Poll of the Day > My therapist thinks I may have ADD

(+) Yeah! (+)

She's going to do an assessment in the next couple of weeks. I've wondered for a long time whether I have it or not. I'm highly functional, so I think where it comes in is the difficulty of certain tasks that I've described to her. Like with school or work, I can easily get overwhelmed. I've actually been trying to complete an assignment for the past few hours, but I keep getting off track. I'm posting on PotD, have a tab for YouTube open, keep checking my emails, read a paragraph of an article, write a few sentences, go back to PotD, refresh, repeat, repeat. The whole time I can feel time ticking away but I can't stop myself from jumping constantly from one thing to the next. Sometimes it just gives me so much anxiety. I can't focus on what I really want to do or should be doing and I don't know why. It's hard for me to get my thoughts out clearly and consistently most of the time. Like I'm writing this post just as the thought comes to me, but I can't really describe it. I have so many things I need to do. I don't think it's too bad but sometimes I wish I could just be more organized and focused. Most people I know personally probably wouldn't guess that I feel this way because I don't think it's obvious from an outside perspective. I guess that's good. Has anyone here actually been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD?

I think I do too.

I try to stay off my phone until 40 after the hour. That's how I stay somewhat focused on tasks, but I still get distracted easily by other things.

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I have ADHD. It's something you learn to deal with over time but it can make relatively simple tasks feel like insurmountable obstacles

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SpeedDemon20 posted...

I think I do too.

I try to stay off my phone until 40 after the hour. That's how I stay somewhat focused on tasks, but I still get distracted easily by other things.

I had to delete Facebook and Instagram from my phone. I've spent hours scrolling nonstop through photos and posts, switching back and forth between apps without much control. It's also a symptom of addiction, but can also be due to ADD due to the attention aspect. I feel like I'm more prone to being addicted to things like that because I can easily lose interest and move back and forth between things. There is always a replacement though. It's kind of how I ended up back here on PotD. This is just another thing I use to distract myself.

Metalsonic66 posted...

I have ADHD. It's something you learn to deal with over time but it can make relatively simple tasks feel like insurmountable obstacles

I dont think I have the hyperactivity aspect so much, but yeah. I've sometimes found myself wondering if other people find it as hard to do certain things that I do.

Hit me up if they suggest medication or you want some advice. Diagnosed 15 years with both and medicated for the last 11 or so.

dark_prime posted...

Hit me up if they suggest medication or you want some advice. Diagnosed 15 years with both and medicated for the last 11 or so.

Oh hey man. Yeah, I don't think it will lead to medication but you never know. I've lived 31 years and made it by well enough. Though some people go through most their lives with an anxiety disorder and think how they feel is normal. It's only once they've been placed on medication that they realize what the hell, this is how it feels to live without anxiety? I'll see where this conversation goes with my therapist.

GunslingerGunsl posted...

I had to delete Facebook and Instagram from my phone. I've spent hours scrolling nonstop through photos and posts, switching back and forth between apps without much control. It's also a symptom of addiction, but can also be due to ADD due to the attention aspect. I feel like I'm more prone to being addicted to things like that because I can easily lose interest and move back and forth between things. There is always a replacement though. It's kind of how I ended up back here on PotD. This is just another thing I use to distract myself.

I think I have to do that too. But I take food pics for Instagram.

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My sister is ADHD. We always knew, but my former step-father (my sister's biological father) is an idiot who borders on anti-vax conspiracy (for example, he shared Plandemic when it came out), so he refused to get her medication or treatment for it (and also any sort of therapy or medication for my depression, woo!). She went away to college about a year and a half ago, got diagnosed, got a prescription for Adderall or something similar, and it's dramatically improved her life. My mom started crying when she saw how much better sister was on medication and regretted listening to my step-dad when he said "she just needs to learn to deal with it!"

therapist is a good call. I did that route first and it really helped me understand why I was feeling that way. I take vyvanse now and it really helps me focus. Find what works best for you of course

/eyeroll
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If what you are describing actually is ADD then crap I think I might have it too

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ADD can be a superpower if you learn how to channel it.

My only regret is swapping Ritalin for cigarettes around the age of 15.

I can always pick the former Ritalin kids out in a crowd though. Our eyes are all a little too glassy and dilated stone cold sober...

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I took Adderall for about a year in middle school but no other (legal) medication since then

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Metalsonic66 posted...

