Identifying ADHD | ADHD Information

Sorry if this question has been asked/answered many times before but, just reciently, it appears that ADHD may be responsible for all of the adaption issues I have had throughout my life. Tell me what you think.

I am a 49 year old male, highly educated (2x Ph.D.), work as an executive and came to the revelation that I really can't, without extreme difficultly, read! As I realized this I also realized that I have been/had this problem all of my life - having 50 books going at once but very rarely finishin any, having to re-read section of reading again and again, having an extremely difficult proof reading any memo/documents/etc.

Other items: moving from relationship to relationship because I got "bored", always feeling "misunderstood" or "out of place" or that I didn't "fit in", forgetting or, more precisely, not knowing my Mom & Dad's birthdays and other dates (I live by my Palm Pilot), sleeping for 4-5 hrs/night and getting up to "do things", working full-time/being in Ph.D. school (getting 2x Ph.D.s at the same time)/consulting with businesses/and bicycle racing. Plus more...

I have done the above as long as I can remember - even from early youth.

Does this sound like ADHD or another type of disorder or comorbidity w/ADHD? I'm looking for your experiences/opinions.

 

God yes, it sounds like you are adhd. I was very much like you til just 2 months ago, and i started taking adderall which is helping a bit. you are me especially in the relationship department and never finishing what i had started. Go get checked, your doctor will give you a test for adhd.

I have never been able to sit and read an entire book.  When I do read, it takes a long time.   When I was in school I took good notes, I was a good listener.  I practiced many methods of studying my notes quizzing myself.  I passed that way.  I could not retain information that I read.  It was just saying words in my head, but my my mind seemed to be on other things.  Not even important things.  It could be, like, I wonder how long it will take me to read this crap, type thoughts...lol.

Your story reminds me of a co-worker.  I work for an internal Medicine Residency Program.  Anyway.  He went to school, got his PhD.  Decided, thats not what I wanna do.  So he went back and is now an a Hospitalist/Assitant Prof of Med at the School he did his residency.  I work with a few Physicians who are obviously ADHD.  And two I know are on meds for it, and the other two I just "know" have to be ADHD.  They are all very good at what they do.  None can sit still for a second.  One is our Program Director, Infectious Disease Specialist.  He is on the local news every week for his ask the doc special.  He has been awarded physician of the year more than once, I know. 

These types of success stories just goes to show you, never sell yourself short!  I am sorry, I read your passage as an inspiration for us to follow our dreams.  Not let little speed bumps, like ADHD, hold us back.  I think that many of us are waiting to explode with ideas and knowledge in something we really want to do, but just are too afraid of failing because of our constant failure of our personal lives.  Maybe if we follow our dreams the rest will follow.  I want that for myself.  I hope I can follow my own advice.  But as many of us know well, that is easier said than done!!

I agree with linda. It may be possible you have ADD or something more advanced. I'll be getting checked for something soon in the same. I can read some things but only if interested. Example being I fell in love with a Sci - Fi Series and reas all 20+ books in a matter of like 4 months ( Slow Reader ) where I was the person always being marked "dosen't read instructions" in grade school. Organization is out the window and so is stress/time management. I understand, or atleast can heavily sympathize.
Regards,
ThruthSeeker

Hi! Sheen,

You should try to read "Healing ADD" by Daniel Amen M.D.  You can also try typing in Amen Clinic on your search engine to find out more.

 

Good Luck

I have a similar problem with reading. I have never been able to read a whole book unless I was forced to (ie for school or something of the sort). Its true, I spent more time thinking about how much longer it would take to get through the page than actually reading and comprehending the words. It was pretty much a waste of time for me to try and read anything because even if I did read the words, I had no idea what I read and the net process resulted in no gain. Thats why I was a chemistry major in college: kind of my default because it required the least amount of reading.  Unfortunaltey now that I am in grad school (in chemistry) I found out that even chemistry requires lots of reading (the piles of journal articles waiting to be read are soon going to reach the ceiling lol). Adderall helps alot with reading I have found...its the only reason I will get through this PhD program...but I still cannot read for pleasure (probably due to the fact that if I ever had time to read for pleasure it would be right before bed, and at that point, I am not taking adderall lol!)

