How did you tell you were ADHD? | ADHD Information

If you were diagnosed as an adult, what was it that finally flipped you over and made you decide to get tested for ADHD? Thanks guys.When my daughter showed signs of ADD at school. (she's in kindergarten) My oldest son who'll be 18 in May was diagnosed ADHD when he was 6. My son is from a previous marriage and I know that ADHD is genetic. I researched adult ADHD and could relate to nearly everything! Made so much sense to me.

I took my daughter and myself in for testing at the same time and now we've both been diagnosed and are both on Strattera.
Getting diagnosed is really tied to all the times I didn't get diagnosed...

Lets see... first, I got just about every possible grade in school, had constant parent-teacher conferences about why I never performed up to my ability, and missed out on most weekend activities because I was cleaning my room.

Then I went to college, still got the same grades, got depressed (well it can depressing to feel smarter than almost everyone around you, but still can't get up, get to class on time, do the reading, do the homework, remember to turn it in, remember to drop the class you never went to, etc.)

I got treated for depression... but it never worked completely because I was still unable to complete work/clean my room, etc. So I started to suspect depression might not be the entire picture.

When I went to the first psychiatrist to get a diagnosis, he told me my IQ really wasn't that high (but it was high enough for mensa?) and that my problems probably stemmed from my breast-feeding experience. When I asked my mother about it, she told me the doctors had her stop and put me on formula for "failure to thrive." Apparently, I was distracted easily and couldn't pay attention for as long as I needed to be fed properly.

Eventually, I finally found a doctor with a clue, got tested (TOVA) and diagnosed on the same week I received my college diploma. When I told the entire story above, he said, "Yup, you have ADD." I didn't even have to bring in the elementary school report cards with comments like "If she just paid attention..."
In a polite accolade, I thank my son for teaching me that I too have ADHD.

My son was starting to have problems in Grade 3 and I took him in for tests.  When I began researching this disability, I too found out as well.  I was tested by a highly renowned doctor in the field of ADHD.  Talk about get ridding the monkey off your back.

This explains that my father has the same symptoms as well.  The constant job changes, money problems and anger issues.  Since last July, I have not spoken to my father because of one mistake I did in his backyard.  He was so upset that he gave me every colourful adjective over the phone and I said that is enough.  I have my own family to tend to.

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I kept seeing jokes like AAADD (adult activated attention deficit disorder), short articles in magazines, saw something on the web... I never did anything until my wife insisted that I get it checked out.  My own doctor said "You're succesful with your life, you don't need to do anything, besides the medications have too many side affects."  I again decide to dismiss it, but my wife pushed till I did something about it.  She was relentless, so that's the trigger.My husband was dx after our son was dx.  Our daughter was dx as an adult, and I am not sure what prompted her to get evaluated.  Jon just had always commented even in Chase's early years how he and Chase were just alike, and after he saw him improving on the medication, and seeing that 2 of our children have it, he decided that had been his problem his whole life......so he pursued it.i didn't....started seeing two different psychiatrists for depression/anxiety (one diagnosed me as bipolar, then i freaked out about that and got a second opinion).

the first suggested adhd, the second did too, and did a big long checklist with me and is trying to treat me for it, though this is all very new and i'm not sure how i feel about it or if something's going to work.

I'm starting to wonder if I might be.  I was diagnosed bipolar (but I'm not). However I do battle terribly with depression at times and have noticed lately that I'm ridiculously forgetful.  I wasn't as a kid though and that's the part that fries my noodle. I didn't struggle at school. I didn't even have to work particularly hard to get through. I did the bear minimum and still got Cs which is an okay mark here.

 

What prompted me to seek a professional diagnosis (at age 50)?  I googled "adult add" and read the perfect description of me--ADHD Inattentive type!  What prompted me to google "adult add"?  A sequence of events (triggered by what I know now are ADD traits such as procrastination, forgetfulness, not finishin  etc...)  that caused me enough distress to stop me in my tracks and realize that something was going on with me--something I'd been dismissing, denying, and running from all my life. 

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my wife and i started stressing eachother out, we went marriage counseling.i argued with therapyst so indignately after she described the symptoms  from an open book

 my wife slammed my face into the book on the table.

humiliated i reread it three times   i deny it no more! 

I had no idea until the doctor suggested it one day! Been to see 1 psychologist, and 2 psychiatrists and they all said the same thing.