I took Adderall for about a year in middle school but no other (legal) medication since then

Adderall just isn't the same...

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I'm not aware of how different the medications are

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Chronic anxiety is apparently my only vice although I don't feel anxiousness. Go figure.

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SpeedDemon20 posted...

I think I have to do that too. But I take food pics for Instagram.

Lol. Priorities Speed.

JigsawTDC posted...

My sister is ADHD. We always knew, but my former step-father (my sister's biological father) is an idiot who borders on anti-vax conspiracy (for example, he shared Plandemic when it came out), so he refused to get her medication or treatment for it (and also any sort of therapy or medication for my depression, woo!). She went away to college about a year and a half ago, got diagnosed, got a prescription for Adderall or something similar, and it's dramatically improved her life. My mom started crying when she saw how much better sister was on medication and regretted listening to my step-dad when he said "she just needs to learn to deal with it!"

Yeah, medication can be extremely helpful in situations that call for it. There is just so much stigma around medication and it can be hard to determine when it is or isn't necessary. I'm glad your sister was able to benefit from it. My philosophy on it is if you can get by and have a satisfying life by using coping strategies without medication, then go for it.

dark_prime posted...

therapist is a good call. I did that route first and it really helped me understand why I was feeling that way. I take vyvanse now and it really helps me focus. Find what works best for you of course

I'm actually required to have my own psychotherapy as a part of my training to be an MFT. It was part of my training that I was really looking forward to. My previous work in a pharmacy has helped me with knowing different medications and their uses. It will help if my therapist ends up referring me to anyone else who can prescribe.

Mead posted...

If what you are describing actually is ADD then crap I think I might have it too

I'm not fully convinced if I have it or not. I know I definitely have experienced intense symptoms of it but that doesn't necessarily mean I meet full criteria. It was just interesting to me that my therapist brought it up when I had always had some suspicion of it myself.

LuciferSage posted...

ADD can be a superpower if you learn how to channel it.

My only regret is swapping Ritalin for cigarettes around the age of 15.

I can always pick the former Ritalin kids out in a crowd though. Our eyes are all a little too glassy and dilated stone cold sober...

Caffeine is usually my go-to as far as self-medication goes. I find that drinking a coffee or energy drink is almost necessary for me to sit and get something done. I try not to rely on it too much. A lot of the clients I used to see working in substance abuse self-medicated with far stronger substances.

Metalsonic66 posted...

I took Adderall for about a year in middle school but no other (legal) medication since then

Did the Adderall help you at the time?

wwinterj25 posted...

Chronic anxiety is apparently my only vice although I don't feel anxiousness. Go figure.

What do you mean?

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Did the Adderall help you at the time?

I definitely completed more assignments lol

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Metalsonic66 posted...

I'm not aware of how different the medications are

Best comparison I can draw is a really good cup of tea or coffee vs a red bull.

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Caffeine is usually my go-to as far as self-medication goes. I find that drinking a coffee or energy drink is almost necessary for me to sit and get something done. I try not to rely on it too much. A lot of the clients I used to see working in substance abuse self-medicated with far stronger substances.

Oh, I can relate for sure, but I wasn't talking about whole-assing things end to end. The superpower is more on the multitasking end of things. At least for me. I'm pure ADD. The "H" was added just to hook 3x as many kids on adderall. I'm from the Ritalin, pure ADD era.

The best way I can put it is this. Total silence is a blight because my mind will either make it's own static or tinnitus takes over. It's not that I can't focus, quite the contrary. I can focus on something to a near autistic degree, but that focus on any one thing comes with a stamina bar. However, I *can* keep as many as 7 or 8 channels open at a time. While I'm focusing on any one thing, the stamina bars on the other 6 or 7 are recharging. I switch rails as needed.

It looks like total chaos to the untrained eye, but there really is a system at work that I've spent 40 years dialing in.

An added side effect is a strange ability to see connections and patterns in seemingly unrelated things. I blame running on so many parallel circuits at once for that...

It also makes me an extroverted introvert by nature. It's not that I can't handle a room full of people, but the interconnectedness of it all gets exhausting.

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I used to drink a lot of energy drinks but I rarely drink them now. Still drink a ton of Coke though lol

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LuciferSage posted...

Best comparison I can draw is a really good cup of tea or coffee vs a red bull.

