An introduction

Monday I turn 21, monday I see the doctor to be re-diagnosed with ADD/ADHD.

I was diagnosed back in kindergarten and was placed on Ritilin. I don't remember much of how I was except when I was being a pita when the medicine started to wear off between doses. Anyway, I was taken off it when I went into 8th grade, the doctors thought I was over it. Naturally being a kid I agreed with them and spent the last 8 or so years off the medicine believing the problem wasn't ADD because they said it wasn't.

In highschool my grades were contributed to laziness and not paying attention in class. I did poorly on homework, if I even did it, but usually scored in the top percent of test grade scores. In junior high I had an astounding number of detentions, around 100 a year, due to various forms of being late for class, talking in class, etc.

In college I dropped a class a semester because I couldn't handle the work..I could barely handle the work load of the remaining classes. Normally I am very good at math but found myself even struggling through that. The last semester I attended I failed both of my art classes due to not being able to get myself to sit down and either draw or sculpt, it was impossible for me to sit there.

I took the semester off to decide where I wanted to go with my life, what career I wanted. I think over that time I was sure and then unsure of about 3-4 options, and finally landed back on the reason I was going to college.

Naturally I did not once think it was ADD, after all the doctors said I didn't need the meds anymore. My girlfriend recently became concerned with my future, both with her and without. At first I wrote it off as me being lazy and being a loser that needs to shape up and get my act together. But both her and my mom mentioned that they wanted me to be checked for ADD and be placed on med's. I reluctantly agreed to there wishes..because I didn't have ADD anymore..they said so.

Yesterday I called to make an appointment with a Clinical Psychologist to be diagnosed again. After that I decided to really figure out what ADD/ADHD was, I never sat down and read about it. Yesterday I did. Its amazing how similar everyone's stories are to my own, how every website I read that describe the symptons is me to a "T". It's quite an amazing feeling to realize this.

I look forward to dealing with the problem instead of, ignoring it..or believing that it didn't exist.

I know this is long, but I had to get these feelings out there. Thanks

Ken