[Geoduck]

Okay, BlackADDer, kick ass username!!! LOVE IT!

About inattentiveness:

I’m ignoring my kids now. LOL! Okay, for real:

I’m the kind of gal prone to purchasing gas (in places where you pre-pay) then driving off without actually pumping it. As far as daydreaming goes, there’s an episode I had in seventh grade that is my favorite to relate, because it explains sooo much:

I was sitting at my desk, and all of the sudden the girls around me start giggling. I asked them what the joke was. They told me they had been trying to get my attention for at least five minutes by waving their hands in front of my face. I was day-dreaming, just very intensely. That was my schtick in school, the day-dreamer, okay, still is my schtick.

I’m a very stream of consciousness talker, changing the subject or getting lost in the conversation, just because I can’t remember what I was talking about. and zone out in mid-conversation. It’s very hard to follow a conversation, and very embarrassing when I zone out and wake up to “what do you think?” “Uh, well, that’s interesting?” is a response that only gets me so far. Sometimes I have to ask them to repeat themselves, which irritates my friends immensely. I’ve learned to tell them that I’m really having a hard time with my ADD, and most of the good friends understand, but probably are still irritated.

My brother, who has ADHD and Esotropia (where your eye turns in when your focus changes), gets cross-eyed when he’s zoned out during conversations, because his focus changes when he’s “in the zone.”

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[Geoduck]

By the way, the ADD testing is a lot like the testing on this site. In fact, there is a place on this site where you can view the tests. However, don’t study for it. Just go to the doc, be your own lovely self, and answer the questions honestly. It’s really no big deal. Getting the right kind help is most important.

Oh, and this: You said, “At times in life I’ve been a tremendous daydreamer. I spent most of my elementary school hours peeking ahead in the textbooks, rather than listening to the teacher. ”

Also a sign of a giftedness. Sometimes one gets mistooken for another. My daughter is highly gifted, and does this. She also probably has a touch of ADD. Well she’s practically perfect, in my humble opinion

Then it got hard for you. There’s a video on here where a woman talks about how girls with ADD will do fine in highly structured environments, and then it gets harder as the structure becomes less and less as she proceeds through schooling.

Seriously, call your doc. What do you have to lose, here?

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[Geoduck]

Wow. Several things going on in your little head.

As a fellow mom of three, I sympathize. Also, as a fellow mom of three, I would ask how long you have been this way? My third child sent me into a horrible post-partum depression, which added to my ADD horribly, as they have overlapping symptoms. Having a third, you are suddenly outnumbered. If your third is a bear, like my sweet angel that kept pawing at me, screaming at me, and nursed every 20 minutes for 18 months because she was growing like a cow on growth hormones, you really might need to take time out and get some of that kind of therapy. Anti-depressants were actually worse for me, but I do credit them with saving my life. However, the ADD was there before and after the babies (sweet angel is now 6).

So many things can be out of whack at this point in your life, really, you do need to see your doc. If your primary physician is a supportive individual that you trust, start there. Beware of people who call themselves “post-partum” specialists. Ask for credentials before listening to anything they say. There are nut jobs out there who think that because they experienced this, that they are experts, and even pass out cards and dangerous medical advice. I ran into one.

Your primary doc should be able to refer you to a credentialed mental health specialist. Your doc should also be able to do things like check hormone levels and do a complete ADD evaluation. He or she also has access to your medical history. If you have known them for a while, they also have a good idea about your personality, and if you talk like a true ADDer in the doc’s office, a fair amount of your family history as well.

Reading on your own can be a two-edged sword. While it may be enlightening, and get you on the proper path to treatment, it can also be one of those things where you become so engrossed with the particular symptoms, you actually start feeling like you have those. Really, you aren’t qualified to diagnose yourself. Again, I’d go with the doc. The worst that can happen is that you get the help you need for the actual problem you have, instead of running around trying to self-treat and doing all the wrong (and possibly unwittingly dangerous) things.

Just so you know, this isn’t the worst thing to have. I have a lot of fun being this way, personally. Way more fun than that post-partum depression was, I guarantee!

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[Geoduck]

Thanks Bill!

I checked Cafepress.com. They have a TON of ADD shirts. One of my favorites is: ADD, not just for kids anymore. There were a couple of awareness shirts, but mostly jokes. Either that’s because people think ADD is a joke, or because people with ADD are likely to make a joke out of it because they are very comfortable with laughing at themselves. I like the latter Really, I could be all serious about ADD, but when there are so many fun things about it, why not make cool t-shirts? Of course, some of the things aren’t so fun, but I’m choosing to retain a positive outlook, here.

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[Geoduck]

I had to stop going into the yarn store

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[Geoduck]

@quizzical…the bane of any knitter, but especially the ADD knitter: UFO’s (unfinished objects). I have only a couple left in my knitting pile, but my spinning and sewing pile, including an alpaca fleece that needs a second round of carding before I can spin it, have completely exploded. I’m drowning in furry stringiness! Oh, and it is so hard to do that second sock or mitten! I save those projects for knitting group, so they can encourage me onto sock #2.

