there are many things you can do that can help you cope with ADHD symptoms even if you can't yet get the assessment completed. Try getting some easy kids books because their suggestions are very helpful when applied to regular life of teens and adults. You can also call a therapist without being charged and without your parents' involvement, tell what your situation is and ask for suggestions to get information about solutions to help you with your main problems...
This is not an answer to your problem... but maybe it can help you until you can find the real solution... being able to communicate with your parents.
Also... note whether your biggest issues are impulsivity, distractibility, etc. then you can work on what you know is the problem... it's better than guessing.
"Put one foot in front of the other ( not jumping forward too fast)" - anti-impulsive
"keep your eyes front" - anti-distractibility
I think i have add i've been looking at the symptoms and reading what i could find about it for a while now...the problem? after finally convincing myself to say something to my mom, she freaked out she was like "YOU DONT HAVE ADD, IF YOU HAD IT I WOULD HAVE KNOWN A LONG TIME AGO YOUR NOT GETTING TESTED FOR SOMETHING YOU DONT HAVE!".... so now im stuck...i cant really get diagnosed without her helping and i cant even talk to her about it because as soon as i bring it up she just tells me i dont have it........any ideas on how to get her to listen to me???
Hmmm...I had a similar situation. I was sure that I had AD/HD....everyone around me told me I had AD/HD...but my parents don't believe in it. What I did, was kind of create a proposal for them about AD/HD and how I thought I had it and how I thought it would be beneficial for me to get evaluated. Well, it all went to H-E-double hockey sticks!
We wound up in some huge "fight." My parents asking me why I thought I had something wrong with me, blah, blah, blah. The worst part of it was they wouldn't even stop to hear what I was saying. My dad basically told me "I'm not good enough" and that "I just don't try" and a bunch of stuff that just really hurt.
A little over a year later, my parents and I got in another fight-related to AD/HD...and they ended it saying you're over 18, here's an insurance card, do what you need to do. So, I ended up getting evaluated, etc. on my own time and paid for it with my own money. In the end, I'm glad that I did it. Yes, it has been a huge "investment" because I have to pay for meds every month, but it is soo worth it for how much things have changed.
One thing you could try is saying something along the lines of, "well, if you're so positive that I don't have it, then can I please go to a doctor and get evaluated so that I know for sure?" If she's so sure that you don't have AD/HD, then she should want the diagnosis to "prove she is correct." ...or something along that....I'm not feeling the greatest, so sorry if this is a little out-there, or if it doesn't make sense.
Good luck and keep us posted with how things go!
autumnstar-
Yes, it is very important to see a doctor who specializes in AD/HD, especially when seeking an evaluation. When I was getting evaluated, I didn't know that my insurance only covered me if I went to a certain clinic, so I went to a different clinic....and had extra costs because of it. My insurance still covered some, but I was still billed hundreds of dollars.
Is there a way you could see a different dr. for a referral? I mean, one at the same clinic, but just a different dr. that is more open/willing to give you a referral? I'm sure you will work something out, and I hope you can do so quickly and fairly painlessly!
SicklikeGingerA-
Keep in mind that it's also possible that you do not have AD/HD. There are many other things that can mimic the disorder. Being evaluated by a professional is necessary. In order to be diagnosed with AD/HD, symptoms must have been present since childhood and they must interfere with at least 2 scenarios in life (home, work, school, etc.).
Good luck again!
Deang008,
That is a good idea, if you get a doctor that's open to ADD. I'm an adult, 32 yo, and just yesterday I told my doctor that I want to talk to him about Adult ADD. He said "I believe those are false diagnoses..." So he's not even OPEN to the idea of anyone having ADD. So now I'm fighting with my insurance to figure out how I can go see someone else who can help me with a diagnosis because my insurance wants my doctor to refer me, for them to pay for any treatment.
SicklikeGingerA,
It's tough if they won't even listen to you, but I'm not sure my family would have listened to me either, while I lived at home. These are several reasons why they may not be open to the idea - like your mom said, if you had it then they should have figured it out long ago... many families go through alot of GUILT when they discover a family member has an actual condition that they have no control over. If you get diagnosed with it, they're going to feel guilty for everything they've been saying or doing to you.
You didn't mention how old you are. If you're in school, (I know you're probably out for summer break), can you talk to any counselors? This is exactly the type of thing they should be there for. If you have to wait until school starts back up, maybe you can spend the summer going to the library to get more books on ADD to learn more about the disorder. Check out non-med ways of treatment, maybe things you can learn between now and then.
If you haven't already - pick up the book, Driven to Distraction by Dr. Edward Hallowell. Great book. They also have a new one, Delivered from Distraction on ways to help us all. I can't wait to read that one.
I hope this helps,
autumnstar
I totaly agree and understand a lot that is being said here..
SicklikeGingerA
I know what you are going through. I am 27 and I still fight with my mom that I am ad/hd.. I was diagnosed when I was a teen that I was ad/hd and my mother to this day says no I am not.. that she just dorked with the questions she was asked about me.. and watching her she is ad/hd too.. and my daughter is ad/hd.. I think my son might be too. ad/hd can be genitic or from major trama to the head..
So good luck to you.. I hope you can get the help you need!!!
Ha ha ha......