Inattentive type ADD - not hyperactive | ADHD Information
I would have gotten treated properly. I would have gotten a college education. I wanted to be a neuro dr and believe I would have been a good one. I would have had a life I lived instead of having life kick me around. I would have been a better parent and advocate for my kids.
My life is full of would haves and could haves. By the time I get even an AS degree now, I would be in my 50s. The thought of starting down that road and raising an ADD child at my age is daunting to say the least.
Most importantly, I would have had some self esteem instead of living for 40+ yrs thinking I must be lazy and unmotivated because other people not as intelligent as I, were getting ahead in life and mine was just kicking me in the teeth repeatedly. I think that is one of the things that hurts the most. To know you are smarter than someone else and and that you work harder, but you see the breaks all fall in their laps, not knowing why. I felt victimized because I did my best but something always kept me from succeeding.
Like many things in life, ADD-inattentive is a bag of mixed
blessings. Knowing what is causing me to be the way I am and
learning ways to deal with it have helped so much. I just wish I
had known what it was when I was younger and had the ability
to manage it as I do now. There are so many things I wouldn't
have let it keep me from doing.
Barb, i was wondering if you could elaborate on the last
sentence of this pharagraph, please? What kind of things?
Does anyone else ever feel like they aren't living in real time?
Hi, and Rain, do jump in and post anytime! I think the more questions and different perspectives we can get, the better!
I grew up with the combined type - ADHD/ADD. When I was In grade school as a child I was always very disroganized. One particular problem I had was not remembering which classroom to go into because they all looket the same. It caused me anxiety so much that I had dreams(nightmares) about it. In fact I'm working toward a degree now and a few times when going to class I questioned which door to go into. I was very shy, creative, and "self reliant"(as some teachers wrote on my report cards), while at other times I talked too much and found creative ways to get into trouble.
As an adult my biggest struggle is organization and trying to keep on top of things in order not to get burried! It's kind of strange to me that I don't notice somethings getting out of order (like a pile of papers on my desk) untill it gets to the point of overwhelming!
Also, if I don't have a particular place for things, I have no idea where that thing is. I'm looking for my glasses on a daily basis. The problem is that I'm so blind that it's hard to find them! So, I usually inlist my girls to help me. One time when I could tell that they wern't so enthusiastic about helping me look, I said,"Okay, I'll give .00 to whoever finds my glasses." Then I thought that probably wasn't such a good idea because then they might start expecting it and I could go broke!
Sometimes I buy things I already have not remembering I already have it. I'm also late a lot. And if I ever have to go to a large appartment complex, thats like hell on earth. That reminds me of how it was for me on a recent vacation to Orlando. Everytime my family and I walked out of our hotel room, I would walk in the wrong direction.
Well, thats my take. I do like to hear others experiences too. 
Rain....far as I know it's okay to jump in with a post at any time!
One of the reasons I never gave ADD much thought before this is that I thought that hyperactivity was a hallmark of the disorder....and God knows, I am barely active, let alone hyperactive.
The inattentive type describes so much of what goes on in my life. I never knew that other people didn't think like I do. Who would know how other people think? I always thought that I was 'lazy, stupid, or crazy'....like the book. But I do manage to come through, somehow. But it's the same as it was in school; I have a hard time internalizing other people's goals and deadlines (i.e. teachers and employers) so I do enough to get by and that's it. I'm often going off on a tangent, related or unrelated to the topic at hand.
And I can hyperfocus too.....all my life it's usually been fiction. From fifth grade on, you would always find me with a book in my hand. I would walk through the halls and sit at the lunch table and ride the bus home...reading all the time. I used to love immersing myself in a book. I didn't need anybody else...which was good, because I never fit in anyway.
I wonder what would have happened if I'd somehow chosen to hyperfocus on something productive...say, a cure for cancer, or neurosurgery, or astrophysics?
I'm interested in hearing from other Inattentive types too...but I think there is a lot on here about 'inattention'.....and remember, we are all experience ADD in different ways.
