to take a ADD test. I felt that he was more interested in my life and not on my request. In fact, I had mentioned it on a few occasions and actually caught him rolling his eyes. Obvisously, I discontinued his services.

At this point I feel like I cannot find anywhere to go to get tested. The only thing I do feel is my life is out of control with stuff and am having an extremely hard and emotional time trying to balance it all!! Any suggestions would be helpful. I just need to find someone that can help me.

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[Patte Rosebank]

@glamonica, we now know that ADD isn’t something people just outgrow. It’s just that the symptoms change as you grow up.

Start by taking the Virtual Doctor diagnostic test on this website. Then do the short diagnostic tests in the “Tools” section. Though just brief overviews, these diagnostics will quantify your symptoms and give you something to discuss with your doctor, when you ask for a referral to an ADD specialist.

Be sure to ask specifically for an ADD specialist. They’re few and far between, so you’ll probably have a long wait to see one. But, armed with the diagnostics you did here, and the fact that you were diagnosed when you were a child, you should be able to convince your doctor to prescribe an ADD medication for you in the meantime. (Be sure to tell your doctor about your Ritalin allergy, so he/she can take this into account.)

Exercise, meditation, and de-cluttering will also help you a lot. Though, it seems that many of us need the medication to give us that swift kick necessary to start de-cluttering!

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[Anonymous]

Larynxa thank you for your advise. Again, I am starting off in this process and becoming more confident in talking to someone. I did hit a road block and am looking for a bit more advice. I have recently called a few Psychologist Phds. who specialize in ADHD testing. In talking to the doctor, she said the testing was a 6 hour process. The other statement she said is it cost $700.00 for testing and most insurance companies will not cover the test. That is a lot of money and if I have to spend it then i will do what I have to do. Are there any specific things I can do to have my insurance partially financially support such a test or do I need to just suck it up? Any advice is helpful! Thanks

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[Patte Rosebank]

Don’t just take the doctor’s word for it. See if your insurer will cover it. Even if you don’t go for all that specialized testing, you and your doctor could still determine whether or not you may have it.

The first indicator you have is that you were diagnosed as a child. If you had it then, you still have it now. Only the symptoms have changed. Therefore, you may not need to be completely re-tested. Just the diagnostics on this website, and your medical history, proving that you had ADHD when you were a kid, should be enough evidence for even your regular family physician to accept that you probably have ADHD, and give you a prescription for an ADHD medication. If you take it, and notice a positive difference, that’s another indicator that you probably have it.

Send a message to Dr. J., our resident Expert (info@totallyadd.com), and ask him about this. He can advise you better than I can.

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[Anonymous]

Again, thank you. I have just sent Dr. J an email and look forward to his response. Also, I have an appointment on the 9th. I am a bit nervous, but excited to talk to someone. Wish me luck!

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[Anonymous]

I just wanted to keep you up to date. I had my appointment today and the docter agreed that I obviously have ADHD. From the exam I took on here and what my Pschologist explained, Innattention is my primary diagnosis. Hyperactivity was minimal, but anxiety mirrors the hyperavctivity. I was prescribed 80mg of Strattera. I have done some research and have found mimimal side effects.

the next question I have for you all, is what should my expectations be from here? Again, thanks for the opinions thus far.

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[Anonymous]

Expect nothing and enjoy observing the results. Start thinking and seeing things

in terms that don’t include worries. That change is going to take a bit of practice

but it’ll probably be fun if you don’t try to decide ahead of time how it might go or

how you should feel about it.

Kinda Zen, sure, but going from anxiety to wherever it isn’t is about not worrying

about what is ahead anymore, and that little trick takes practice and a wee bit of trust.

Kinda gives you a thrill, like looking over the edge before your first jump.

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[Artist]

For 10-20 years, I would skim read the symptoms of ADD/ADHD contained in books when I visited book stores. Since I only had some of the symptoms at the time of my reading, and I had most of the symptoms when I was a child, I thought that I had either outgrown it or I was simply wrong. So, I continuously dismissed the idea, and I never purchased any of these books to read them in their entirety. I never sought any diagnosis from my doctor either.

A few years ago, my friend who has known me for more than 40 years was watching Dr. Phil interviewing someone who had ADHD and called me immediately saying that she definitely knew I had it based upon this one interview. After hearing this, I returned to the book store and happened to find Dr. Daniel G. Amen’s book entitled “Healing ADD: The Breakthrough Program That Allows You to See and Heal the 6 Types of ADD”, which I highly recommend. I took the tests and read it. I was simultaneously relieved, angry, sad, and happy at the same time. I immediately ran back to the book store and impulsively bought a stack of ADD books and took every test in each of the books just to be 100% certain. I became hyper focused upon reading these books. Finally, an explanation of why I do what I do that made complete sense. I finally understood that I had ADHD as a child, and I somehow lost my hyperactivity in my early teens and was left with ADD. Dr. Amen’s book helped me to determine that I have Type 2 ADD. I never understood myself and my inability to control what I did throughout my life, until I read these books.

I cried a lot, because I finally realized how much I had suffered so unnecessarily throughout my life, and I still do. I endured numerous cruel and incorrect labels. I have been misjudged. I have lived with extreme low self-esteem throughout my life. Etc., etc., etc.

When I was growing up, not enough was known about ADD and ADHD. I now believe that everyone needs to be educated about ADHD and ADD, so we can be treated with love, respect, and fairness.

I am determined to get an official diagnosis from a doctor, only because I want to learn appropriate coping strategies. I am definitely time impaired. I feel like I live in a perpetual now. I am either scattered or hyper focused. I consider myself to be high-functioning when it comes to my space and belongings. I know when everything is perfectly organized, I cope better. But as soon as I get distracted and things become messy or even if I walk into a cluttered, disorganized, and chaotic room, I become completely lost, distracted, confused, and scattered. I just cannot function in chaos. I need perfect organization all around me in order to function. I estimate that I have made a million plans throughout my life, but I simply cannot follow through. I cannot follow through on a planned schedule either. I also have other problems, but I do not want to bore everyone any longer.

Not only did my father have dyslexia, but I now realize (after he died) that he also had ADD. Everyone else in my life does not have ADD/ADHD, so I feel lonely and misunderstood. I am so glad I found this website after watching “ADD & Loving it?!”, because it feels good writing this in a place where I can finally feel understood.

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