So, I failed all my classes. No, seriously. Straight F's. How? That's a good question. But really, it's also a stupid question when you think about it because it's not like there's some step by step method to flunking a class. Or two, or three...anyway. I try to come up with a reason behind this, because this can't happen again. The only thing I can come up with is..."I went insane." Not the type of insane you see in movies where the person is locked in a padded cell with a barred window opening in the door. It was more of an inward withdrawal. About halfway through this semester, I just sort of gave up. The combination of constantly being late to classes and then skipping them because I didn't want to face the wrath of crappy professors, combined with I can't remember what else right now, caused me to do nothing. Oh yeah, I didn't keep any form of routine until the counselor I'm seeing told me I needed to have one. I'm trying to figure out why I don't like school anymore, which, that really isn't true either, because I do like it to a certain degree. I'm still trying to figure out what to do to correct my lateness factor.

I always find doing "nothing" is easier physically than doing "something."

The down side of course is that I begin to hate myself for it.

Being physically active for 40 minutes 4 times a week religiously has helped keep my mind and my body from back sliding into lethargy.

A year and a half ago my life ground to a halt much like you are describing.
Cheers!

That happened to me once. I had gone to college right after high school (Business Administration Major). I'm an incredible crammer (hyperfocus?) and I was able to squeek by. I decided to take a year off and work. Basically, I smoked pot for a year. I was really determined with my next go round with school. I had a fabulous start. Halfway through, I just couldn't do it. I started missing class and falling behind and becoming withdrawn. I remember sitting there staring at my pile of books. Accounting, Business Law, Statistics etc. I felt sick. I just couldn't do it. I was so disappointed in myself. I was so determined at first, that I really thought I was going to do well. This "crisis" really pushed me into questioning myself. "What am I doing? Where am I going? How did I get here? What's the goal? What do I want?" Eventually I found myself wondering "What is life?" "What's the aim?".

So now, halfway through the semester, I find myself reading philosophy and the roots of religion. Needless to say, I flunked everything. I didn't even tell my parents until after Christmas.

Many, many, many things have happened since then. But when I look back, my little "insanity" was where I started to wake up a little bit. It really was a turning point.

I've had many experiences with school since then, and I've never had any problems. I was just so interested, that I did what I needed to do with hardly any effort at all.

Yeah...I do feel like this is where I'm finally starting to grow up...I'm just at a loss for words when having to explain my grades this semester to other people.

I completely bombed it. I got sick, fell behind, and I just couldn't catch up. I tried, but it was too much. The whole thing made me very nervous. I couldn't sleep and I just got more and more confused. I just had to bail out. I need to start again from the beginning, that's all.

I got low enough, I began thinking about death being the only way out. Lucky for me, I found help before that line of thinking got too far along. Bloody bleak days those were. Hope you can get some help before you sink any farther behind and lose hope. I went to my doctor and spilled the beans, all of them.
Ian.

I completely bombed it. I got sick, fell behind, and I just couldn't catch up. I tried, but it was too much. The whole thing made me very nervous. I couldn't sleep and I just got more and more confused. I just had to bail out. I need to start again from the beginning, that's all.
That quoute sums it up with other posts with me in school and till this day even though i'm getting the grades, I loved learning but i hated school that failure became habit all i did was fail, Sucess was a burdent more work more exceptions to meet. Well that road let me to a SBH high school where no grades no homwork didn't learn a thing. I went to college after that i failed what's funny about that is all the poffs at that time even though i didn't do the work said i belonged in the feild.

Got certified which i didn't follow up on jobs with glad i didn't why i can't write worth a lick on papers, math skills are down to so basic i forgot even how to do fractions subtract and add them on asbvab test for the navy didn't think much of it untill, I went to columbus spend the night to take the civil service exam this could've landed me a 40,000 yr job well i failed it by four points i should've gotten alot higher i couldn't figure out what some of those questions ment. Uneployed and stuck sick of it

Don't fear sucess cause failure is going to set you back.you are going to miss out on alot of oppurtinuties.

I completely bombed it. I got sick, fell behind, and I just couldn't catch up. I tried, but it was too much. The whole thing made me very nervous. I couldn't sleep and I just got more and more confused. I just had to bail out. I need to start again from the beginning, that's all.
AMEN!! This semester I finally started in a good place--in health, emotion, personal and professional lives, and mentally. I dropped two classes, but passed 3!! After failing the last 3 semesters in a row I'm elated.