Joyce
I was diagnosed with the inattentive type....but at the same time, I'm a very high-energy person--just maybe not enough to be "hyper." I can be completley withdrawn, and daydream for hours, or be quite the opposite--very chatty and active. Are there any others with this sort of issue? Thats me, half Tigger and half Pooh.
In some ways, being inattentive is worse than hyper because people can't see it. It is just like Joyous 56 said as far as people not recognizing it. If you aren't hyper, you are rude, lazy, not applying yourself, but they don't even consider the possibility that it could be ADD.
Others also see us as not caring because we zone out on important things at times and our performance level is erratic.
Its harder for girls to get a diagnosis than boys to begin with and since girls are often much quieter than boys, they just assume you are a quiet child.
The ability to hyper focus is a mixed blessing. It helps me get through some things quickly which would take someone else longer but it makes it hard for my husband and children to connect with me when I am hyper focusing on something.
The best part for me as far as school was concerned was that I would hyper focus on major tests and do extremely well. That also kept me from getting the help I needed because the teachers would just let me "daydream" in class and not realize that a subject was something I would not "get" eventually. That didn't happen often but math, especially geometry, was a nightmare for me.
Its tough in terms of succeeding and progressing at work because it seems to take me longer to master some things which should be fairly easy. If a superior comes in when you are having an ADD moment, they think you are flaky and goofing off or just plain not too bright, even when you are putting out quality work and getting things done on time.
It also makes it easy for people at work to take credit for the work you are doing, the ideas you have, etc. Since we are not good at documenting, it is hard to prove anything that doesn't have a signature.
Like many things in life, ADD-inattentive is a bag of mixed blessings. Knowing what is causing me to be the way I am and learning ways to deal with it have helped so much. I just wish I had known what it was when I was younger and had the ability to manage it as I do now. There are so many things I wouldn't have let it keep me from doing.
Hi Everyone,First off, i'm so happy that i found this forum! It's really nice to
have a place where i can relate to others that are dealing with
this disorder
I feel funny making a new post when I have just joined this
forum, But, there doesn't seem to be many posts on the topic of
Inattentive type ADD. After reading through many posts on
feeling hyper active and over-charged all the time, having AD/
HD seems like a really different experience that ADD without
hyperactivity. It also seems like its harder without the
hyperactivity.I'm hoping that i can open up a post just dedicated
to this subject, of what it's like having ADD without hyperactivity.
Thanks! Happycat/Bepatient > Love your login names.
I to have the inattentive ADD, and
sometimes I have to say to myself "hey, wake up and
respond to this situation now".
I remember in grade school and high
school having dreams of not finding my class room
[I've never had a dream of falling though, which I
understand is quite common].
I think I understand why I'm withdrawn in
social settings, either I think no one is interested in
what I have to say or their just being polite in talking
to me, but would rather be somewhere else.
I am innattentive about 80% of the time, but have occasional hyperactive days. Like yesterday. I was wired for sound. 8(
I’m a dual hyperactive/inattentive as well.
I’m always losing things and recently have developed a habit of forgetting my briefcase (with all my work, credit cards, phone, keys etc)!
My favourite example is a secret diary I had when I was about 11. It was about A5 size and had a small pad lock with a key. I immediately decided I must find a safe place to keep this tiny key, otherwise I would be certain to lose it. Against all the odds, I was successful in this and even remembered where the safe place was too, only to discover that I had then lost the actual diary! 11 years on, I still haven’t found it.
Hi, I am glad that you are happy to post your forum here, when you look at it, it is not that bad. I have ADD as well and sometimes people will give you insights to handle this. You can never outgrow this you are born with it.
Thanks. What did you say? I missed that....
Hey, does anyone know why I said that? Doesn't it seem out of place? == D on 8/27/05
Davidornado38590.9715972222I think I'm the inattentive type. As a child I was always lost, always forgetting things, always in a dream world, and couldn't follow the most simple instructions- like using a key, or telling time. Even in my 40's I'd get chills hoping my creditcard, my comb, driver's licence, and some cash would all be present in my purse that day. One of these was usually AOL.