I ran the alpaca through the carder without looking at the instructions, so now I have to do it again. Another sign of ADD (or high genius), I’m sure. I always try to put together or and use stuff without looking how to do it, first.

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[Geoduck]

One more thing, though. SO I’m a mom, and I frequent the kids’ elementary school. Lots of kids have AD/HD there. So how inappropriate would it be to sport the AC/DC knock off shirt on school grounds? Do you think it would be seen as insensitive, or poking fun? I really want one, but am doing the whole thinking first thing…because I’m really trying hard. LOL!

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[Geoduck]

I’ve seen a bunch out there revolving around variations of this: “I have Attention Deficit…oh, look, shiny!”

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[Geoduck]

Not a doc, either.

I’ve been taking vitamin B for a couple of years now, at the request of my eye doctor. Supposedly, it helps prevent macular degeneration, which is pretty strong on my mom’s side. As far as ADD goes, I notice absolutely no energy level difference, and my skin isn’t clear, which one label promised.

Really, I wonder if any doctor could tell you for sure, except your own. I just notice that I process meds so differently from others, I’m thinking it’s a very individual thing. I’m assuming this type of thing is best left up to a doc who has access to your medical records. My doctor has been adjusting my doses based on my records, his observations, and our conversations together.

It’s also possible to overdose on some vitamins, and I think B may be one of those. It’s added to many foods already. Really, I think calling your doc might be the best bet before proceeding to go off your meds in favor of a vitamin that you probably are already getting, as Jenetically Modified points out.

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[Geoduck]

Hey! There’s a ravelry forum! For those not “in the know” ravelry is facebook for knitters. The forum is addyarn. I so knew I wasn’t the only one.

What’s really hard for me now is that I’m inundated with Girl Scout stuff, as I’m over-volunteered with that organization, and I haven’t been knitting or spinning. I’m in the middle of crocheting this huge thing, but I’m not enjoying it. The counting thing, like memzak says, is getting me down. Plus, if i make a small mistake, it’s visible. It’s long going, and I’ve been working at this thing for a year, but I’m only about 1/3 done. Grrr! I think I’m just going to have to put it down and pick up a mindless sock. I can knit and talk/read/do tv, but I can’t crochet and do anything else, yet. Ah, I need a good pair of camping socks, anyway. Got Girl Scout day camp coming up.

There’s another topic…add and over-committing/can’t say no. LOL! Check that out…I’m so ADD, I’ve just tried to change the subject.

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[Geoduck]

You don’t necessarily have to use a stimulant medication. There are several different ADD medications, and not all of them are stimulants.

For me, I found that coffee did great at eliminating the fog, which is probably why I drank a cup in the morning for years, but didn’t help me focus. Also, it seemed to backfire and make me more sleepy by lunch-time. When I was working, I’d do another cup in the afternoon, but again, it’s effect was very minimal. Still, I would have to struggle to focus on my reading, so I don’t see it helping you there. It actually made me more prone, not less, to making mistakes.

I’ve been taking adderall for a few weeks. It took quite a while for the adderall to work, and it just seems it’s working only on the fogginess, and the intense daydreaming episodes, so far. The fog was lifted, and I haven’t needed coffee, but the focus stuff is coming much slower, and I don’t think it would matter for you, if these tests are coming up now.

Some other things my doc suggested was getting sleep (hard for us adders) and a high protein diet. That and getting organized with a calendar and lists. That helps, because the more organized you are, the less cluttered your brain is, and the less distracted you are by the million things you are trying to keep track of mentally.

I agree with Game Guy. I’m thinking for test taking, you need to see your instructor or school and talk about what accommodations you need. If you were here in the US, this would be mandatory, even if the instructor was an idiot and didn’t believe in ADHD. You would be able to take your doctor’s note to him, or even to the Dean of his dept., and get things like longer test time, oral tests, help prepping for tests, etc.

Good luck! At least you have the diagnosis now. Hopefully things start looking up with your academic career. I struggled through college with my ADD, and definitely sympathize with your situation.

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[Geoduck]

That actually worked for me! We watched the film as it aired, and laughed at my condition through the whole thing. He got the difference between being just unorganized, and being ADD. Totally changed his outlook on the situation. He’s still worried about the meds, but he gets that ADD is not all bad, that it actually does exist, and that maybe the treatment I’m now undergoing is helping.

You can buy the video, by the way, either from this website or on Amazon.

I agree with Nellie. You just have to do what’s right for you. He’ll get on board, eventually. Even if to admit that some of the stuff you are doing in your treatment is making an improvement.

Ease him into it. You are probably just focused on this because you are excited to be finally treating it. It’s just not all that interesting for him…yet. Are you sure you aren’t scaring him with all the negative stuff ? Focus on the positive parts of it. He’ll be more willing to listen at first, if you don’t lead with the bad stuff. Really there’s lots of good stuff about being ADD.

You’re probably a very fun, creative, spontaneous individual. Focus on that. Be proud of your ADD. It’s a way of thinking that has led to a lot of great accomplishments in the world. It’s really about controlling it, so you can make the most of this different way of thinking, and less about curing a disease.