Starting in a good place, and keeping a steady pace is what did it for me. If I had a week off from homework, I'd do part of the week's and not give myself a chance to get off track. It was crazy at the end--and I wasn't fun to be around--but I did it!! I passed a semester of college!! :cool:

Haha, I've been suspended for 8 months. I have to re-apply around October of next year for the January semester, and petition a letter for the Journalism school to let me back into their program, as my GPA will be below a 2.25.

I don't want to be mean, but I read a lot of posts here and they make me depressed. All these people with stories of how they spend ten years getting a bachelor's degree. I don't want that to be me. I don't know if I say this because I'm still in denial or if I just need to get motivated or what. It's like, a lot of people have accepted their realities, but I honestly do not know what my reality is. I confided in a close friend about this, and he told me, "Ten years is not an option. Four years is not an option. Get that into your head right now and you will do well, you will graduate within two more years. I know you can." I want to believe I can. I don't know what's stopping me...

can't you take some of your courses at a community college just go part time untill you get better orginized just a thought??

I don't know; that's kind of what I'm trying to find out. I know there's a technical college in the area and they have credits that can transfer; however I am not sure if the university will allow me to take classes there because my GPA is so low. At this point I have no choice; I have to stay out for 8 months and I guess I'll find a job or something. And get better organized. I work with a counselor and I see her once a week. My dad doesn't think she has helped me at all because now I've been suspended from school; however he cannot see that this is not a quick fix. My counselor has been working with me for a year to help me figure out who I am, which included helping me to get beyond all the damaging stuff my dad said to me. Each week she gives me something to think about, write about, and bring a response the following week. This coming week I am to bring her a list of my goals. My goals have obviously changed since I've been suspended. So yeah...

can't you take some of your courses at a community college just go part time untill you get better orginized just a thought??
How exactly would that help me get more organized? I am sorry I am not getting what you're saying.

it will get you time to devlope the habits you were taught by the counlser and how to implament those skills such as organization so you know what you to do when you got back to the universtry, with a 2.2 overall the community college should allow to take classes to bring up gpa i don't see why not.

it will get you time to devlope the habits you were taught by the counlser and how to implament those skills such as organization so you know what you to do when you got back to the universtry, with a 2.2 overall the community college should allow to take classes to bring up gpa i don't see why not.
I talked to my advisor on the phone today. In order to take classes and actually have them count towards your GPA and degree, you need to take 30 hours, which is equal to 10 classes. She looked at my transcript and records, and determined that it would be pointless for me to take classes at the community college because I only need a few more upper level classes to finish up my degree, and the community college does not offer those. She gave me more pointers on how to write my letter to petition the school to let me back in. So, I have faith in that. I will use these 8 months off to get a job or two and grow more as a person. If I include that in my letter, the faculty will take that into consideration.

it will get you time to devlope the habits you were taught by the counlser and how to implament those skills such as organization so you know what you to do when you got back to the universtry
how would that be any different than if I were at the university? I don't understand...

Many of use who have taken years and years to get our degrees didn't know we had ADD and other co-existing conditions when we started school. We didn't have advice about how to get through school from others. We didn't have the choice to ignore advice from those people who went through similar things as us.



Haha, I've been suspended for 8 months. I have to re-apply around October of next year for the January semester, and petition a letter for the Journalism school to let me back into their program, as my GPA will be below a 2.25.

I don't want to be mean, but I read a lot of posts here and they make me depressed. All these people with stories of how they spend ten years getting a bachelor's degree. I don't want that to be me. I don't know if I say this because I'm still in denial or if I just need to get motivated or what. It's like, a lot of people have accepted their realities, but I honestly do not know what my reality is. I confided in a close friend about this, and he told me, "Ten years is not an option. Four years is not an option. Get that into your head right now and you will do well, you will graduate within two more years. I know you can." I want to believe I can. I don't know what's stopping me...

if you were only take like a class or two that's it keep it simple that's all since they dont' offer the class i guess that's out it was just a thought

Well, my counselor says if I get a job (I've never worked before in my life), then that will give me a new perspective on being on time for things...

if you were only take like a class or two that's it keep it simple that's all since they dont' offer the class i guess that's out it was just a thought
Yeah but even if I took a class or two and kept it simple, how would that prepare me for when I enrolled as a full-time student again and things got un-simple?

the counsler would hopefully give some godd advce durring that time you could start off by completing task in a part time role and figure out a way or system of plainng and finish your assignments when you go fulltime it's the same as part with less work but you still have to get things done on time right???


