Can anybody relate? | ADHD Information
Hi everybody,
First of all I want to mention that I have not been officially diagnosed with ADD, but I have a strong suspicion that I am. I can very much relate to a lot that has been said in this forum but I do have a few questions that some of you might be able to answer.
Before I start I want to give you a little background about myself. I have always had trouble concentrating, always have been scatterbrained, even when I was little. I wasn't the greatest in school, but also not the worst. I never could sit still, always had to have something in my hands to fiddle around with (even today) and was always the class clown. I have always had good friends and never any major issues with relationships. Also job wise I have been very successful and never got laid off once.
I have
anxiety issues and panic attacks here and there and my main problem at this
point is lack of concentration. I seem to always forget things, (even simple
stuff like where did I put my glass of water just 5 seconds ago), I seem
to lose my train of thought ALL the time, I have trouble finding the right
vocabularies and feel that I don't articulate very well when talking to
others. On the other hand when I am focused on something that I am REALLY
interested in, for some reason I have no problems. For example when
reading a really good book, I can read it very fast and I remember everything.
Interestingly enough, even if I didn't pick it up for various days, the moment I
start reading again, I know exactly where I stopped the last time.
I took various (at times extensive ) online ADD tests (I have no idea how accurate they are) and they all pointed to ADD.
So here are my questions:
1. Since I don't have a lot of the issues some if you have like trouble with relationships, problems at work, no friends and the like, could I still have ADD?
2. Does ADD get worse with age? I am 33 years old, and the lack of concentration seems to really have gotten a lot worse during the course of the last year.
3. Does
anxiety make the symptoms of ADD worse?
Thanks you in advance for your help
Zwanzigoetzel
Welcome!
First - the online tests (from www.oneaddplace.com for example) are pretty accurate. For the most part they were nearly word for word with what my psychiatrist quizzed me when we first met. There are other things that can look like ADHD though and a blood test and psychiatrist interview is essential.
1. ADHD comes in varying levels. You can be fully functional and have mild ADHD - but then you wouldn't be looking for help if all was good would you?
2. ADHD doesn't necessarily get worse but a life of regret and sadness eventually adds up where you begin to wonder why? I had to see all my uncles die alone and lose it all before I clued in. Be thankful if you get the hint earlier than I did.
3. Anxiety is one of the main things that seems to go along with adult ADHD. My two sisters have general anxiety disorder and I feel it even with meds. It can be controlled and therapy helps a great deal.
Best of luck and again - Welcome!
Hello. I dont have any problems with relationships, well with my friends anyway. I've had the same job for the last twelve years but I'm without a doubt ADHD. Maybe just go and see someone and find out once and for all. I felt heaps better when it was "official" Thanks for your comments so far. My psychologist told me that he is pretty sure that I am on the ADD spectrum but I don't know if he would be the one to officially diagnose me. I also had a million blood tests and all seems normal there. I just don't know.....The lack of concentration and forgetfulness is really getting to me. Just yesterday evening when I brought my kids to bed and I "forgot" to put a diaper on my youngest (3 years) and put one on my oldest who doesn't need one (5years). Needless to say my wife was pretty upset when she found my son's bed soaking wet the next morning....... I guess this should go under the category "you know your add is really bad when..."
Zwanzigoetzel
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