MY dad is a doctor, and my uncle is a pediatritian; at the age of 15 my uncle told my dad I might have suffered of ADD/ADHD, but my dad ignored him, saying that I was just messy in my mind and to be beaten up a bit more often.
I finished high school, signed up to university, managed to successfully graduate, and since 4 years I am working, I have a responsability job, and I do massive efforts to make things work.
My mind is always overloaded, and I tend to do many many things at the same time, I tend to think to many many things at the same time, I have an internal motor that pulls me forward, and I have a wierd feeling of wanting to do thousands of things simultaneously, this gives me frustrations and depressions.
I am quite talented and bright, I just don't think I put the energies I have in the right direction.
I do not know what to do now, really, I am 28, and I am really happy I realised I have ADHD (I have checked all the possible internet resources!), but on the same time I wouldn't know where to start.
Please advice!
Alberto
pissed at dad?
I think you are wise not to hold on-going anger at your dad. I think that many of us, myself included have expected things of parents, at times, that they just didn't have the ability to provide at that point in their lives. Most parents make mistakes - and we need to get over our anger - to live a good life.
However, it can be hard to pick up the pieces as an adult. I don't know how it is to get a diagnosis in Italy but in the U.S., the first step would be to call the physician referral service and request the name of a doctor who specializes (or at least treats) adult add.
That doctor can provide more testing to see if the problems are add or possibly one of many other conditions that mimick it. (Since your father is a doctor, I would consider going to see a doctor outside of the city where he practices. Doctors are required to hold things in confidence but - also - they are human, and I think they talk.)
Treatment for add can include medication, counseling, coaching, etc. However, the first step is to get a diagnosis that considers many possibilities.
bump
More than a few lines! Not everyone wants to believe mental illnesses actually exists!! A hard fact of life is that no one believes that its a matter of a chemical imbalance between neurons, but a lack of will , and you 're just a slacker , lazy , unorganized , jerk, dweeb, etc,. If you can't put a label ohn it , it doesen't exist!!
Once you're labeled, You're 'retarded', eccentric, disturbed, unstable , brain damaged,and its all because you think differently and generally faster than other people!
The best place to start is your family doctor! Tell him/her about the problems,and if thats dad,"i wouldn't want to diagnose my own son because it may be heridity". Get a checkup from an objective source in psychoiloy after visiting your doc. Just my suggestion, not privvy to any special information on the subject.
Well, not pissed off at my dad really, there are no books on "how to be a father" and also, doctors tend to be really accurate with patients, but not at all with themselves, and with relatives...
But please, I was expecting something more than a few lines!!!