Adults with ADHD

[Anonymous]

Just wondering if those of you who are adults with ADHD can tell me a bit about your experiences. Are you currently taking medication? Did you know you had ADHD when you were a child and were you treated with medication as a child? If your parents didn't put you on medication as a child do you wish they had - would this have changed your life do you think? How did having ADHD growing up impact you?

[Anonymous]

Diagnosed as "borderline" case mid-life and am trying medication. Helpful in many ways. Definitely has made me look at aspects of my life (organizationally-challenged in certain respects) and see the possible impact. Very successful in school but also was distractable and had a hard time focusing at times. I've been pretty successful in life but medication is giving me an additional tool to get through the day, and also implement charts/schedules for myself to keep me on track.

[Anonymous]

47 and recently diagnosed. Month 2 on meds. I suspected I had it when I started teaching, but adult ADHD was not acknowledged then. I always felt that lots of everyday things were harder for me to do than for most people. I was always horribly disorganized and a procrastinator. I daydreamed. I lacked energy. Lack of follow through has always been an issue. I had roommate issues due to messiness/disorganization. I was not hyper and as a girl, I think my folks thought I was just lazy and ditzy. Turns out, if I was in school today, I would be identified GT and ADHD inattentive type. Now, with meds, for the first time in my life, my clothes are put away, my bed is made, my dishes are washed, my laundry is done, my bills are paid (on time), etc. And I can't even tell you what I'm doing differently, really...things are just getting done. But then I couldn't tell you why I couldn't keep up with things before, either. I just always felt like I was running to catch up but never could catch up no matter what I did. Every day I would fall farther behind. I had read books, had therapy, hired and worked with an professional organizer, a coach, etc. Nothing really worked. Until the meds. In some ways, I feel like I just started living and I'm pretty sad about all the time I "wasted" procrastinating and all the productivity, opportunities, professional advancement, etc. that I may have enjoyed had I been treated as a child. Also sad at how these 'behaviors' have shaped my sense of self and my confidence. I've always been ashamed and embarrassed that I couldn't manage what most people saw as very basic life skills. I also felt like maybe I wasn't very bright and that was part of the problem. Turns out, I'm actually pretty darn smart. Who knew?

That said, I had a lot of side effects when I started meds and had to back WAAY off and go much more slowly than most folks do. But now that I'm approaching a therapeutic level, the side effects are gone and I'm just so grateful that I am now able to feel some sense of accomplishment at the end of the day instead of ending another day feeling incompetent and discouraged. Better late than never, right?

[Anonymous]

After reading so much about ADHA for our DS, I suspect my DH has it. Where does one go for a diaganosis and medication?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After reading so much about ADHA for our DS, I suspect my DH has it. Where does one go for a diaganosis and medication?

My DH was diagnosed by our relationship counseling (psychologist) and initially was treated by his family doctor. I do NOT recommend being treated by someone who does not have expertise in ADHD. He struggled for a very long time and was convinced medications didn't work for him. However, when he started seeing a psychiatrist who's expertise was in that area, he saw marked improvement.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks all.

I have often wondered if I have ADHD. I was very hyper and impulsive as a child but grew out of that by my teens. In elementary school I was always in trouble, had my seat by the teacher's desk and missed recess at least 2-3 times a week for bad behavior.

I have been successful with friendships but not with relationships. I am very disorganized, messy and procrastinate with everything. I start lots of things but never finish or I get bored and stop doing them. I have jumped around from job to job, career to career, grad school, never finding my niche. Can't use an agenda because I lose it.

I really don't know though if it is anything more than just how I am. Maybe I am lazy and non committal. I am functional in life and don't want to pathologize my weaknesses.

[Anonymous]

I can completely relate to 00:14. Don't know who to see or how to take the first steps in getting diagnosed by a specialist. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

I can completely relate to 00:14. Don't know who to see or how to take the first steps in getting diagnosed by a specialist. Any advice?

[Anonymous]

I don't have any great advice on diagnosis but I HIGHLY recommend the book "Driven to Distraction." I was diagnosed for ADD as a child but didn't exactly know it, came across the book, read it, called my parents and asked if my (no name) "problem" was ADD and they said yes. The book explained way more than the questions I knew to ask.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the recommendation to read Driven to Distraction by Halliwell, and also books by Thom Hartmann. I'm an ADD mom diagnosed at age 37. That was a few years ago - and what I learned about myself through books (and getting on meds) has helped me tremendously in working with my kids. I am pretty sure both kids have the condition in mild forms, but because I have been able to work with them to cope with homework and other challenges, they have been able to manage without any accommodations (I did move both to private school in Middle School however as the public school testing focus placed a greater emphasis on their challenges then their strengths (i.e. creativity).

Meds have helped me tremendously, and while the kids are not on them presently, I am open to revisiting if and when they seem necessary. Coping strategies for the kids have been key to getting them through the elementary and middle school years. My personal goal is to get off meds and go the holistic route eventually, but after years of being a "mess" I'm glad to have the meds to get back on track, and keep me focused in raising our kids and keeping my marriage, home, and hectic schedules in order. Hope that helps.

[Anonymous]

New poster here. Wow -- you're describing me! I'm off to get the book. Also I wonder about my 8 yo son. Something to think about for sure.

[Anonymous]

go see Dr. Marc DiFazio at Capital Neurology in Rockville. He's fabulous.

[Anonymous]

I am kind of the outlier here. I was diagnosed at 7 with inattentive ADD. It was so severe they thought I was having absense seizures but I was actually day dreaming. It is pretty rare for a female to get an ADD diagnosis in the early 80's.

As an adult with ADD I am completely dependent on medication to function appropriately. Mine is very severe though. I am on one of the highest doses of Concerta as well as short acting ritalin for gap periods in the evenings should I need it. I'm also on Lamictal to help with impulsivity (the kind where you go out to lunch and come home with a new car). With impulsivity this severe I really have trouble if I take medication breaks because I'll end up over spending, getting a puppy, etc.

On medication I function quite well but I'll never be "normal". I've got a good job, a house, good credit, no debt, etc.

[Anonymous]

I know my mom has it, she even says she does. My brothers have it and my daughter has been diagnosed. My husband swears my memory and distraction mean I have it. After dealing with all the issues of my family for so long, I am afraid of getting a diagnosis. I keep thinking how could I have always been the responsible one for my mother, sibling, kid ect and have this? But more and more I feel completely overwhelmed and wonder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know my mom has it, she even says she does. My brothers have it and my daughter has been diagnosed. My husband swears my memory and distraction mean I have it. After dealing with all the issues of my family for so long, I am afraid of getting a diagnosis. I keep thinking how could I have always been the responsible one for my mother, sibling, kid ect and have this? But more and more I feel completely overwhelmed and wonder.

I mean this in a very gentle way - it sounds like you still feel there's a stigma to having ADHD. Is that why you're afraid of a diagnosis, that there's something 'wrong' with you? As you probably know, there is a huge range of symptoms and severity with ADHD. Many people are undiagnosed (including my DH for 40+ years) because they are able to compensate for it. It's when additional stressors are added (like kids) that it can become more apparent. Compensating strategies that were successful before often don't work any more. At least, that's what it was for us. It might be for you as well.