I also had a similar problem with tv and movies. I could not stand to sit and watch tv because I would lose interest so fast. I have always felt at a loss in this reslpect because I can never participate in tv related conversations. Whatever, theres more to life than tv I guess. Movies too, unless it was the kind of movie that had a very obvious plot from the getgo.

Memory issues...I probably have the worst short term memory imaginable. I scored in the 1st percentile for short term working memory on the IQ test. Not suprising though, as I forget things before I even have a chance to forget to remember them! Don't know if this is related to the memory problem or is more just plain being scatterbrained but I also lose things...I have lost my keys and credit cards more times than I can count. In fact I have had to make three illeagal copies of my work key because I lost the original three times and the secretary got fed up and wouldn't give me another one hehe. I also have extra copies of all other keys because I never know when I will lock myself out of the house or car and am sick and tired of paying extra fees to have someone else unlock it (I came to the conclusion that the cost of duplicating the keys would save me money in the long term with the rate at which I lock myself out).

Anyone else have issues with parking and speeding tickets? What about instances when your phone was turned off unexpectedly because you forgot to pay the bill? Oh the list goes on and on but its getting late and I have to go to sleep. Goodnight! 

people complain i drive too fast. it's one of the few weird things about that point to ADHD. i already got an appointment to a psychiatrist tomorrow. hope all goes well. i hope he gives adderall soon enough. or else i'm just gonna have to get meths the illegal way

Hey,

just a quick idea to share - in terms of bills, why don't you get yourselves direct debits set up? I do that for everything - otherwise I'd just be lost! At least one worry less :-)

No, Edward dont get illegal drugs.  I hope the doc gives you what you need.  Please let me know.  I agree..besides the whole illeagal aspect, you have no idea what they put in street drugs. For all you know, what they claim to be amphetamine could be a mix of caffeine and ephedrine which of course do not work the same as amphetamines. Let me know too if you can't get the doctor to give you what you need.

Hm. I am so confused. I was hoping to find answers in here, but it just throws up more questions. I would love to meet someone like you guys to talk about all these things that come to my mind whenever I read (hear) something someone else has experienced! Do you have these questions? Do you feel lost? It sounds very like ADHD, as far as I can say. I think I have ADD, but until now (I'm 30) nobody has had this fantastic idea so I'm currently experimenting with Ritaline. Maybe one day I will find answers... why I didn't like children when I was a child (I couldn't relate to them), why I cannot learn, why I think like "talking to myself" -that kind of thing wonderingmind describes. Instead of revising something I read, without getting anything, let alone remember, but constantly think crap or spell the words in my mind (good god...). Why I feel like an alien. Why I seem to be quite intelligent but never seem to understand what other people want from me. Why I cannot relate to other people. Why I always have to stick out of the crowd. Why I am a perfectionist, yet can hardly focus on anything. Why I need so much sleep and things like phoning somebody can take days of trying to make myself do that, and I would do anything to avoid it. Why I cannot work and study and look after myself but only can do one thing properly. Why I am able to read books in no time, or watch a movie, but cannot concentrate on a conversation. Why I get bored in relationships once I know what happens in general. and so on and so on. I feel kind of sorry for all of us, yet I feel sympathy, because it all sounds so familiar. But I don't know what to do with myself. Respect for all of you who have ADHD and managed to have a career, a family and do lots of extra stuff. I can't even look after myself, and even my cat stresses me out sometimes!

Mant1, I have a friend (actually someone I was really badly in love with, who refused to fall in love with me), he's so like you. He's running around like a headless chicken all the time, he's just 29 but has had a great job (and just got promoted again last year) ever since he graduated, he plays sports, goes to the gym, writes for a newspaper, goes out, spends time with his family, has several houses he's looking after (or trying to look after), but he's constantly late, forgetting things, not calling people, getting stressed, shouting at people, does 10 things at a time but nothing properly, gets lost in his projects, but for some strange reason seems to do great at work. I asked him to look at this forum ;-). Hope he did. I still like him loads, but he doesn't know, and it's probably better like this. I don't know if you have ADHD, or if he has, but I do know that's neither "normal" (i.e. good for people around you) nor healthy for yourself! I would imagine you are pretty nervous... or not?

