What do I do? | ADHD Information

Embrace your individuality. We need more individuals - not boring norms.

My problem is more along the lines of not being like most people and being unable to pretend I am. Gets worse as I age. When I was 22 I wondered why more people weren't "alive."

Yes.  I spent the first 29 years of my life knowing there was something different about me and not knowing what.  Like you, I learned to squash the real me in order to fit in.  I wasn't terribly good at fitting in.  Mostly I just squashed any personality that I might have otherwise shown.  I was misdiagnosed with depression for 9 of those 29 years. 

... ok long story short... call around and interview some psychiatrists.  Find out if they treat adult ADHD and if they prescribe stimulant medications.  (no matter what your treatment choice, a pdoc who doesn't prescribe stims is ignorant.)  If you feel comfortable talking to em (or their staff), make an appointment.  They know how to take it from there.  *grin

Best wishes and good luck!  Let us know how it goes.

Oh and the mastering your symptoms... go get some meds.  The problems with depression are not as severe or non-existant when you can pay attention without working 8 times harder than other people have to.

busterangel

I would say see your family doctor first and get a referral for a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist in your area. It takes someone who has a background in this disorder to understand how to diagnose it.

Do lots of reading on the subject before you go and have a list of questions or thoughts.

Good Luck. At least you are young and seem self-aware. That will be a big help towards getting the proper treatment.

And don't forget to consider natural remedies in addition to any medication that the Dr. may prescribe. Such as exercise, a good diet, rest and supplements if needed.

 

I am about to turn 23 and recently, after falling into a state of depression, I was able admit to myself that I have a problem and I need to sort it out before it's too late.

All my life or atleast as long as I can remember I have felt different to other people but was unable to admit it to myself instead soldiering on in denial. My life uptil this point can be described as a daily attempt on my part to act "normal" keeping my feelings of difference inside too scared of the consequences of not doing so.

Living with this fear of being labeled different by society has forced me to control my problems fairly well; I can act how I think people expect me to act easily however life is becoming too hard doing this and I want to sort it out, be myself and start enjoying life for who I am not who I pressure myself in to pretending to be, doing this ultimately leads to a depression when it stops working for whatever of many reasons.

My Life so far has been school, uni, drop out of uni and now working out why I am like I am.

School was about fitting in, the school-yard politics and the associated titles given to students defined who I was, I did enough school work not to be poor academically and not so much as to be called a "geek", I consider myself to be pretty intelligent but can't focus on anything long enough to make use of my intelliegence; I need constant excitement.

My agenda at school was to not get found out: be "normal". Then I went to uni and the politics were different; there was a new "normal". I was old enough to realise that what worked in primary and high school wasn't going to work at uni, I had nowhere to hide and began on a journey of soul searching to work out why I was different. While on this journey I was introduced by an associate to cannabis, even though I knew it was bad I still smoked it. At first it was to fit in and not be labeled "different" but later I took a liking to it as it stopped me thinking so much, it stopped me from talking myself out of doing things and finally being what I think is "normal" wasn't an act, it came natural. What ever was/is wrong with me when I was/am straight didn't exist when I was whacked. I have stopped smoking cannabis no but it is tempting to just go back to smoking as I can honestly say that when I do life is more enjoyable and I am more productive and positive.

I have admitted I have a problem. Now I need help.

The last couple of days I have been researching what could be wrong with me on the net; searching for my symptoms etc. and I have stumbled accross you guys. I have been reading a lot of posts and the more I read the less weird I feel. I have read the symptoms of ADHD and can relate to a lot of them.

I am not trying to diagnose myself here and I won't list everything I can relate to, let's just say I think I have ADHD and want to know the process in how I go about getting help. Who do I go and see? What do I need to tell them? etc.

I would also like oppinions on wether I actually do need help if I have mastered acting like nothing is wrong; have I learnt to deal with it already and can things be any better?

Has anyone had a similar experience where for most of their life deep down they've known something is not right and just lived with it?

Thanks Guys