looking for a little hope | ADHD Information

just got diagnosed with ADD at age 24. Had been treated for depression (which i definitely have) for almost 5 years, but looking back now i can see that the ADD caused the depression because it went unoticed by others and untreated for so long. now i am a mess trying to find the right combo of antidepressant and ADD med, but more than anything my anxiety and irritability have been unbearable lately. i feel as if i can't even go out in public because every miniscule thing irritates me and i want to scream and i am just miserable to everyone around me. will i ever be normal!?!?! i know this has affected all my friendships and definitely prevented me from relationships, i just basically feel like a miserable, confused, bitch most of the time. my doctors don't even want me to have a job right now because i am such mess. some days i tell myself this is good because we finally know what is going on with me and this is a turning point. i guess i am just looking for some advice if there is anyone who has felt this way and are now living a lifestyle they never imagined possible at one point, like i do now, because everything just feels so hopeless, and patience is definitely not a strong point for me. just looking for a little hope...you know, that life is more than something to hide from because it makes me feel so alone

can't feel anything from strattera yet, started wellbutrin and buspar (anti anxiety) today. i'm keeping my fingers crossed this may be the right combo, and then i could at least take a more active role in having a life

Until you feel good again - use this time to study people - People watching is a great way to learn social skills.

This is a time to focus on yourself and your focus should be learning to like yourself.

Do skits in the mirror - practicing talking to people (be careful not to get caught or others may lock you away )

Crank the music up and let yourself go and dance - naked if you want.

Learn about you - relax with you and use this time of hibernation to prepare for reentry to the world - because you will. You have to - but this time it will be a better time for you.

Also, when you are out in public - focus on the trees, weeds growing in the pavement, children playing happily, gentle breezes - remove yourself mentally from the harshness and concentrate on the little things that are beautiful and amazing yet go unnoticed amongst the bustle of life.

Give it a go - perhaps I am mad - but this is what made me a happy person, during my worst times. Go on make yourself .

You should feel tons of hope for one simple reason, you have been diagnosed and you are only 24 years old! That is a very good thing. You have a lot of time to get your meds and other treatment worked out and still have a very long life and career ahead of you. Don't worry, you will have many many many years to work.

#1 - Straterra may take a couple of weeks or more to start working. It does not work for everyone. Many people have very negative side effects from it. It made me swing from depression to panic. Keep close tabs on how you feel and tell your doctor right away if you feel worse on it.

#2 - There are many other meds available. Stimulants like Ritalin and Concerta (I prefer Concerta) work right away. Doctors sometimes do not like to prescribe these if you have a history of drug abuse. But unlike Straterra, they have been around a long time and their effects are well known.

#3 - Sleep, proper diet, and regular exercise will not "cure" ADD, but it definately will help a lot! Regular sleep and a proper diet were not the first thing on my mind when I was 24 years old, but it is definately something to think about.

#4 - Meditation, Yoga, Prayer, Tai-Chi, or anything that focuses on balancing the physical and spiritual will help. You don't need to get into anything coplicated. If you are a Christian, just start every day with prayer. If not, spend some spiritual time in whatever faith you follow. If you follow none, at least try some type of mindfulness exercise.

That's great advice from Chaz, and I'd like to strongly second his mention
of how grateful you should be, knowing at 24!

I didn't know what was tripping me up my whole life, until I was 46 or so,
and despite it being so "late", I'm still thankful to know I'm not just lazy
or crazy!

Also, I would try to perhaps can the anti-depressants, and just try the
more ADD-related meds, I've found Adderall to be great. I've been trying
Strattera, in varying doses, for the last few months, with very mixed
results. I still have to take some Adderall, as it makes me too drowsy by
itself.

When I first was diagnosed, the Doc put me on Wellbutrin & some others,
just to see if depression was responsible for my ADD symptoms, but it
turned out to be the other way around! My disgust at my ADD "enhanced"
procrastinaton, disorganization, lack of focus, etc. is what "depressed"
me! I'm not "really" depressed, in fact I'm a very postive person, but the
untreated ADD was getting me down, clouding my brain, & causing alot
of chronic fatigue. Funny, since being diagnosed, and taking the Adderall,
I no longer have any of those decades-long symptoms.....

So now, I'm still dealing with my ADD-related issues, (40yrs of bad habits
are hard to break), but feel like there's at least light at the end of the
tunnel. At least my ADDled mind greatly benefits the playing side of my
profession (musician), improvising & tuning in, although it sure don't help
the business/marketing side of my work......

Well, stay positve funkychic, you'll get up on top of it, at least you're on
the path......After fluncking out of college twice and about to a third time my phycology instructor had me tested for a learning disorder and I was diagnosed as ADHD. Now I am about to graduate from the University in the spring. It is a struggle, but know I know that it is not because I am stupid and that I just have to educate myself to learn to live within it. There are a lot of strong points about ADHD and there are times of extreme frustration, but I now can see and develope the areas that wow people who are not ADD.

I made it through High School) graduatd 80th in a class of over 200 without meds and have two Associates Degrees and was one semester short of a third (all without meds). Now work as a CT Technologist in a hospital. Radiology worked well for me with ADD.