I heard a radio program and someone was talking about her struggle.  She described my life!  I always knew I was a little different.  And used the term "wired differently."  But didn't know about ADHD.  I did some further research and read about other people's struggles.  I broke down crying because I found the answer to why I am the way I am.  At that time, I was in my mid-forties.  For my whole life: Can't finish a book, and read about 3 at the same time; can't follow instructions or directions; can't be in a conversation without jumping in while others are talking; can't sit still in church; lots of thoughts going on at one time; mind goes faster than my speech; just say whatever comes to mind; forgetful and lose things; combative at times and feel bad afterwards; distraction after distraction when I do anything.  I am very good with organization and am on time.  I think I am organized because I break up my chores in sections.  I try not to overwhelm or overtax myself.  But other than this, I am classic ADHD.

I spent a year not looking for any medical help.  Just wanted to read and learn more about ADHD.  Tomorrow, I am going to see my doctor and ask him about meds.  I really would like some relief and see what's it like to clear the fog.  I have a heart condition so I want to be sure I have good medical advise.

 

felt like i was going mad, got very depressed and went to counselling and she mentioned it so i looked it up on the internet and nearly cried when i read the symptoms cause it was me. Got tested and finally started my life.

All you have to do is go to the internet and find web sites for ADD and take the simple tests.  They will give you an idea if you have add or adhd,  Then take the results to a doctore and see what he says.

Hi I am from England.  We dont really know as much in England as in the USA about ADD and only know about hyperactive kids.  I was quite a bright kid but never could finish my homework and was always daydreaming, i didnt have many friends and was always forgetting and losing things.   

I thought it was dyslexia as my sister and dad are as I made so many careless mistakes.  I got diagnosed as dyslexic at 20 but i noticed that other dyslexics were not so good at reading as me and were not quite as clumsy or forgetful and daydreamy as me so it did not quite fit. 

Then I started a degree in psychology ...... Nobody took any notice at first but a month ago I went for a dianosis and discovered I have severe inattentive add.  adn I am impulsive but not hyperactive.  I think in a way we innatentive adders get a raw deal as nobody seems to realise you dont have to be hyperactive and we dont get diagnosed as much.

Totally! ADD may be over diagnosed in undisciplined kids who run around the classroom, but quiet or flaky girls are totally under diagnosed!

Just look at how many people on these boards didn't get diagnosed until their kids were diagnosed! CarpElgin39158.3399189815 i always knew i was diffrent ,i never got A 's  or B''s at school, but i tried so hard .my son is diagnosed with adhd and i thought i might have it , but i had no behaviour problems, and was not the typical male.i found a book called girls and add and that was me, i have been nearly 2 years now trying for my own diagnosis.i have  read about 12 books on adhd child and adult and go on the internet regular. My son therapist suggested it, from the way i was talking. So I started researching about adult add, the more i read the more i realized, that i had add even as a kid. It explained a lot about my schoolyears. I started with straterra and switched last year to adderall. It makes a world of a difference. i went insane and had a huge breakdown and then i felt better, but only because i couldn't remember. couldn't remember my own name, where i had come from or where i was going. and at that point, i needed an answer, something, anything, and i think it was always clear, but the stigmatism attached to feeling a certain way because its just harder (ADD) always seemed harder to confess, or maybe even realize. so like a puppy playing in his own mess, reading books and books, lost in biproduct-symptoms, i finally awoke........and it felt good to feel a certain way, for the first time, with disregard to faults, misgivings and etc...everything was kinda ok, for the first time for the first time. like your actually not "stupid lazy or crazy". and i guess you could say that the rest is just details.

My daughter had been diagnosed at age 6.  She has the hyperactive form.  I had always thought that it had come from my husband's side of the family, as he had always said that she was a lot like his youngest sister.  I had started doing a lot of reading online about ADHD because of my daughter about 11/2 years ago, and came across an article about Adult ADD.  I was stunned, as I had nearly all of the symptoms of the inattentive form that the article mentioned.  I got tested shortly after that, and have been on medication for nearly a year.I think what prompted me was the fact that I felt like my back was up against a wall and I was willing to admit I needed help. I always knew it and was always told I had it. But I did not get a real diagnosis. A military brat, I moved around the world and attended so many different schools, that the teachers did not have the time to get to know me well enough.

But yeah...for the most part it was a big deal for me to finally face my weakness. Especially, since it was also a gift. I am still creative and funny...but able to concentrate longer on my work. I always used technology and tricks to keep me organized. But memory and attention, along with hyperactivity and other stuff was in my way. How long was I going to keep failing and starting over before I got help?

So that's it. Also, my daughter has been very helpful to me and she's 14 now. Can't expect her to keep me on track forever. Not fair. I love her too much!