Oh, I can relate for sure, but I wasn't talking about whole-assing things end to end. The superpower is more on the multitasking end of things. At least for me. I'm pure ADD. The "H" was added just to hook 3x as many kids on adderall. I'm from the Ritalin, pure ADD era.

The best way I can put it is this. Total silence is a blight because my mind will either make it's own static or tinnitus takes over. It's not that I can't focus, quite the contrary. I can focus on something to a near autistic degree, but that focus on any one thing comes with a stamina bar. However, I *can* keep as many as 7 or 8 channels open at a time. While I'm focusing on any one thing, the stamina bars on the other 6 or 7 are recharging. I switch rails as needed.

It looks like total chaos to the untrained eye, but there really is a system at work that I've spent 40 years dialing in.

An added side effect is a strange ability to see connections and patterns in seemingly unrelated things. I blame running on so many parallel circuits at once for that...

It also makes me an extroverted introvert by nature. It's not that I can't handle a room full of people, but the interconnectedness of it all gets exhausting.

I feel like I can sometimes do many things effectively, but mostly if there is too much going on then I tend to shut down completely. It has only ever really gotten serious at work once. I had various client files on my desk, phone calls to make, notes to do, and co-workers to get back to about things they had asked me. I found myself starting one thing then changing my mind and doing another, then switching again and again and realizing that I was doing a lot but in reality getting nowhere. I became an emotional wreck at the time and had to call my boss to calm myself down. It was kind of embarrassing as I'm not used to losing control like that (or at least showing it). One thing I've realized that has been helpful to me as far as schoolwork goes is getting out of my environment. I had made it a habit to go to a pretty quiet Starbucks across the street whenever I had a lot of studying or work to do. As long as I had my earphones I found it was much easier to work on things in a place where my whole point of being there was to do work. I wasn't as easily distracted by things. I can't do that anymore because of the pandemic.

Oh believe me, I also understand the overload malfunction scenario too. It's why I don't do counter sales anymore.

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GunslingerGunsl posted...

What do you mean?

I've been to the doctors about symptoms I've had for years. It started with a panic attack that I went to the hospital for as I thought it was a heart attack. A week later I had another but during that one I had a weird sensation in my head like pins and needles. Since then I've had a constant pressure in my head along with heart palpations, tight chest and many other issues. According to the doctor it's anxiety although I don't feel worried about anything save for if I think about my own death too much. It would be a lot more easy to get to the bottom of this if I did know the main issue though. If it was anything serious I'm sure something more would have happened by now. This means as this point I'm in limbo with what seems to be chronic anxiety. I've tried some meds but they are not for me. CBT is the only think that sorta helps for me. Mostly music like binaural beats. Alcohol helps too as does going out on walks/hiking. I do what I must but it seems my brain broke. I always thought it would be depression with my metal health.

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wwinterj25 posted...

I've been to the doctors about symptoms I've had for years. It started with a panic attack that I went to the hospital for as I thought it was a heart attack. A week later I had another but during that one I had a weird sensation in my head like pins and needles. Since then I've had a constant pressure in my head along with heart palpations, tight chest and many other issues. According to the doctor it's anxiety although I don't feel worried about anything save for if I think about my own death too much. It would be a lot more easy to get to the bottom of this if I did know the main issue though. If it was anything serious I'm sure something more would have happened by now. This means as this point I'm in limbo with what seems to be chronic anxiety. I've tried some meds but they are not for me. CBT is the only think that sorta helps for me. Mostly music like binaural beats. Alcohol helps too as does going out on walks/hiking. I do what I must but it seems my brain broke. I always thought it would be depression with my metal health.

Damn, yeah that definitely sounds like a panic attack. I've had a few of them myself. The last one I had had me curled up in the fetal position on the floor of my room hyperventilating. The one before that I had the same pins and needles you're describing. It was so intense that I couldn't feel a sprite can I was holding with both my hands. It is a bitch because what triggers them isn't always obvious. Mostly I've recognized what have triggered mine, but I have had one during one my my classes of which I had no damn clue what brought it on. The best thing to do is just take care of yourself physically and mentally. Self-care is important. Even if you don't feel like you're stressed, your body has a way of telling you that you need to slow things down. Despite how bad panic attacks feel in the moment, I've found that trying to laugh them off after they happen and remembering that they can't really hurt you makes them easier to bare.