Fast-paced and ever changing. Previously managed a Radio Shack store and waited tables (also was good for me as it was fast-paced). I can see where accounting would not go well with ADD.

Schwep

I have been off and on for about 6 years. I took some time off to travel and some because of work. Now, I go full time and just concentrate on school. Learning about ADD - the quirks - the strengths and all in between was the most important thing I did. I am now for the first time since elementary school doing good in school and I enjoy learning. I am also not too hard on myself about my test taking skills which have now allowed me to relax more. Driven to Distraction was the first book I read and it helped out a lot. The more I learned to work within ADHD and not realize that I am not wired like the rest in average society and that is OK. Trying to do thing like everyone else and getting frustrated and upset telling yourself "Everyone else seems to not having such a hard time why can't I do it?" I have learned that my brain going so quickly has great benefits if I just utilize it effectively and that took time to learn to do that. School growing up was set up for one way of thinking and if you don't think that way you are screwed, but going randomly from thought to thought gives you the ability to create abstract thoughts like only an ADD person can. I am very creative and computer art programs quicker than all the other students, but I can't ballance my checkbook. Oh well you can't have your cake and eat it too. I also go to a therapist on campus when the anxiety starts to build up - not when it is too late, but when I first start to feel overwhelmed and we get things back into perspective and it workes really well. I am not saying that sometime my ADHD drives me nuts and frustrates the hell out of me, but I am so much better about getting things back together and using my strong points than I was just a few years ago and I am SOOOOOO looking forward to walking across that stage in May - probably more than most because I had to work so much harder for it and looking back I am so glad I did. It was a very emotional journey to say the least.

I also took about a 9 year break from school, saw the country, worked many jobs. Like others here I eventually went back and started all over as a freshman at the age of 29 got my first degree when I was 33. I guess you just have to be ready to do it. Maybe it takes us some years to figure out what it is we are good at and interested in?

To those younger folks that are struggling, don't give up and don't be so hard on yourselves! This time isn't wasted, you are spending it learning about the world and about yourself and that is important.

How long have you been in college? I just flunked myself out,
and it's my second year. I'm afriad I will be a bum for the rest of
my life.There is hope, but there are at least 5 basic combinations of medication therapy available. Don't set yourself for failure if that isnt the right combination. This may be a trial and error period.

Don't any of you get too bummed out about not making it through college. I got my BA at age 32 and my MBA at age 40. It can be done.

And no one needs to be a bum the rest of their life because of ADD.

The key is to find a major and career that are somewhat compatible with ADD (and with your particiular type of ADD as well as your other skills and personality traits). If you have trouble sitting still, staying focused, and are terrible with boring detail work, do not major in accounting! Yes, yours truly did just that!

One idea (once you get your meds and therapy somewhat steady) is to get a vocational evaluation. Some state Vocational Rehab departments may even pay for it. But if not, it is worth every penny to have it done before investing any more time and money in school and training.

It is beat to have it done by a Certified Vocational Evaluator (CVE). They can really help you to find majors or careers that you can actually do (not just that you like).

There is a very wide world of careers out there once you start looking. And not all of them involve college. There are quite a few people who go though two-year tech programs and end up making as much or more than many 4-year grads!

[QUOTE=megawatthalo]I can relate and I'm here to say there is hope. I was diagnosed with add at age 24 and I'm 32 now and have never been happier. Before my diagnosis life was a wreck. My bit of advise is to not put all of your trust on any outside source for happiness. Medication can be a god send but it's not everything. You still have to work pretty hard within yourself but the main thing is to stay positive. Think of it as self discovery and looking inward to really seek understanding of what makes you unhappy. Keep your chin up and I swear you'll come out of the fog.[/QUOTE]

Thanks megawatthalo, Positive is a power that drives us towards to morning Sun
on New and Exciting Days and we can be that source for each other.

[QUOTE=funkychic]

Funkychic,
Welcome to the adult board. I am not on strattera so i will not comment. I am on
Concerta xl and it has made a difference. Still a moody bastard though. On the
issue of Combining meds i am interested in your experience! patience is not in
my makeup as a man. Like you i am feeling very alone as there are no adult
adhders with diagnosis within my area. Hope is there as long as we keep in touch
with others like us. We can keep each other on track if we allow. The chaos and
confusion is, as far as i can tell is a result of our way of being. I am all over the
place ideas, emotions, urges etc. this will change i am told as i learn management
stratagies. It will be one step at a time, ges what a life plan. I want it now not a
year down the road. I got active in the adhd issue locally and this has given me
something to do. coming on here and posting helps too.
Good luck, Today, Tomorrow and remember there are millions of us, so we are
Never Really alone all the time.

[/QUOTE]I can relate and I'm here to say there is hope. I was diagnosed with add at age 24 and I'm 32 now and have never been happier. Before my diagnosis life was a wreck. My bit of advise is to not put all of your trust on any outside source for happiness. Medication can be a god send but it's not everything. You still have to work pretty hard within yourself but the main thing is to stay positive. Think of it as self discovery and looking inward to really seek understanding of what makes you unhappy. Keep your chin up and I swear you'll come out of the fog.