You are building your self up to fulltime or more like getting use to doing something that obviusly didn't get done before. Forest for trees :)

The explaination simply is that you have adhd. You are just one of countless people with adhd who have experienced failure at school.

De Russell Barkley has done a wonderful job of documenting the effects of adhd on school. http://www.continuingedcourses.net/active/courses/course003.php

Yeah...I just don't want to use my AD/HD to define who I am....I am sooo much more than just a disorder...

And also, it wasn't even that the material in my classes was hard. I just...shut down, mentally or something.

It doesn't define you, it impairs you, as it does everyone else who currently has the disorder. That is a critera of the diagnosis. The sooner you understand this disorder inside out the better! Start with Barkley and watch out for the piles of crap on the internet. There is some real disinformation out there.

But doesn't it impair people to different degrees?

I don't like these forums. They make me feel like there is no hope for me whatsoever.

Yes it does impair to different degrees. There is plenty of hope for you because you are very intelligent and have been successful in the past.

Failure is not the worst thing in the world either. It's not how you got there but where you go. I went to my 20th High School reunion recently. People only care about how and what your doing in the present. So yes you have had a set back but regroup. Your whole future is before you.

How many times have I failed?...well I failed grade 5, failed grade 8 French, failed at several jobs, failed computer programming at University, and then failed my first two practice teaching rounds. It's no fun failing but it certainly gives you plenty of motivation the next time around. I have read that some of the best athletes don't play to win but they play not to lose. At my job I damn well make sure that I never go down a dead end losing situation.

Don't know if the input matters, but on this topic, community college was quite good for me. It wasn't as expensive, classes weren't as huge, and I got more of a close view of what profs wanted (given, I do still screw up) so it set me up for an easier time later, I think. There's really nothing wrong with community college. Can't get a Bachelor's there, but if you could, I'd have stayed at the one I was going to for a while.

Chrys
if you were only take like a class or two that's it keep it simple that's all since they dont' offer the class i guess that's out it was just a thought

Scuro
How does having add/adhd impair you?

Scuro
How does having add/adhd impair you?
I think he means it impairs you in terms of academic performance. However, I believe that it's emotionally unhealthy to view it from that angle.

It impairs your whole life. Why did I have to fail grade 5? Why did I have to wait until 22 before I really connected to a girl? Why was I a pothead for 2 years of my life with a kilo of weed in my brother's trunk? Why did it take me until I was 35 to find permanent full time employment( at that point I had stopped smoking pot for 17 years) ?

I righted myself in the end but that may have been due to a bit of ******* luck...so much could have gone wrong.

Barkley does a wonderful job of explaining the impairment. This is a marvelous document. http://www.continuingedcourses.net/...s/course003.php

If you want further proof of ADHD's impairing qualities just look at the daily posts on this board. I see a few car wrecks in here everynight.



Having said all that, it doesn't have to control you. You can have a normal life. I just feel that sometimes people paper over how tough it really can be.

I hope I do not sound harsh here, that is not my intention. I've made some suggestions based on my experience in college,.

These ideas might or might not work for you...

When I was in college...

I had some profs who would get annoyed if you came in late and disrupted the lecture. (and rightly so).

A few of them would prefer that you NOT come into the classroom once the lecture had started. (most don't care as long as you do not disrupt the classroom)

If I was late for a class, I'd come in by the door toward the back of the classroom QUIETLY, and sit down without creating a disruption.

As far as attendance went, most of my college profs were of the opinion that attendance was optional, and so was a passing grade.... Usually they let you cut 1-3 classes without docking you. Many counted "late" as a miss.

Some did not care and would grade you solelly on the exams. It all depended on the prof.

It is up to you to know the attendance policy of your professors. You need to adhere to it, they typically mean business.

In a nutshell, If you want to graduate, you need to show up for class, study, do the homework, and don't turn in crap for homework. ADD or not, that is the bottom line.

If you are ADD, chances are that you are smarter than most of your classmates, so intelligence is probably not an issue.

More than likely , you are either getting distracted, stressed, or you are not sleeping very well. Get it fixed, and under control if you can, and as for the rest, jsut make sure you show up for class and do the homework, etc. (I found that B complex helped stress a little).

If your meds are not working or causing problems, you need to get with your doctor and fix that, fast.