Anyway, my great find is infra-red neuro-feedback! My head was like a swarm of bees, when it wasn't boinging with caffine, or like the snow on a maltuned TV screen. This treatment trains you to increase activity in the front-brain, where the planning and executive functions hang out, and it leaves you focused and calm. It's like having a solid core for the first time! I still am not out from under , but it now seems possible, given the right behavioral moves. (Have you read Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Successful People? That was my index of impossible mindsets. )
This is where we and other's always get problems in the terminology. It looks when you read it first like to have ADHD - you have to either by all hyperactive or inattentive - not both. It's more a matter of degrees than black and white separation. Though I'm severe inattentive - as a child and adult I've had times where I was totally hyper - shaking my leg - blurting out crap and constantly looking to expel energy. Then it would be days, months or years where it was back to good old inattentive me again.
I can't think that most of us can't say that we've had pretty much any of the symptoms listed from one time or the other - maybe just not all the time.
Thats' how it looks to me for sure.
oh, no! i am not even diagnosed, (my 16 year old daughter is, though,) and i KNOW i have ADD. Especially when reading about ADD, without the H component.
What was i gonne say.....
I'm really so fed up with myself, you know, i am a homemaker and can't imagine how i would survive if i would have a job. i had a couple of lousy ones, but i got crazy. (felt as if imprisoned) (anyone have this experience?), (writing this, 100 thought i wanted to share i already forgot) so,i don't know if i should let myself be diagnosed and start medication. My husband and i are a little scared that meds will get worn out, have awful side effcts etc. and i am ok. i mean, i have a great life and i should't complain, so i try just to do without it.
i also know if i would take medication my personality would change and i like that i can get myself to do things (like working in texas heat in the yard and get so much done, my husband would be proud of if he would do it in a week). but on the other hand i just hate it if in public (f.e. schoolmeeting/parties, etc.) i just feel sooooo weird, it just feels like i am from another planet and others agree.
not always, i feel this weird, but lots of times. sometimes i am being in the middle of the attention, peole like me, other times they seem to nor even regognize/see mee. as if i am invisible.
i am glad, now i found this board, i am not alone in this.
am i?
[QUOTE=loveactuary]
My favourite example is a secret diary I had when I was about 11. It was about A5 size and had a small pad lock with a key. I immediately decided I must find a safe place to keep this tiny key, otherwise I would be certain to lose it. Against all the odds, I was successful in this and even remembered where the safe place was too, only to discover that I had then lost the actual diary! 11 years on, I still haven’t found it.
[/QUOTE]
LOL!
I totally know what you're talking about. When I was ~10 years old I had a huge set of Legos, that I loved to play with. The problem was my sister kept taking pieces from it to build her models and she would then glue them together if she liked it alot (we still have a few of those models left- they are almost indestructible, I melted/burned a few, but the rest are just solid blocks of plastic) anyways I made certain that my sister wouldn't take my legos by putting them all into one of my dad's old lockable briefcases. I inevitably lost the key, but was so embarrased I just told my mom and dad I didn't feel like playing with Legos. As far as I know, there is still a locked briefcase jammed tight with lego sitting somewhere in my parent's basement.
[QUOTE=judith]...... i am a homemaker and can't imagine how i would survive if i would have a job. ...... i have a great life and i should't complain.[/QUOTE]
Funny how we all have our different lives. My folks died when I was a teenager, and I have been working ever since....full time since college. Even tho I was married for 5 years, my husband didn't make enough that I could stay home.
I cannot imagine what it would be like not to be always concerned about a job, paying the bills, etc. Not knowing if I'll ever be able to retire....how can I afford to paint the house, or make the other repairs that are necessary....Poor me!!
Then I think about the people who have even more money worries...don't have a house to worry about painting, or a car to be fixed. Retirement is just so far out of some peoples reach....I know that I can't spend any time comparing....
