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Diagnosing ADD
According to the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, about five to seven percent of kids have ADD, and about three to six percent of adults have it. However, those numbers are likely much higher because so many people (both kids and adults) go without a diagnosis, says psychiatrist Ned Hallowell, MD, founder of the Hallowell Centers in New York and Boston, and author of Delivered From Distraction. It’s important to understand that adults don’t suddenly develop ADD -- it was there in childhood. But the symptoms can be easy to miss in childhood (or may have been attributed to something else). Also, the structure of school and home life may have helped to keep the ADD in check for the child, but when that scaffolding is gone, the symptoms worsen for the adult.

In adults, ADD is often missed and diagnosed as something else too, such as depression (this is especially common in women, Hallowell says). At the same time, it’s also diagnosed without proper evaluation, and sometimes confused with what Hallowell calls “a severe case of modern life”-- basically an acute response to an overbooked schedule. The difference between ADD and a case of modern life is that ADD is chronic, and not simply related to one specific situation. “The real tell-tale sign is if you know could be doing better, and you don’t know why you’re not,” Hallowell says.

ADD is genetic, and it has real physiological roots; the brains of people with ADD actually work differently than people without. The three main characteristics of ADD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. However, people can have a combination of those types, or just be one main type (such as inattentive, but not hyperactive). That means ADD symptoms are varied, from fidgeting to non-stop daydreaming; from struggling to follow directions to the inability to ever make it anywhere on time; from becoming bored very easily and having trouble finishing tasks to constantly interrupting others and impatience.

One of the symptoms that almost all adults with ADD share is the feeling of always being overwhelmed. “People with ADD wake up in the morning with this feeling that there is so much to do,”  “By the end of the day, they’ve been running around, and the to-do list is longer than it was at the start.” We all have days like this, but for a person with ADD, it’s a constant -- and it deeply affects the quality of their life.

Treatment Makes the Difference
Hallowell stresses that people who recognize ADD symptoms in themselves should seek a diagnosis from a qualified professional who deals with ADD, such as a psychiatrist (keep in mind that child psychiatrists who specialize in ADD usually see adults as well) or a trained therapist. Getting a diagnosis -- which is an incredibly freeing moment for many people because they finally have a reason why -- is just the first step. Treatment is the real key, and there are various approaches -- from drugs to life coaching to behavioral therapy.

“People shouldn’t be afraid of medication,” Hallowell says. Two drugs commonly prescribed are Adderall and Ritalin), and they can work remarkably well for adults. According to the National Institute of Mental Health sometimes antidepressants (particularly older antidepressants called tricyclics) can help with ADD too (though they’re not FDA-approved specifically for ADD treatment). The NIH also mentions that Wellbutrin (which affects the brain chemical dopamine) showed benefits for adults with ADD in a recent clinical trial. Figuring out the right medication and dosage can be tricky, which is why people should work with someone experienced with ADD, Hallowell says (most likely not your primary care physician).

Working with a therapist or an ADD coach is another powerful piece of the puzzle. The first thing that people have to learn to do is to break the cycle of overwhelm. “The piece that’s often missing is planning. It sounds obvious, but for people with ADD, it’s a skill that doesn’t come naturally. Neither do things like learning how to delegate, how to manage challenges, how to survive boredom, how to stay on track with tasks -- but they can be learned. Once people with ADD figure out things like time management and reasonable to-do lists, their distraction can be transformed into creativity and productivity “When your challenges are managed, you can really thrive,”  Hallowell says I have ADD,and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

THANK YOU

Luvmykids02

FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN MY LIFE .

you are appreciated!

Ommas, thank you so much and thank you for being such a valuable member to our ADHD familyamenEveryone refers to their kids as "DD" or "DS". What does this mean? I'm
assuming that the D or S stands for daughter or son, but what's the first D
for?

[QUOTE=sleepydad]Everyone refers to their kids as "DD" or "DS". What does this mean? I'm
assuming that the D or S stands for daughter or son, but what's the first D
for?[/QUOTE]

 

Welcome to the board sleepydad The "D" stands for Dear