I don't understand how you can cope with such a busy life, but you must be highly intelligent (in fact, I noticed a lot of us "weirdos" here have at least one degree, seem to be really intelligent, but people think we're stupid because we forget things, don't understand straight away, can't communicate properly,need tons of notes etc. How sad!), and how on earth can you do 2 phd's when you can't finish a single book?? Please tell me, cause I love to learn but have difficulties actually sitting down concentrating. You are lucky you don't need much sleep. I get the impression there's two types out there (in terms of sleep) - those who are hyperactive and are quite stress resistant (health wise) and don't need much sleep, and those who get totally exhausted when they have to do anything extra (paperwork etc) and are constantly tired. I wish somebody would be able to write a book about this. Like, gather all available information on ADD and ADHD, experiences of people and then publish it. I wonder if I'd cry at the end of it....

Anyway, good luck to you! Sorry I write so much - I am so happy I'm not alone out there.

Mant1, your describing the exact traits and behaviors of most members of Mensa. You may very well suffer from being especially gifted. If you do some research I'm confident you will find much to corroborate my suggestion. ...and for your reading concernes, I might suggest this http://www.infmind.com/ It is etremely effective and it is one of many tools used in a tutoring program I'm involved with.

If the American public understood more about how individuals learn, and understood more about how memory works and how its effectiveness is dominantly controlled by personall interest, and personal discipline habits

If the American Education system, and educators at large had even an iota of a clue about such things and implimented these tangible and measurable skills in schools, (instead of just being institutions where loads of data is thrust at you. )

If we understood a little more about ourselves and how our personalities and behaviors are effected by the personalities around us, and If we understood that our bodies and minds are directly effected by diet, and the things we touch and breathe...like the paint on our walls, the things we spray, and the toxic wasteland that is our livingroom carpet. ..and if we understood that childrens biological bodies are multiple times more sensitive than adults.

If we were just a little bit more careful and aware of what our children are exposed to, physically,mentally, and visually, we might, just might see a direct correlation to their daily responses to these stimuli.

If we perhaps would stop and piece togethor all the contributing factors in our lives. We might just find the truth about whats going on with each of us.

 

DP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Doran38036.3963657407

I'm a newbie and this is my first post. I think I finally found a topic conducive to an intro: I am 43, female, and I self-diagnosed when my 18 year old son was diagnosed at about age 6. (I had him diagnosed at the breast! But docs said ADHD couldn't possibly be diagnosed that early.) I have great coping skills and my friends, family and coworkers think I've got life under control. I'm known to have a strong work ethic, I'm compulsively punctual, and am very thorough...a perfectionist. But things are spiraling out of control. I feel like a juggler with 12 balls in the air, and I'm about to drop them all! As a child in elementary school, I lost my lunch money EVERY DAY, much to my Mother's dismay. She finally gave up and went to school herself and paid for my lunches in advance. My handwriting was sloppy and I was determined to earn the coveted smiley face that others earned. (My handwriting is very lovely now.)

As an adult, my symptoms are:

I lose things. I have had to re-order my ATM card several times in one year. My husband gave me a diamond necklace for Christmas and I didn't even know where it was come New Year's. Every time it rains, I have to get a new umbrella. Every time I've gone on a cruise, I've had to rush order a Birth Certificate, never finding the one from last time.

I have ZERO organizational skills. I can't even keep a checkbook. I have both a bookkeeper AND a CPA to keep up with both personal and business finances. (I own a very successful business, providing Sign-Language Interpreting.) When I was in school, I hated those teachers who required an organized notebook! I usually would find my Math homework folded and tucked into my History book.

I am a procrastinator extroidinare! If I realize something can't be done to perfection, I usually blow it off till the last minute, but still manage to meet expectations. I take copious pictures of my kids, never putting them into an album like I had planned. My boys are 18 and 21 and I really don't know where any of their baby pictures are. My baby girl is 2 (I had her on purpose!) and I swore to keep the baby book this time. It is still in its wrapping.

