This is my first time on here, and boy am I glad I found these boards! I've always suspected that I had ADHD. So I decided to ask my parents (but mainly my dad because he's a neurologist, and it's pretty close to his field) recently if they knew anything about this, and he confirmed it.
He even told me that when I was younger him and my mom took me to see either a child psychlogist or child neurologist (I can't remember exactly) because I was inattentive in school, and always sort of wound up. That's when I was diagnosed, but they opted out of me taking medication because of possible side effects. As they put it, they didn't want me to turn into a medicated "zombie" and/or "vegetable". In a way, I understand.
They figured it wasn't that severe at the time, and might residually go away with age. But life has not been easy for me. I still have trouble concentrating once in a while (but not often), am always constantly on edge (don't know if that has anything to do with it though), always anxious, nervous, get upset and depressed when other people don't reciprocate (romantically or socially) to me because I feel I'm not worthy enough for them or I did somethig wrong, and feel like if I don't finish something really quickly, then I won't have time for anyhting else.
Even though I'm still not on any medication after all this time, it's hard to survive out there, but I try each and every single day.
I think even without medication there are positive steps that can be taken to combat the negative symptoms of adhd. Medication or nonmedicated is a personal choice that many people with adhd have to wiegh.
I was non medicated for a long time and as a youth - medicated for the wrong things - i do believe that most people would choose to not be medicated, but when the impulsiveness leads you down a destructive or self defeating path and keeps u from reaching the potential u want and would like to reach - it is an option. I am hoping to some day not take medication - but i will not try it until I feel my mind has had a great chance to develop some coping and compensation tactics - then i will conservatively try to stop - if it does not work - back to it.
I think that a lot of folks don't try meds for a lot of reasons - but i was resistant to it because of the cost and the stigma involved in my profession. I would choose a lot different path if the insurance company gave us those options, but oh well - life is stable and calm for the most part now and i can raise my kids without too much of a threat of giving in to the impulsive and adhd side!!!
Some of the symptoms you are describing including the inattentiveness and the nervousness can be signs of a chemical imbalance called Pyroluria. You can get quite a bit of info. on it by googling "Pyroluria." White marks on your fingernails is one symptom (it indicates a zinc deficiency). Pyrolurics make too much of a chemical that binds with B6 and zinc and escorts them out of your body without being utilized. There is a nutritional treatment for Pyrolurics. You might want to try having your parents take you to the Pfeiffer Clinic near Chicago for testing. They are one of the few who do it correctly and can make the proper nutritional recommendations (mega doses of specific vitamins, minerals and amino acids) based on your specific needs. They even compound a specific supplement for you. My son only had a couple of the symptoms but tested positive for Pyroluria. Pfeiffer did other tests on him as well which we have not gotten back yet but the preliminary vitamins they have him on seem to be helping. It is worth a try.