Just want to say hi

[Anonymous]

I am new here. I am not new to ADD, although I never knew that was why I referred to myself as an alien, and felt like an alien. Only in the last 5 years have I found out what really was going on most of my life. I am now 62, and wish I had known a long time ago. I would not have blamed myself for being totally different from everyone else I knew. I had brain surgery in 1959, and I guess I thought that was part of my oddness. I lost a lot of vision from the surgery (I know I am lucky to be here) and I actually used to think everyone saw things like I do. NOT. So many things were unknown back then which are today very out in the open.

Thanks for listening.

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[nellie]

Hi Beaans!

Nice to meet you – virtually speaking! You’ll find lots of us here who discovered this ADD thing later in life than may have been ideal. Nevertheless, better late than never!

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[shutterbug55]

Hello Beaans!

Welcome to the madness. You will find lots of information about this thing called ADD/ADHD and a lot of VERY nice, informed, helpful, and smart people on this board. Like you, I found about ADD late in life and as usual, I am trying to catch up.

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[Anonymous]

Welcome. It seems like quite a few people here were diagnosed late and we can share the pain that we feel for those ‘lost years’. I am only just coming to terms with it as a possible diagnosis was given to me 6 weeks ago and formally diagnosed 3 days ago. So forgive me if this is a little vague, as I am just working it out myself.

I am me. My experiences have made me. Regret changes nothing, and its impossible to regret something that was outside of your control. I went through a stage in the last few weeks wishing that I had been diagnosed 30 years ago and that it had all been better since then. But really, honestly how boring would life be if everyone was ‘sane’ and ‘normal’? I add to the world around me in my own unique way. Scattybird (a poster here) reminded me of that the other day, and it was a great insight.

My good friends like me because of my quirks, not despite them. I actually feel more confident around them now, now that I understand what the heck is going on. It will help me be more mindful of my reactions when I am tending to the extreme and uncomfortable, but also just smile and be happy with the crazy me.

The best thing about this forum is that people listen and respond. It certainly helped me in the last few weeks. Thanks again to those people, you know who you are. We all have some oddness and I share your feelings when you question how and why we are different to everyone else. I too had a major brain trauma form a car accident 20 years ago and with hindsight (and anecdotes from my famil) I am fairly sure that the brain injury accentuated the ADD symptoms.

And to say again. Welcome.

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[nellie]

Jules you changed your username and avatar Just recognized this post from yesterday after reading a few other threads. Before reading this I thought there was another Jules in the forum! Ahhh, so confusing when people change their avatars let alone the name too !

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[Anonymous]

haha – I found the nickname feature. I tried to be Jules the first time round but it wouldnt let me.

I feel better now.

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[Cranski]

@ Jules

I liked it till the last part… I dismiss my extreme sever damage of multiple head tramas being a culprit; unless were talking about cowlicks. 🙄

OP, 58 is as good a time as any. You made it past the dangerous ADD/HD age of 40. That in itself is a monumental acheivement undiagnosed. It is a shame about your vision loss, thank goodness you maintain site. Did you have sensory enhancement before in hearing, touch or smell? They are common traits but if you did they must be even stronger now.

Welcome to the forums also. I found a good place to scratch out conversation without the negativity of some other popular forums. you should stick around a while.

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[allan wallace]

Hiya Beaans!

I too saw myself as an alien stuck in some dark hell full of robots and androids! I wasn’t diagnosed until 2008 I was 41, and it is only now that I’m seeking to understand the condition as well as acknowledging that I need support. I can’t just keep muddling along in complete denial of the glaringly obvious! I’ll be joining a group for the first time, and I’ll begin to tell people of my diagnosis which I’ve kept to myself. I too didn’t expect to be this age, as I was convinced that I’d be dead before I reached 30. But here I still am, not far from that milestone of 50! *blanches* I still haven’t even grown up yet….. 😆

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[Anonymous]

HI BEAANS AND ALL OF YOU! Its great reading your responses (even tho I HATE reading and sitting still!) But it’s worth it to see what other ADHD adults are like and what you guys have been through and who you have turned out to be. I’m 52 and pretty much knew I was ADHD when my son was diagnosed 16 years ago. But like many adults, I never delt with it and just kept on going muddling through and messing up alot while beating myself up inside for not being like everyone else. FINALLY, my pastor (thank God) gently urged me over several months to get diagnosed and treated. SO I DID IT! That was a year ago and I do feel like I have a new world of opportunity and potential in front of me now, even though I’m 52! SO, ANYONE OUT THERE WHO IS WONDERING IF THEY SHOULD GET HELP, YOU SHOULD! And reading this website is very helpful!! Like many of you, I saw the ADD and loving it program on PBS and was crying my eyes out. I ordered the entire package and loved the DVD most. Like I said, HATE reading (dyslexic too) but still gained knowledge from the books. ADD and mastering it was GREAT too! Well, I’m rambling on again, anyway, WELCOME TO THE KAOS……. Haha, well thats how I spell it!

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[Author]

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