I realized recently that I am self-medicating with caffeine. I make a pot of coffee in the morning, drink a cup while getting ready (losing it at least twice), then take the rest with me in a thermos. After that's gone, I stop at every Starbucks to get a venti dark roast with a shot of espresso. In the afternoon, I switch to Diet Coke. Normal people probably don't have that much caffeine. And I can drink a cup of coffee and go straight to bed. It doesn't disrupt my sleep at all!

I am known professionally as someone with a strong work ethic. I can be depended upon to arrive on time and give excellent service. One company for which I contract has asked me to take on a leadership role because I am "very task-oriented, dependable, and organized." Where the Hell did they get that idea? If I don't get some help soon, everyone will see through the facade I've very carefully constructed.

My friend is a doctor and he is going to see me on Monday. He has some diagnostic tools and will take self-reported history. He indicates that he is seeing success with Straterra. From what I've read, I think I'd prefer Adderall, but he's the doctor.

Sorry to be so long...I'm going to force myself to stop now. Thanks in advance for any suggestions/feedback.

[QUOTE=Mant1]

I really can't, without extreme difficultly, read! As I realized this I also realized that I have been/had this problem all of my life - having 50 books going at once but very rarely finishin any, having to re-read section of reading again and again, having an extremely difficult proof reading any memo/documents/etc.

[/QUOTE]

That sounds just like me. I've probably "read" portions of hundreds of books but I think I've only actually finished one or two. How did you manage to get a Ph.D? I have a Bachelor's degree but I don't think my grades in college are good enough to even get me into a masters program.

Hi Sheen, a book I recommend to you and all ADDers is Driven to Distraction, by John Ratey from Harvard.  An easy and fascinating read.  Let me know your thoughts afterwards.

I also recommend Shadow Syndromes and Healing ADD.

Buzz

Okay, Mant1, I have got to know.....

How did you devote yourself to studying long enough to acquire two Ph.Ds??? 

That is just unbelieveable to me since you say you might have add/adhd.  Are you extremely intelligent, gifted, where everything book wise comes easy to you?

Gifted people seem to question whether or not they have this disorder, however, they seem to make it in life and do very well; but for people like me that are not gifted life is just one hard knock after another, and we don't seem to get anywhere.  We are spinning our wheels just trying to get by.

 

I don't know if I have ever read an entire book cover to cover.  When I am reading a book for leisure, I am skipping over the details and sometimes only reading the dialogue.  You can get away with that with some books, but not too many. 

I am currently reading a self-help book and it is all I can do to stay with it and read every word.  In order to get any of that book in my head I need to be by myself and the room has to be absolutely quiet.  One noise and I may as well forget it. 

I have found the audiobooks work quite well for me when I really want to get the whole story and not just bits and pieces.  I did that with the DaVinci Code and it was great.  I work at a place where I was able to borrow the CD from our library.  I didn't have to 'read' the book...I just popped it in the CD player whenever I got into the car.  Within a week it was done and I couldn't wait to get my hands on another story. 

Although audiobooks are sometimes quite expensive, there may be a way to borrow them from your local library or find some less expensive ones on an online auction.  

 

I am researching ADD and diagnosis of it in adolescents and adults.  According to the DSM-IV you have to be diagnosed before age 7 to be ADD or ADHD.  I disagree and there is lots of new research out there to back me up.

I am doing graduate work in Psychology and still can't "read" a book.  Obviously, that isn't really true, but I only read what I have to and I got through college with flash cards and many more hours of studying than my friends.  I also waited until I was 40 to begin and my distractability has improved since adolescence.

Also, I take Stretara and it helps me focus.  I did get through my BS without drugs though.  It was shear determination and all of those constant deadlines!!  I make myself do things when I have to.  It's all of the projects that don't really HAVE to be done, that stay unfinished.  How could we (all) keep each other accountable???  I live in the Orlando area.  Maybe we could have local support groups (of sorts)!  Just thinkin!

What ARE the "symptoms" of Mensa?  I went to a group for a while and some of those brilliant people were very unsuccessful.  I have no idea what my IQ is!