ADD/ADHD Tropers, Unite!

:)

Oh crap, haven't been on the forums for a while.

I was diagnosed with ADHD about a year ago. It's been tough, to say the least. Especially because of the way it can potentially ruin your life if you're unlucky. I almost lost my job because of me not being able to pay attention to stuff for longer than ten minutes tops.

Oh, and the real irony is the fact that I'm really bad at reading stuff but I somehow managed to write a damn novel. Other people proof-read it though, fortunately.

I'm almost 30, btw.

Wait, this thread isn't dead yet, right? I want to comment but I'd hate to be a Thread Necromancer.

Don't worry about it! Say what you like & hope for the best.

So I suspect that I may have ADHD. Why do I think that, you ask? Here are the ADHD-like things I do. As a kid, I was hyperactive but clumsy. I can't sit still for long, and pace whenever I can. My teachers have always complained that I rarely pay attention, and in class I'd rather draw or read than listen to the teacher. I always zone out during lectures and speeches. I find eye contact difficult, and I prefer looking at objects than people. I can't direct my attention to things for long. I alternate between periods of total lack of focus and periods of hyperfocus. I lack exective functioning skills and am a chronic deadliner. I'm either very organized or (most often) not organized at all. I always daydream and immerse myself in my thoughts.

However, I find it difficult to get myself an official diagnosis, especially considering my parents are vehemently trying to tell themselves (and myself as well) that I am normal and there is nothing wrong with me. (Heck, they even denied me full information about my autism until like, what, 14 years?) How can I get myself diagnosed officially?

edited 4th Nov '16 7:21:47 AM by fdiaperhead

What you do is you make an appointment with a psychiatrist, ideally one who specializes in diagnosing and treating ADHD. You tell them that you think you may have ADHD and would like to be evaluated. Which means filling out some questionnaires, followed up by a long, thorough interview to learn about your symptoms and eliminate other possible diagnoses. Maybe even uncover other things: ADHD is frequently comorbid with depression, for instance.

At least, that's how it went with me.

Sorry to hear about your parents. That sucks.

Something to think about: ADHD tends to run in families. It's possible that one (or both) of your parents has it and therefore assumes it's normal functioning. That's what happened in my family. My dad suspected he had it for years, but it didn't occur to my mom that anything was wrong with her husband & daughter because it was "just how you were". (She felt really bad about it afterward.)

I don't think it's possible for a Troper Coven to be "dead", really.

the convens are just missing in action

We just have a difficult time staying in one thread. Amirite? *hi-fives self*

Hey all, found a few things that I really like that relate, just was wondering what you guys think.

[1]◊

[2]

Well, they're not bad. Were you wondering if they're accurate or not? Everyone's experience with ADHD (or any other mental condition) is different, so we'll each relate to some things and not others.

For me, the bit about "please do not break my routine" was so, so true.

Did make me think "We ADHDers get so wordy sometimes."

edited 17th Oct '17 1:28:21 PM by scionofgrace

Know it's already just over halfway into the month (man, time flies!), but it is still ADD/ADHD awareness month.

Y'all are awesome!

Dark it, I'm LAAAAAAAATE...

Well, whatever. It's not like the ADHD went away after I turned 19 last month.

...What were we talking about as a whole? Oh, no, no, I'll save my draft and go back to check. My apologies.

...Ah, okay. We just vent a little bit and act politely? Sounds fun!

....Recently, I came to a conclusion about myself that many others had realized long before me: my asperger syndrome isn't a big deal. My ADHD is.

As far as autism goes, I'm barely sticking my toes in the shallow end of the kiddie pool. I'm just enough in there to call myself wet and notice the wind breeze by, but not enough to come out shivering. I struggled a bit to learn body language, still struggle a bit, but most people won't realize that I'm on the spectrum unless I tell them (see: my little quote at the bottom of my posts requesting you be patient with me and try to work through our problems).

