ADD at 29 | ADHD Information

Hello everyone I am new here and wanted to introduce myself. I am a 29 year old mother of two lovely children. It's great to be here and I am really glad to have found this forum. I was labled ADD when I was 8 years old.  I was put several diffrent types of medications from age 8 up until age 11 or 12. 

I have spent my 20's rasing children and working as a Certifited Nursing Assistant over the years. I did not go to college because I was scared that I would fail out. With 30 approaching I am really wanting to do somthing with my life, again I am so afraid. I could never understand why I would get so frustrated when it came to learning until recently I was able to make a connection. I had to take a couple of test a few weeks ago for job placement, and have also looked up various test on the internet since and have taken them.  What I have found out is when I am in a situation where I have to concentrate I get tension pain and pressure in my head. I am guessing that, that is caused by the ADD.  But I had not made that connection until now.

Also I have a huge lack of self confidence, self esteem.  I have a hard time choosing my wording correctly when in a face to face conversation alot of times. So there would be a lack of socal skills in there somewhere.  I believe this has caused alot of the self confidence, self esteem issues. 

Anyway I come here today not for pity but for help. I would like to hear of others experiences how you cope and how to succeed in life with ADD, and how to over come some of the horrible feelings of self worthlessness assocated with ADD.

Thank you for reading and I apologize that my first post was a bit lengthy.

I look forward to meeting new friends

-Bliss

 

 

 

silverbliss38259.2521412037

Silverbliss - I was 29 when I went back to school.  I had a couple years of college after high school and didn't do great and ended up quitting and doing all sorts of work.  Like you I have big issues with self esteem and social skills and decided at 29 to do something, so went back to school.  I had to start back at eighth grade for math, but think I did well overall because it was a subject that I was intensely interested it. 

I sort of figured if that I had credentials that showed I knew what I was talking about, I would gain some self-esteem and confidence. Turned out that I now I know how little I really know, and still lack confidence and social skills But it is harder to have low self-esteem when you have people who believe in you.  And now I am able to argue with myself that my feelings of low self-esteem and lack of confidence are irrational and not justified, and it helps some.

Don't be afraid to give it your best try!  Best of luck!

hello silverbliss and welcome,

i'm 29 too!  LOL, i'm having mixed reactions to the dusk of my twenties.

i too have experienced and experience fear about school and college in general..this in fact is what led me to my realization of my adhd condition (combination inattentive/hyperactive in case anyone really  needs to know..LOL)

its funny that you mention fear about school b/c i actually experience physical symptoms of anxiety and fear when i walk around on campus. i have to psyche myself up to get to class.

i took a test yesterday night and  my hands were shaking! its been 6 or 7 years since i've taken a test for school. although i knew all the material and i'm typically an excellent test taker i was stunned that i was one of last ppl to finish and to my chagrin i also felt that i was experiencing test anxiety b/c i had to scrounge my brain for answers i knew i already knew..test panic ! i almost cried all night b/c i'm afraid that i have made less than a B. If I make a C i'll be devastated...if i make a B i'll be extremely unsatisfied...which i know is crazy but i just can't hack failure! plus i'm older than most of the other students..there are a few women in their that are in their fifties..and i guess a few guys in their late 20's early 30's..ahh

sorry i'm rambling.

i see the word school and i freak out apparently..cold sweat and everything.

 

so yeah. i can relate ! you'll be saying that a lot around here....

sumiah

I can so relate!  I am a 32 year old mother of two and a student to boot.  I also can't take the traditional school situation and tests, just forget it. lol  So, I am attending school online with the University of Phoenix.  I find it very helpful to my overall education to not have to go to a classroom and face everyone there and I can work at my own pace as long as the work is turned in by the weekly deadline.  But there are no set times, I usually do my school work after the kids go to bed.  I love it!

OH TO BE 29 AGAIN !!!!! - Silverbliss  as an adult student you will find that you will succeed because you have chosen to study and are studying something you enjoy.  Once you pass that first exam (and it only has to be a pass!), your self esteem will improve.

As for your social skills, I am hearing you!  I am a chronic 'foot-in-mouther' and when I try to get myself out of my verbal diahrea, I just make it worse for myself!

But I have learnt that listening is allowed.  I just stand within the circle now and try to be the listener and always try to project questions away from myself on back on to someone else.  It seems to be working pretty good.

I then get home and go on the Web and post post post, just to get out everything I have been holding in all day.

Hi, all--

I'm new here, too (and to the treatment thing, too, etc.)  What I want to do with this post is to tell those of you who wrote about being nervous and unsure about going back to school what it's like to have older students in class--from the professor's perspective.  I teach writing at a university and the first thing I look for as I begin each class the first thing I look for is older students.  I love having older students (and so do my colleagues.)  Older students are almost always more motivated, work harder and are much more interesting than typical college age students.  From what I see of all of your writing skills here, any of you would do very well in college writing courses--better than even the older students I have this term.  So, please, try to see yourselves as the treasures your instructors see you as!  Hang in there, and please don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it. 

Carol