Adult ADD--what can you tell me about it?

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I'm curious.

So just wondering---can you tell me how it affects adults?


TIA.

 

[tnkbl]

I am an adult teacher wiht ADD, my husband says that I hyperactivity also. But now they group it all together. I was diagnosed as a teenage, however never took medication, the doctor told my mom I should learn to controll myself.
I struggled in school, okay grades, but if I had had some medication, I feel that I would have been a much more successful student, with a lot less tears.
I had been teachig for about 10 years, struggling as a teacher with things like being easily distracted, classroom had to be fairly quite and would loose my train of thought when the wind blew. I went to bed by 8:00 or 8:30 every night.
Finally, I had enough I went to my doctor- regular md and he agreed to allow me to try Adderall at 10mg. It was like the fog was finally gone from my life- boy I was really productive! I am now taking 20mg per day, 10 in the morning and 10 later in the afternoon. I can really tell a big difference. Before taking Adderall I could tell you all about an appliance in my kitchen, but could not tell you the name of the applicance. Little noises that other people don't notice would almost drive me insane- not anymore, they are still there, but I am able to block them out.
I suggest you talk to your primary MD, they may or may not send you to have a psych. evaluation, which is what they typically do with adults. For me taking medication was not an issue, I can tell it works, and my doctor does extensive blood work every 6 months. I have been on Aderall for 8 years now with no trouble, except remembering to take the medicine- which I remember wihtin beginning to teach 5 minutes.
PM me if you have any questions-Sherri

 

[Martha7]

I bought an interesting book several years ago called "ADD in the Workplace." It really gave me some insight. Apparently, people with ADD tend to have trouble with authority figures, (bosses!) I would bet that most adults with ADD have learned coping mechanisms and don't bother to see their physicians for a prescription, but I think it's a great idea!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

thx--pm on the way

 

[tnkbl]

I bought an interesting book several years ago called "ADD in the Workplace." It really gave me some insight. Apparently, people with ADD tend to have trouble with authority figures, (bosses!) I would bet that most adults with ADD have learned coping mechanisms and don't bother to see their physicians for a prescription, but I think it's a great idea!

I agree that most adults have learned coping mechanisims, but when your coping mechanisms run out, it's okay to seek professional help. Most MD's will not prescribe medication unless it is necessary. As with any medication- if you feel it is not working or that the side effects are too great you can talk with your MD about another medication or none at all. Taking medication is a personal decision- you have to see if the results are positive for you. Just becasue they work for your neighbor or sister does not mean they will work for you.

Another good book is Driven to Distraction it is about adults who have ADD and are very successful.

 

[Mishetta]

I was diagnosed last year after doing all the tests/forms for my kids (I have 2 severely ADHD boys). There are different degrees of it I have learned too. Anyway, after doing all the paperwork on my kids, I thought I was reading about myself. So I asked the neurologist to put me through testing too & sure enough, I'm ADHD too.

Obviously the big clue is not being able to keep attention to a task. Not finishing a task. Daydreaming (which is what I did all throughout school) & the feeling of being overwhelmed by the smallest task just about sums me up.

I also take Adderall but only when I need I have something going on like a meeting or something. I don't take it everyday but like tnkbl said it's like the fog has been lifted when I've taken it.

 

[MAKmom]

My husband & I both have ADD. It's the same as with kids...we do not have the hyperactivity & our children do not have the hyperactivity

We have a book that describes ADD people as hunters & non ADD as farmers. Farmers can do the same thing all day long day after day. It drives us crazy. Hunter before our society became agricultrual were the heros. They could be hunting a rabbit see a boar & make that choice what do. Thinking on our feet.

They say good job choices for ADD adults are teaching, sales & owning your own bussiness.

There is a website with famous ADD Adults

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I was in counseling a while back for anxiety and when taking the assessment test....the phsyc said I was mildly depressed or had anxiety (was treated for anxiety successfully) and based on I guess how I behaved...she said she suspected I had ADD as a child but was smart enough to overcome it.

My thought--I'm guessing I am just not so smart ot overcome it anymore. Took 2 separate online tests and scored well above the suggested score to seek evaluation.

PM'd one of you friendly posters about a 15 minute interlude this evening as I am preparing for departure. It was actually kind of funny to read b/c I was all over the place and this is not an isolated incident. ETA: It was only 15 minutes, b/c I was otherwise distracted.

Thanks for posting everyone.

 

[paigevz]

I agree that most adults have learned coping mechanisims, but when your coping mechanisms run out, it's okay to seek professional help. Most MD's will not prescribe medication unless it is necessary. As with any medication- if you feel it is not working or that the side effects are too great you can talk with your MD about another medication or none at all. Taking medication is a personal decision- you have to see if the results are positive for you. Just becasue they work for your neighbor or sister does not mean they will work for you.

Another good book is Driven to Distraction it is about adults who have ADD and are very successful.

Okay, tnkbell, did you have a cup of coffee or something in between the first post and the second? Or did the kids go to bed or what?

First post is classic ADHD, and second is classic medicated or undistracted-type! So give!

Yeah, I have ADD..........WITH hyperactivity, which in my case means I pace, jiggle my legs, fiddle with things, chew on my fingers (I even have calluses) or eat...........