But don't you think we ought to plan a heist on Tom Cruise's bank account....and split the proceeds? Maybe open a commune....aaaiiiiaiiiiaaaaiiii
[QUOTE=judith]oh, no! i am not even diagnosed, (my 16 year old daughter is, though,) and i KNOW i have ADD.
My husband and i are a little scared that meds will get worn out, have awful side effcts etc. They usually don't wear out or have awful side effects.
and i am ok. i mean, i have a great life and i should't complain, so i try just to do without it. What
a unique thought, letting your ADD run it's course... If it weren't for
the hurt people around me, I'd love to go back to the way I was for 42
years, 8 years ago I started AD meds.
am i?[/QUOTE]What a unique thought, letting your ADD run it's course...
Hi there
I have been lurking for awhile but when I read "inattentive" I knew these were the posts I should be reading. I really didn't see myself in the other post no hyper in this girl!
I want to list a few things that have happened to me over the last 8 yrs. (these years included a move to another state, and a hysterectomy, and believe me hormones do play a large role in female add) I have been in 5 accidents, 3 which were my fault (not concentrating on driving) rear ending each time. I have lost 8 jobs since we moved, but had worked for the same Co. for yrs. before that, and I am still unemployed. It is so hard to describe how my whole thought process just takes a sh*t when I have a job to do, I even think I am doing OK, but when I double check myself I have messed up BIGTIME.
Of course depression goes hand in hand, low self esteme is my middle name. On Dexedrine but really doesn't help that much. Have been in counseling for centuries (well maybe not that long)
Better stop now or no ADD'ers will read this long of a post
Thanks
pammie38590.6937268519
Hi All,
I just signed up to the forum found it when I was researching Concerta.
I have just been diagnosed with ADHD, Combined type. BUT I disagree with the hyper part. I am largely inattentive. It is so refreshing to see that other people are going through the same things that I have gone through nearly all of my life. I am 40 years old and finally figured out why I cant seem to keep a clean house, stay organized or listen to an intelegent conversation for more than a minute or two.
I guess one good thing about not having any medication this long is that I have actually figured out things to do to help me function. Just like I am sure many of you have. My favorite adaptations include tapping my pocket to make sure I have my keys EVERY time I walk out a door, and using a palm pilot with the alarm function. I also talk to myself outloud when I need to learn something or remember something. ( Which , BTW gets me a few interesting looks from coworkers and family... ok so I'm just a little nuts! LOL)
As for the concerta? Well, the perscription was written last monday... ahem... I lost it somewhere between the Dr's office and the pharmacy... I am calling tomorrow to get it rewritten,,, aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!
LOL
Sherry
Hey Newbie,Welcome to the Forum. s.
Ever been hyper? Older adults wear out the hyper part, b/c their bods can't keep up. Or so it's been said...
Why keep a house organized? Clean I understand, b/c of the stinky thingks.
Paragraph 3: yeah, those are called coping mechanisms. That's what we share around here, sometimes. I'll show you mine if you show me yours... JUST kidding. No problema! Do a word search on toilet paper in here, and read how we cope.
I do the outloud thing, too. Never noticed the stares, b/c of the subsequent desictractions.
Hey, if you find it, get it filled, too.
C'yaO 'round,
D
[QUOTE=Davidornado]Hey Newbie,
Welcome to the Forum. s.
Ever been hyper? Older adults wear out the hyper part, b/c their bods can't keep up. Or so it's been said...
Nope, never been hyper.. as a matter of fact, may parents got called when I was a sophmore in high school 'cause the counciler, band director and English teacher thought I was on barbituates!!!
Parents called me lazy . Teachers thought I was lazy and wouldnt apply myself or listen to directions. Mom thought I was stupid... geez, I thought I was stupid... come to find out I have and IQ of 120. What a self esteem booster!
no, the hyper part presents itself supposedly because I shake my leg up and down often and cant hold a pen without clicking the "clicker thingy" . Other than that I'm sitting still daydreaming away..........
Thanks for the welcome! ummm yeah, I think I talk eccessively too... which may translate to writting excessively........
Sherry