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[Geoduck]

I’ve posted this in other forums on this site, but my first effort to work with my ADD was met with an unwillingness on the psychiatrist’s part to diagnose. I wasn’t looking for drugs, but maybe some help in working through the disorder. There have been and always will be people, even learned people who are distrustful of mental disabilities and disorders. One of the videos on this site points it out. Dr. J saying something to the effect that people aren’t willing to deal with the fact that the brain can be hurt.

There also is an element of society that believes if someone has a mental disorder, it is because they lack the willpower to improve themselves. Go to your bookstore and look in the “self-help/improvement” section and you will see many books on how to will your depression, ADD, or other disorder away. This just goes to show that those of us who do suffer from mental disorders are seen as lazy, ignorant, idiots, who just need to suck it up.

I’ve seen this with other issues. Sexual abuse victims were subject to being called liars at one point, right when people were just feeling safe enough to come forward with their stories. This just goes to show that when people are uncomfortable with whatever is “wrong” with you, they would rather just disbelieve you or flat out blame you. It’s also why subjects such as domestic abuse remains hidden by family members. It’s why mentally ill people were locked up in institutions for hundreds of years, or hidden in back of the house, instead of being dealt with, and truly helped. We still see this in the poorer part of the US. I myself have two close family members that have severe disabilities, that are not addressed, just denied by their parents. People would rather not face the problem, then to do the work necessary to deal with an issue. What they don’t realize is that doing the work is much easier.

All this said. Time Magazine is not for the intelligent of our society. It’s a magazine that is what I call “fluff news.” It’s not in-depth, well researched reporting, and it doesn’t surprise me they would publish something like this. What gets me is that they produce something called “Time for Kids” and peddle it to the schools. Now my kids are forced to read the juvenile version (because I guess they think they are publishing an adult version of this in the first place) of this rag.

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[Geoduck]

Ask yourself this, if this were sexual harassment, how would you proceed? There are ways to deal with this. You should not ever suffer abuse. My guess is you aren’t this person’s first victim, either.

EEOC website, what constitutes discrimination: <http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/disability.cfm&gt; There is a time limit to file grievances, 180 days…see the website. In addition, if this goes unreported, and the longer it goes unreported, you will find it harder for people to believe you, and to prove your case. Same with the legal system. It’s going to be harder to prove your case the longer you wait, and also harder to prove that you were extorted out of your medication.

First thing to do, whatever you decide, and do it today…GET A LAWYER!!! Check with local agencies. If you can’t afford one, there are several charitable agencies that will provide council to people who can’t afford it. A lawyer can tell you what your legal rights are and how best to proceed, either through HR or the legal system. Also, I agree with everyone else, document everything! Write it down, or record it, whatever, and keep all good reports that you receive about you. This will be key to your case.

My suggestion would be to call the police (after getting a lawyer)!

You’re boss is violating both local and federal laws! One, extorting you for class 2 medications (according to my pharmacist, adderall is a class 2 med- up there with cocaine). That’s actually two laws in one stroke, the extortion, and then taking the meds (stolen by coercion-this is not your fault!). The third would be violating, and heinously so, the ADA act, which states that you cannot be harassed for your disability, or be discriminated against because of your non-transient (longer than 6 months) mental disability.

So if you don’t call the police and are thinking about HR:

Now here’s where I disagree with everyone else. When I was working at a big time corporation, they FEARED people with disabilites. Basically, they knew that it would be impossible to fire these people without extremely strong grounds. They feared lawsuits.

I saw a woman with a mental disability, bipolar disorder, totally run over management. She came to work late, if she showed up at all, she was abusive to others, she was not getting any work done. Even considering the ADA, there were still grounds to fire her, because she was becoming a danger to her co-workers. When I confronted management about her, because, lucky me, I had the privilege of briefly working with her, they said their hands were tied. They said that because of the ADA, it would just be too much of a hassle to deal with her, and any lawsuits that may be filed, even if she was rightfully terminated.

So no, I don’t buy that HR will side with them in this instance. Besides the fear of lawsuits, the embarrassment to the company that your supervisor will eventually provide, will be a publicity nightmare. However, there is one thing to consider. If you do go through HR, and even if you do win, you may be marked as a whistle blower, and it may be hard to get jobs or promotions in the future, which totally sucks, and is totally evil, but is a fact of life.

If you decide not to inform anyone, unfortunately, since the job market is so bad, you can’t just quit. Maybe look for another job before you quit, or request a transfer to another department, at least. Be careful, though, not to just jump into a situation that may actually be worse for you. Also realize, that by not reporting it at all, and just quitting, you may be just passing the problem on to the next unfortunate soul that is put under your supervisor.

My heart goes out to you. This is a horrible situation with no easy solution.

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[Geoduck]

I’ll see what the adderall does (I’ve only been on it for just over a week), but I’ll definitely keep intuniv in mind.

It’s been so cool finding all these people who are dealing with the same thing. There is so much information and help out there. I’m kicking myself for taking so long to get real help!

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