In fact, believe it or not, lots of hyperactive kids are actually overweight because they've learned to channel their activity into eating..............

Anyway, other than the active stuff.............I lose my train of thought often, lose words when I'm in the middle of a sentence, walk off in the middle of a conversation, lose everything, forget important things, and am distracted by noises terribly. If I watch TV, I have to turn the volume way up so I can concentrate. If anyone in the room is talking, I can't concentrate on anything. If there is background noise, I'm distracted.

Here's a story: Every night I want to watch the weather. Every night I turn the news on, and wait for the weather. I even know it comes on at about 13 minutes after the hour. I wait, and wait and concentrate. Then I suddenly tune in, realizing I've drifted off daydreaming, just as the weather man in signing off. Happens nearly every single night! So frustrating!

I've learned a lot of coping skills. I keep all papers in one general area, so if I "lose" it, it just means I need to sift through them until I find it. I write sticky notes of important things to remember and stick them everywhere. I never delete emails. Never. I have 3000 in my yahoo, and 1200 at work. This is because I need to refer back to them if I forgot something I was to do. I write important work dates in my lesson plan margins........and the kids' birthdays (not mine, my students'! Kids just crumble if you forget it's their birthday), and I check the plan book several times daily. I apologize constantly for interrupting, not hearing what was said, or starting to walk away in a conversation (usually catch myself). I have had to tell all my colleagues that I'm ADD so they can halfway get it (but it still doesn't mean anything to some).

I also surround myself with friends. Friends I sit by in meetings that take notes, so I can get back on track when I wander, friends who won't take it personally that I didn't hear what they said, friends that will repeat for me what the intercom just said, friends that will repeat punchlines for me when they see my blank look. Good friends!

It makes me both a good and bad parent for my ADHD child. Good that I understand, WAY better than my husband, bad that I can't always help him remember things if he forgets, as I'm doing good to remember my own stuff! Good though that I can teach him to write things down, cluster needed things by the door, leave needed things in the car for the next day, and so on.

 

[makinorlando]

I noticed the difference in the writing style from tnkbl first to second post as well!

My ex-husband was ADD, he was diagnosed as a child (he is 9 years younger than me, when I was a kid - no one knew about ADD!), and was medicated for some time, but as a teen her became rebellious,and began drinking to self medicate.

I read the book "Driven to Distraction" and it was so eye opening to see "him" in those pages..... it helped me understand, but the alcoholism got in the way of us being able to have a functional relationship. When he was focused, he was awesome, when he was sober, he was awesome, but those times were few and far between.

He did well in jobs where he was not micromanaged, and where he had a sense of "authority". He was a major list maker....

Unfortunately, since we separated when DD9 was 5 months old, we have seen him only once (I drove 4 hours - he was drunk when we arrived).... and we have had no contact (or support) - so I have no idea how he is doing.

Tara has trouble staying on task at times, but there has been no mention of ADD by her pediatrician when I have talked to her about it... I guess her's is just normal "kid stuff" I have a great nephew who is ADHD, he spent a month with us last summer - that was challenging.

 

[tnkbl]

Okay I have admited to having ADD... what gives?
Geeez...

 

[Kimmumum]

We have several family members that are ADHD including my son, sister and 2 uncles. My grandma announced last summer (at age 79) that she thought she was ADHD---well DUH!!! We never laughed so hard. We all knew it but it never occurred to her.

Since I'm not ADHD and my 12DS is I really can't relate. I talked to one of my uncles (he's only 3 years older than me) what it was like to have ADHD. This is how he explained it to me.....We were standing by a desk and he started taking everything off of it and whipping the stuff at me. He said that these things represented noises, conversations, thoughts, etc that never slow down and hit you so fast you can't catch even one of them. I thought that was a great analogy and I could finally understand what my son was going through.

My uncle did start taking Ritalin at the age of 37 but had to stop. Why? Because he could think sooooo clearly that he never wanted to go to sleep. He wanted to stay awake because he could figure out things that he was never able to before.

I am currently reading Driven to Distraction and my next book is The ADD Answer.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

What's funny is you guys are recommending books--I'll stay tuned in the first 1/3--start jumping ahead in the second 1/3..and the last 1/3...I might never get to.




I have lots of books I have started reading. The only ones I finished--was one that took me 2 attempts several years apart (I was determined to finish and except for a couple of key things which probably aren't key, but stuck wtih me--couldn't tell you a durn thing). The rest...Nancy Drew books b/c they are really short (yet seem irritatingly long) and school readings. And even then I never finished the Scarlet Letter. Good grief I couldn't get past the dialect ro whatever you call it that it was written in. Did horribly on pop quizzes for that book.

Okay--still didn't finish all my tasks for our trip tomorrow--but at least most of the laundry is folded and the suitcases are packed.

paigevz--I don't delete e-mail either...well except for the phishing stuff. Goofy e-mails they send.

Okay--my going to bed was interrupted with the computer being on..so back to my regularly scheduled evening.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Okay I have admited to having ADD... what gives?
Geeez...

I dunno--I write the same way at times.

You're first post looked normal to me.