Adult ADD

[SamRoc]

What are some of the signs of adult ADD, and how do you test for it? Also, are there any treatments that don't involve medication, or is that the only way to treat it? thanks.

 

[Mickey76]

I'm 29 and didn't get diagnosed until I was 22 or 23. I went to a psychiatrist first, or maybe it was a psychologist...it's been a while, forgive me. Anyway, she then referred me to some specialist who did some tests. He prescribed adderol (I don't know if I spelled it right). I didn't get the prescription though because I knew someone else who was taking it and they were basically lethargic when they took it. I didn't want that to happen to me, so I don't take anything. I have good days and bad days. I wouldn't suggest this to some people, but I feel I have it under control most of the time.

 

[Christine]

My co-worker has it and he's got it REAL BAD...

Anyway, first and foremost, you don't develop it as an adult. The first clue thing they will try to figure out is if you have had it all your life. How were your grades in school, how did you do in school...that kind of stuff.

Then they will go into how you are functioning in your daily tasks.

I think Adult ADD is much easier to diagnose than ADD in children because you can verbalize your symptoms better. Unfortunately, most people who have ADD have a hard to recognizing the symptoms in themselves.

As I said, my coworker has it. Once in awhile he goes on a drug holiday and he drives us all up the wall, can't do his job, very disorganized, etc. The funny thing is, we can all see the change in him but he is totally unaware of it.

 

[OhMari]

My 2 college kids say that have ADD. They say when they try to study, they get very distracted, anything can pull them away. Or they fall asleep as soon as they start studying.

I know when I was a kid, I used to get yelled at all the time for day dreaming instead of paying attention. I don't know if daydreaming is a symptom of ADD or not. Sometimes at meetings my boss knows I am not paying attention and he will stop the meeting and ask me, "Did you get that"? I usually write it down right away, because my boss tends to trivialize and talk everything to death and that is why I tune out. On the otherhand, he tells people how I am such a fast worker and I always have all my work done before the deadlines.

 

[Christine]

My 2 college kids say that have ADD. They say when they try to study, they get very distracted, anything can pull them away. Or they fall asleep as soon as they start studying.

I think that everyone has this happen. I know for a fact that I don't have ADD/ADHD but, boy, I can sure zone out if something is not interesting to me. I do it all the time in meetings at work and did it at school.

I think, with ADD, when you WANT to pay attention and you can't. For instance, both of my kids have a very hard time reading books--even ones they want to read. They cannot get "lost" like I can. They have a hard time getting through a paragraph, but both have above average reading levels. For them to do any reading, they have to have complete quiet in the house and they have to use index cards to move from line to line or they will "jump" all over the page.

 

[Mishetta]

I was diagnosed last year (at the ripe old age of 44/45) because I was filling out paperwork on my youngest & everything I answered sounded like ME. So I made an appt with a Neurologist & after filling out a large questionnaire, I was dx'd with ADHD. I see now (looking back) on how horrible I did in school & I studied, studied, studied! I just could not absorb anything. I read & nothing sticks. Can't tell you the time I have trying to make a new recipe. I have to keep re-reading the ingredient amounts. I'm very disorganized & very forgetful.....unless I've taken my medication!

Regarding non medicine treatment ~ I had a speech therapist tell me that there is some new light treatment that is still in the beginning stages by opthamalogists (?) that has shown success. If I find out anymore about that, I'll get back to you. The speech therapist was supposed to call me back about that (because I have a just turned 4 y/o that I don't want to medicate but if I don't, he'll be kicked out of school for his wild behavior!) Life is so hard sometimes!