Trying to work out if I have ADHD | ADHD Information

I've recently started to think I might have Adult ADHD.  I've been to see my doctor but I'm waiting to be refered to a specialist and that might take some time (on the UK national health service).  I was hoping some of you in here could give me your opinions.

I read the wikipedia "Adult ADHD" article and it lists 21 indicators of which 13 definitely apply to me.  But there are some things I'm not sure about:

I don't know if I have problems concentrating.  I'm a computer programmer and I do it quite well for about 1 or 2 days a week, but the rest of the time I don't seem to be able to do it at all and I spend most of the day surfing the web instead.  But it's not that I can't concentrate, it's just that I can't concentrate on programming - I have no problem concentrating for hours on random wikipedia articles for example.  Is that something that could happen with ADHD?

I can concentrate more on my work when I'm under a bit of stress (but not too much) e.g. when there's a deadline coming up.  If I had ADHD would it be possible for stress to help like that?  Similarly when I was at school I paid very little attention in most classes (mainly daydreaming) but in classes with strict (and scary!) teachers I concentrated very well - would that be possible with ADHD?

My inability to work is a real problem, even though I'm actually doing ok in life.  I just hate the constant sense of guilt and underachievement because I know I work so much less than I should.

Anyway I'm hoping I'll be able to pursuade the doctors to let me try some medicines and if they help then great, but if not I can eliminate this possibility and start investigating other things.

Thanks.

you sound fairly classic ADD to me. 

someone recently said that it shouldn't be called attention deficit disorder - but something else (i've forgotten the exact word now) which also implied the ability to hyperfocus if necessary etc. etc.

i expect the drugs will help a lot!

i, too, have a constant sense of guilt and underacheivement!  it is a kind of anxiety - although i come across as particularly laid-back and dreamy - i've come to realise.

good luck with it.  i have stayed unmedicated - much to the disappointment of my family however.  i feel the pressure but again, i am not sure that i want to take the med route.  i would be interested to know whether you are prescribed Adderall - when i was first diagnosed (four or so years ago??) Adderall was not available here in the UK (despite being manufactured here) and you could only be prescribed Ritalin, which i was fairly loath to take.  hope it all goes well.

Only  a certified professional can give you a definitive diagnosis. What sounds like or looks like can be many other things as symptoms overlap. Even a physical disorder can look like ADHD but only a specialist knows the distinctions and is capable of giving an you accurate diagnosis. The behaviors must interfere with your ability to function on a daily basis in order to be classified as a disorder and a professional and skilled physician would never, ever give you medication to diagnose you. A specialist in the field would diagnose you first and then decide a course of treatment. No one can diagnose you over the Internet and anyone that tells you that it must be or maybe is usually a non professional. If you are truly concerned I recommend that you get a referral to a good psychiatrist and have an assessment done. Good luck :)Thanks for the replies.

Luvmykids02 - don't worry I've already arranged to see a specialist, I'm just trying to learn more while I wait for the appointment.  To be honest though I wish I didn't have to go through all the referals and appointments and so on - I wish I could just buy the medication and try it out.  I really only want to know if the medication can help me - I'm less interested in whether or not a psychiatrist thinks I fit a specific profile.

As for whether my behaviours interfere with my ability to function on a daily basis, well it's hard to say because I organize my life around it.  e.g. I'm currently working part time for two days a week, but using the other three days to catch up.  The pay in IT isn't bad so I can survive easily enough doing part time work.  So is it interfering with my ability to function?  I don't know.  But if there is medication available that can make my focus a bit more consistent I definitely want to try it at least.