[mia12g]

I am a 46 year old woman and a mom to an 11 yr old who was recently diagnosed. She called me out on the fact that I am always saying how much she is like I was and told me that if she could be tested so could I! Smarty pants!

I decided that she was correct and that I was really needing to face my fears, so to speak. I have always struggled…Halo’s story could be mine. Guess what? After years of being told by my general practitioner that I have depression and mild anxiety and having been on and off anti-depressants but never really feeling complete relief (I was guessing I was just too messed up to ever really be “whole” and “happy”) I have finally found the answer. Yes, I am depressed and anxious BECAUSE I have ADHD!

I am currently very new to the meds (Adderall and Hydroxyzine) but I can tell you I felt like the most gigantic weight was lifted off of me within hours of starting the Adderall. I’m seeing a mental health nurse practitioner for my meds management and we talked about adding an SSRI antidepressant later after trying the Adderall but I have to say I don’t even feel the need. Now, don’t get me wrong…this isn’t a miracle cure. I still have ADHD. I still have symptoms I have to keep in check (I really should be doing something else right now but am hyper-focusing on this..lol!) but I am finally managing. Before I was having tons of outbursts of anger, panic like attacks, literal spinning in circles in my kitchen not knowing what to do next when I was having to try and get dinner for my family (tired, hungry, over-stimulated with kids going every which way…BAD combo) and then the total opposite, crying, blue, no motivation–I could see where I might have even looked bi-polar.

I say find a doctor, see a specialist in ADHD and get help. I was worried and even questioned for both me and our daughter the diagnosis but the proof is there…she’s doing better (has gained nearly a year and a half on test scores in school in 4 months!) and I am better than I have been in my entire life. I also kind of like the idea now of having ADHD…I have finally found where I fit in! 😉

I wish you luck in your journey!

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[mia12g]

Hi Snowy, this is totally based on option and personal experience so I feel the need to say that if you are concerned I would ask a professional who is skilled in treating ADHD. This said…

I am a 46 year old mother of an 11 year old daughter and I have/had 2 foster children (a 9 year old girl and a 6 year old boy) and we ALL have been recently diagnosed ADHD. I am pretty certain my husband has it too but he is able to deal with things well enough that he isn’t feeling the need for a diagnosis/treatment.

So, regarding your question, I believe that you probably identify more with the adult symptoms because you are closer to an adult than a child since you are in your mid-teens. I have noticed in my research that things I read, when looking at info about children, pertain more to my younger kids and less to even my 11 year old. I have seen her symptoms really change a lot in the last year or so. I wouldn’t consider it concerning but rather that you are growing up but again, if you are concerned seek out help. Maybe you are at a point where you are needing to adjust your treatment plan?

• This reply was modified 5 years, 5 months ago by mia12g.

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