Edit: btw it does sound like you're doing good with how you've addressed it so far. I'd just be careful with the alcohol use. I think it could be easy for that to become an issue as well, if you're prone to it.

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Damn, yeah that definitely sounds like a panic attack.

Yes. I've had three of these in the space of around four years that I've had what seems to be anxiety issues. The first two I went to A&E but on the third I know what it was and just laid down to ride it out. Bloody awful things!

Edit: btw it does sound like you're doing good with how you've addressed it so far. I'd just be careful with the alcohol use. I think it could be easy for that to become an issue as well, if you're prone to it.

True. I've never been a heavy drinker although I admit during these lockdown phases we have had in the UK I've drank more at home and this means I tend to drink more frequently as it's a lot cheaper. Still I thankfully can get out on my walks/hikes still. I'd go crazy without those....


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I have been diagnosed with possible ADHD. I do get distracted and sidetracked easily.

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wwinterj25 posted...

Yes. I've had three of these in the space of around four years that I've had what seems to be anxiety issues. The first two I went to A&E but on the third I know what it was and just laid down to ride it out. Bloody awful things!

That sounds very similar to me actually. I've had two panic attacks within the past 3 or 4 months, but other than that I've only really had 1 other one and that was around 2016. I think I may have had one when I was little, around 5th or 6th grade, but I can't remember it clearly.

True. I've never been a heavy drinker although I admit during these lockdown phases we have had in the UK I've drank more at home and this means I tend to drink more frequently as it's a lot cheaper. Still I thankfully can get out on my walks/hikes still. I'd go crazy without those....

Haha this sounds like me too right now. Since I'm at home so much now and I have a little mini bar area, I've found myself having a small drink here and there when I'm chillin with my girlfriend. I haven't usually even finished the drink despite how little I pour. I think it's more-so the activity itself that feels relaxing. As for exercise, I've started doing some workouts on an app I have to ease me back into actually lifting weights. I really need to get back to the gym soon.

fishy071 posted...

I have been diagnosed with possible ADHD. I do get distracted and sidetracked easily.

It can definitely be frustrating. I can't imagine how bad a full diagnosis feels. I mostly feel I only have trouble with some of the symptoms. I'll find out more after I get assessed.

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I got diagnosed with ADHD back in my 20's and medication helped a lot at the start. I eventually got off Vyvanse though and relied more on routines and systems to help keep me on track and from feeling overwhelmed when things get busy.

It's weird how you think of it one way, but it never really occurred to me that I could actually have ADHD until I started really reading about how it presents in adults and how the hyperactivity is like a kid being hyper and bouncing off the damn walls.

I was diagnosed with ADHD and tourettes like 25 years ago. The tourettes diagnosis was because of "nervous ticks", whatever that is. I took some medication for a while, but it gave me hives so I stopped taking it and haven't taken anything since. If those things still affect me I don't really notice.

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Metalsonic66 posted...

Wow that is extremely accurate as to how I feel most of the time.
hockey7318 posted...

I got diagnosed with ADHD back in my 20's and medication helped a lot at the start. I eventually got off Vyvanse though and relied more on routines and systems to help keep me on track and from feeling overwhelmed when things get busy.

It's weird how you think of it one way, but it never really occurred to me that I could actually have ADHD until I started really reading about how it presents in adults and how the hyperactivity is like a kid being hyper and bouncing off the damn walls.

Yeah there have been times in my life where I feel like I have been able to do very well. It was mostly when I was able to get an exercise routine going regularly. Somehow that helped me stay on track with other things. I've been trying for years to get back to that but I just can't seem to do it. I've been making some progress lately.

kind9 posted...

I was diagnosed with ADHD and tourettes like 25 years ago. The tourettes diagnosis was because of "nervous ticks", whatever that is. I took some medication for a while, but it gave me hives so I stopped taking it and haven't taken anything since. If those things still affect me I don't really notice.

Well it's good that you don't feel bothered by it anymore. The side effects of some medications sometimes make it feel like it's not even worth it. Sounds like it turned out okay for you. It wasn't even necessary to try a different medication. :)

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Yeah there have been times in my life where I feel like I have been able to do very well. It was mostly when I was able to get an exercise routine going regularly. Somehow that helped me stay on track with other things. I've been trying for years to get back to that but I just can't seem to do it. I've been making some progress lately.

There is definitely something to be said about exercise. I've been on a running kick for three years or so and it does seam to make things better for sure.