I was generally on time, and I did not make a habit of cutting classes for no reason. I was strictly business in college. I was ADD in college , and undiagnosed, with NO meds.(scarey, eh?)

If drugs and alcohol are an issue for you, you need to fix that NOW.

If your stress levels are high, you might try going to the gym first thing in the morning and burn off some excess energy.
Or perhaps you can go jogging , or go running to burn off excess energy and reduce your stress levels

I lifted weights every day, did about 30 miles a day walking and running around campus with a backpack full of books, and I took a good multiple vitamin, some B complex, and vitamin E, and it all helped a lot. I also usually made all of my classes on time.

Organize yourself. Make it easy for yourself to be organized.

Every quarter, I made a chart of my daily schedule and posted it on the door of my apartment where I could see it as I left the room. That helped a lot.

I kept separate 3-ring binders for each class I had. I kept notes on each class, and all handouts got punched and installed in the 3 ring binder for that class. I still have my notes, each subject neatly organized in 3-ring binders.

I also made a copy of my daily schedule and put it in each binder so I could know what class was next by looking in any binder.

I tried to schedule my classes so there was an hour or so between classes, if I could.

I invested in a watch , and I wore it.

I kept regular habits and stuck to it.

I made sure I got plenty of sleep.

I also made sure I had a social life... get out once in a while and just be with friends and have some fun (typically one night a week).

Be persistent, no matter how bad it gets. You only finish if you finish.

I graduated, and there were times I was sure I was not going to, but I made it.

I had a couple of "Bad" quarters, but I survived it. Maybe that is all you are having.

Good luck

Me



So, I failed all my classes. No, seriously. Straight F's. How? That's a good question. But really, it's also a stupid question when you think about it because it's not like there's some step by step method to flunking a class. Or two, or three...anyway. I try to come up with a reason behind this, because this can't happen again. The only thing I can come up with is..."I went insane." Not the type of insane you see in movies where the person is locked in a padded cell with a barred window opening in the door. It was more of an inward withdrawal. About halfway through this semester, I just sort of gave up. The combination of constantly being late to classes and then skipping them because I didn't want to face the wrath of crappy professors, combined with I can't remember what else right now, caused me to do nothing. Oh yeah, I didn't keep any form of routine until the counselor I'm seeing told me I needed to have one. I'm trying to figure out why I don't like school anymore, which, that really isn't true either, because I do like it to a certain degree. I'm still trying to figure out what to do to correct my lateness factor.

I hope I do not sound harsh here, that is not my intention. I've made some suggestions based on my experience in college.

I think that's some great advice! Thanks.

By the way, I have a tshirt with the same thing on it as your avatar. That's a great image of how I feel sometimes with school!


Be persistent, no matter how bad it gets. You only finish if you finish. I graduated, and there were times I was sure I was not going to, but I made it. I had a couple of "Bad" quarters, but I survived it.

That pretty much sums up my experience with my undergrad degree. Somehow, though, I managed to make it into graduate school. And I really like what I'm doing now. I can work at my own pace and I even have some time to relax a bit now.

well...i did ok in community college...i guess the semester system and the classes r much smaller...it's more ADHD friendly since the professors spend time to get to know sutdents...it helped me to be motivated to go to classes...

But after i transferred to a university last fall...and i moved out and live with roommates now...things have changed...i failed most of my classes and now i'm on academic probation...meaning if i dun get my grade up to a minimum of 2.2 and pass every class this term...i'll get kicked out of my university

i was concerned about my possibility of having ADHD in Jan...and just got the diagnosis and start taking adderall...my doctor and counselor r aware of the 2.2 gpa requirement and both r pushing me to study

Hahaha...okay, well I thought I'd been suspended, but apparently I'm not. And scuro, I believe that ADD can only impair your whole life if you let it.

I learned early on that it is much better to drop a class than it is to fail it.
I'm starting my third year in the fall...but I'm taking a few classes this summer to make up for dropping 3/4 of my classes last semester.

My second semester of my first year I dropped 2/4 of my classes. And my GPA is at a 2.5 right now, which isn't acceptable if I want to make it into grad school.

The funny thing is...I skipped classes so much I've never even had a parking pass for the campus LOL.

Luckily I finally decided to go on Adderall and started last week. It's working very well so far. Unfortunately, I also had to stop smoking marijuana, which has been a daily routine for me for 2 years. Smoking with Adderall in my system gives me chest pains and it's just common sense that mixing those two drugs isn't a good idea; it's very stressful on the heart.