ADHD is the bigger influence on me, and I'd compare it to being a vampire: you NEED to suck blood, but you also have serious difficulties approaching certain things. Namely, stuff that's tedious, long, relies solely on one sense to learn, doesn't allow for trial and error, and waits to give you a reward that doesn't mean much in the short-run feels like the pope with a crucifix.

A good example of this would be my anatomy and physiology class I'm currently taking online, or math in public school.

It's not that the material they're trying to teach me is too hard to understand. I still remember the types, names, and attributes of almost all of the nearly 1,000 Pokemon. Compared to that, about 150 muscles would be easy... if there was more to learn it with than just some written words and a few still images

Meanwhile, my old archnemesis, mathematics, has become much more fun and lovely recently since I've been taking college algebra: the homework is like an independent tutor who is always there for you, walking you through every question and system as much as you need until you understand it well enough to take on the quiz. It features immediate feedback and a whole bunch of forgiveness, and I suddenly adore the class.

I saw this page recently. The statistics made me proud that I'm still in the game at college, and the suggestions for learning felt incredibly good. http://www.ldonline.org/article/ADHD%3A__Building_Academic_Success

edited 8th Nov '17 8:00:33 AM by NoSpoilerz

I find that article suspect. I realize it's only anecdotes and not evidence, but all the diagnosed ADHD people in my family have college degrees. My grandma, who was not diagnosed but who showed many signs, earned a master's.

There could be selection bias involved. That because a person does decently in school, they're never evaluated, so you've got folks with ADHD who complete college without a diagnosis. At least, that's what happened with me & my dad. (When my psychiatrist asked me how I made it so far without a diagnosis, my reply was, "Intelligent, well-behaved, and female.")

Regarding studying & learning, I know what you mean. I've realized that I do best when I can engage with the material in some concrete way. So, like, for the anatomy/physiology stuff, I'd probably do best if I could get my hands on some kind of model where you could pull each muscle and see what moves when you do. Failing that, I'd try to map the muscles of my own body.

Well, I was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago (much too late ):), and I am doing a Ph D, so... It can be not. Still, I have a feeling that everything I do is much easier for everybody else, though it might be just my impostor syndrome talking.

edited 9th Nov '17 12:55:16 PM by Dracia

IM FINALLY HERE, PREFORMING FOR YOU, IF YOU HAVENT GUESSED BY NOW I HAVE ADHD TOO!

Well, I must say that I don't have A- SQUIRREL!!!

I do have ADHD (or ADD. I've never been able to figure out the difference). Nuff said.

I almost certainly have undiagnosed ADHD. It's taking a toll on my professional life and often my relationship with others. Currently on a waiting list to get assessed.

Good luck! I was already an adult when I was diagnosed, too.

I think I'll need all the luck I can get, it's kicking my ass in my office job, really hard to concentrate and keep track of everything and do all the paperwork. I'm probably a month or two behind and I keep thinking that future me will get their act together and bail me out.

Oh nice, this thread isn't dead. Fellow ADHD sufferer here.

Fried my brain after hyperfocusing on some artwork earlier. I used up all my focus on that and Saturday school and now I can't focus on anything.

The reason this thread is barely alive is that whenever we try to keep it alive we get distrac- ooh, Pokemon.

Trying to write atm, but keep playing Clash Royale :(

Same, I keep trying to be productive then I fall down the youtube hole or go do a 99 floor dungeon in pokemon mystery dungeon.

Hey! I'm another human with ADD/ADHD. Diagnosed in 5th grade. After I started taking meds, my (monthly?) visits to the principal's office stopped. I was so mad after I was diagnosed... like yo, "I'm a good kid who sometimes calls out and is hyper and doodles on work and won't shut up - why didn't you notice earlier?" They probably blamed it on my Aspergers which ironically I was diagnosed with in preschool but only found out about in middle school... when I found out about that - I was like ooooh, everything makes sense.

I hate and love these kinds of things. Like sometimes I can't shut up. Or I'm socially clueless (less than before). I have poor volume control. I procrastinate. I can get hyper, when the meds wear off, they wear off, etc. But I also wouldn't know myself any other way.