Hi, this is my first post. I need to vent.

The Basics:

I'm a 21-year-old college student. I've been diagnosed with ADD since I was in 7th grade, but I've never really gotten a lot of help. I have a prescription for Adderall, but I forget to take it/lose the bottle/forget to get it refilled. It helps when i do remember to take it, though. My apartment is always cluttered with piles of random junk.... empty pizza boxes, bottles, shoes, clothes, paper, books. I can never remember to pay my bills, even though i have the money. I also have been going to a public university for 4 years, and I've only had one semester where I've done well. I'm CONSTANTLY missing classes because I have a sleeping disorder (does anyone else have this problem?) and the faculty in my department (i'm a music major) are SO sick of me and my excuses. I can't blame them.... I'm sick of me too. I want to study, and I want to do well, but I always end up doing something else. Sleeping, reading, watching TV, or even going to the library to read about random things. I'll just go and find books on various things that interest me, and I'll skim them all. MAYBE take one out. I do this instead of studying or practicing. I am thinking of switching my major (again) after 4 years, but I can't pick one! There's lots of things I'd like to do. I just want to be a successful college student.... I'm so envious of all my friends, who are all in the honors department and are all accomplished musicians. I drink too much. I need help.

Some days I'll try extra hard to make sure I get to all my classes, and that I have all my homework done, and that I'm basicly living up to my potential. And the day will be going smoothly, until I leave my choir folder in my (insanely messy) car, or I do the wrong homework assignment, or something equally typical of myself. And my heart just sinks. I don't even know why I try sometimes.

I have searched and searched, and there are no Adult ADD specialists in central illinois.... or so it seems. I live near Champaign, which is a major city.... surely there's a coach or counselor there. I'm thinking of starting some kind of support group here at my school, but i'm afraid everyone would forget to show up. :)

Does anyone know of a way to find specialists other than search engines? I need to find a specialist that can understand what I'm going through, and give me tools to help me get through this school thing.

you sound like me. i'm still working on it.

Hey there Alto, welcome to the forums. This is a good place to start. I've found a lot of info and support here so click around and see what you find.

For me, my meds help me get started. Then I can move forward and it's truly up to me to learn the tricks that work for me to do what I need to do. So how you remember your meds is entirely up to you. Tattoo the reminder to your forehead...whatever. If it's in the exact same place and you do it at the exact same time every day you're not likely to forget (like next to your toothbrush?). But that's your thing. Keep taking the meds, if they work, you'll be able to put a lot of good tips to work. I was a keep trying keep failing person...actually I still am...but instead of one step forward two steps back it's now two steps forward one step back. I'll take it.

Have you talked to your school advisor/counselor about students with learning disabilities? Do they know of where you might find an adult support group or get info for starting one up? Hey, maybe you've already checked into this and it's a brick wall. I've got stuff like that in my life. But this is what came to mind first. We have a peer coaching section here so maybe you can start there.

I wish you well, so come back often and see if you can find something that can help.

ciao

See this thread. It's about support groups and such in the Champaign/Urbana area.

http://www.addforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2031