It's sad...smoking has always helped me to relax and calmed my thoughts, much the same way Adderall does. Except feeling motivated to actually do something with my life...that's a pretty big setback for team Mother Nature.....

I learnt this lesson about grass too. Glad you seem to have come by the information before it's cut you education short.

Welcome to the forums Doug. Hope you can keep us posted with your struggles and your progress.
Cheers! Ian.

Many of use who have taken years and years to get our degrees didn't know we had ADD and other co-existing conditions when we started school. We didn't have advice about how to get through school from others. We didn't have the choice to ignore advice from those people who went through similar things as us.
You don't like me very much, do you? Not that I care.

The fact that you failed grade 5 has very little to do with ADD. I know plenty of people with ADD (who didn't know they had it, either) who excelled up into college (myself being one of them). As for connecting to a girl, meeting the right person has nothing to do with ADD, it just happens when it happens. Lots of people are potheads; doesn't mean they necessarily have ADD. I think you base too much of your life on your ADD.



It impairs your whole life. Why did I have to fail grade 5? Why did I have to wait until 22 before I really connected to a girl? Why was I a pothead for 2 years of my life with a kilo of weed in my brother's trunk? Why did it take me until I was 35 to find permanent full time employment( at that point I had stopped smoking pot for 17 years) ?

I righted myself in the end but that may have been due to a bit of ******* luck...so much could have gone wrong.

Barkley does a wonderful job of explaining the impairment. This is a marvelous document. http://www.continuingedcourses.net/...s/course003.php

If you want further proof of ADHD's impairing qualities just look at the daily posts on this board. I see a few car wrecks in here everynight.



Having said all that, it doesn't have to control you. You can have a normal life. I just feel that sometimes people paper over how tough it really can be.

The fact that you failed grade 5 has very little to do with ADD. I know plenty of people with ADD (who didn't know they had it, either) who excelled up into college (myself being one of them). As for connecting to a girl, meeting the right person has nothing to do with ADD, it just happens when it happens. Lots of people are potheads; doesn't mean they necessarily have ADD. I think you base too much of your life on your ADD.
I agree. ADD/ADHD may explain some of my tendencies and struggles...But I'm the one in the driver's seat. I control my own progress, not this so-called "disorder".

Having said that, there are some things I cannot control so much, such as my attention. Medication seems to help for the most part, but not all the time, or not necessarily when I really need my brain to be "on". Sometimes I have bad days (in terms of being inattentive, sluggish, slow, tired, etc). This is just one of the things I'm going to have to deal with and perhaps work on improving.

But after i transferred to a university last fall...and i moved out and live with roommates now...things have changed...i failed most of my classes and now i'm on academic probation...meaning if i dun get my grade up to a minimum of 2.2 and pass every class this term...i'll get kicked out of my university

i was concerned about my possibility of having ADHD in Jan...and just got the diagnosis and start taking adderall...my doctor and counselor r aware of the 2.2 gpa requirement and both r pushing me to study
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

after getting pushed by my doctor and counselor to show some improvement...and started taking adderall...i improved in my classes...i still can't make it to one of my class...i only went 4 times out of the whole term...

that class was my organic chem class...the professor was hard and the class was hard...i didn't have the courage to get my midterms back...i didn't know how i did the whole quarter...i was realy scared that i'd be one of the Zeros in the class...the class average was 33/100...that professor was hard...so the quarter i was just crossing my fingers and hope for the best...

i tried study groups, tutoring and stay in library to study for long periods of time...i know i have ADHD and i wander off a lot...and my memory is bad...and i can't retain info...but my strategy was that ok efficiency + lots of time spent in library = catching up with other normal students

the grade came out and i passed..with all other classes that i took...keeping myself in the library and try to study as much helped....finally i passed after failing 2 quarters in a row

much more confidence...feel like the degree is achieveable...still a lot of work to be done to overcome my ADHD disadvantages...and recently i'm working with my psychologist about my social problems as well...

the grade came out and i passed..with all other classes that i took...keeping myself in the library and try to study as much helped....finally i passed after failing 2 quarters in a row

much more confidence...feel like the degree is achieveable...still a lot of work to be done to overcome my ADHD disadvantages...and recently i'm working with my psychologist about my social problems as well...
Awesome! Congratulations!

What sort of "social problems" are you talking about?