Hi Everyone,

This is my first post after the intro board.

I'm scheduled to see my shrink tommorrow. He gave me and my wife ADD questionairs to fill out which we will discuss during the appointment. But I feel like the questionaire misses what ails me. So I came up with the list below. Can you identify with any of these symptoms?

1. Unanchored thoughts: A merge of rapidly changing thoughts. Things that I need or want to do but very difficult, sometimes impossible to nail one down.

2. Wrong thought locks: I fixed on something totally irrelevant when I really want to do something else such as work. Very difficult to switch to task at hand unless it is new and interesting. I noted this defined as hyper-focus. I enjoy hyper-focus when it's on what I need to do. But often it is not.

3. Racing thoughts: Each wrong thought thread spawns another tread and another, etc.

4. Premature mental fatigue: I feel like I use up all my mental energy trying to control my brain rather than using it. Or I burn up the energy on non-essentials. Point 2 above.

5. Very poor short term memory

6. Knowing exactly what I need to do, how to do it but unable because of low mental energy and no motivation.

Thanks in advance.

Bob

Hi bob and welcome!!
I have not yet seen a doctor but I would recommend you print out the list that you just wrote and take it with you.I feel like I have a strong innattentive add and let me tell you that list sounds so much like me!! I can go in five different directions and accomlish nothing ..lol lol
Let me/ us know how the appointment turns out and read posts on here...I find them so helpful and supportive!!

some of those syptoms sound more like other illnesses with add it's only a syptom of the promblem also when you see the doc be as honest as can with him/her about the promblems so they can better help you. Good luck don't let the illness defeat you.

Good discription which sounds like it could be adhd. The Doc will be conclusive.

My biggest symptom of add was not being able to focus for a very long time.
I might be talking to someone but my mind is racing ahead to another topic of conversation. Also, my mind doesn't shut down at night.

Thanks everyone,

I'll fill in some details and let you know what happened at my shrink appointment. No doubt I'll need smaller hats.

Seriously, it's good to know I'm not the only nut case roaming the woods at night.

Bob

I may be a nutcase but I never roam the woods at night. Theres bears in there. lol

I am off to see the wizard soon as I wipe the drool off my face.

Maybe he'll give me a brain.

Good thing my wife married me for my money. That is really funny.

Bob

Guys,

You all are guys aren't you?

I'm as ADD as can be. I thought maybe there was some depression or bi-polar mixed in because of the different ways ADD presents itself in me. But the shrink ruled it out because I don't have mood swings other than get depressed because I screwed something up again or anxious because a deadline is looming and I know just ain't gonna happen.

It is liberating. I feel as light as a feather. Not bad for 232 lb. I always knew something wasn't right but just couldn't nail it. I swear they should rename this the Paradoxical Brain Disorder. One the minute so focused a bomb blast wouldn't startle me. Next minute can't keep my dysfunctional mind on anything.

Listen, it means a lot to me that you posted. Dang, this has been a tough year and a half. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Got to go to work. Pay for the HMO that charges me $35 every time I see a shrink but only $20. when I see my family doctor. I guess they think brain disorders aren't as serious as cancer. I'll start ranting if I keep going so "see" ya'll later.

Your fellow demented officially ADD buddy,
Bob

PS There are advantages. My wife got on my case for buring something on the stove. Forgot about it. She started yelling. I said, "Hun, I'm drain bamaged. Can't help myself" :) Ah, life is good.

Congratulations Bob you're not longer a virgin!

re:#1

ADDers tend to have 'Short-Term Memory Problems' (Wisconsin Card Sort Test, Trails A & B, etc) and 'Executive [brain] Dysfunction' [Tower of Hanoi, etc]. Various Psychological Tests will typically prove that.

Symptoms you describe sounds pretty typical of ADD.

I bet you generate rapid, brilliant ideas, but have a house/job/life full of 1/2 done tasks, too, eh? That's also pretty typical.


The "locked in" thought patterns [called 'perserverations'] are something that Dr. Daniel Amen talks about in his books, and on his website.

You can see his website at www.amenclinic.com (http://www.amenclinic.com) or www.brainplace.com (http://www.brainplace.com)

Amen Adult ADD TEST http://amenclinics.com/ac/tests/add_test1.php
Amen Adult ADD Sub-Types Test [eg inattentive; combined; hyperactive http://amenclinics.com/ac/tests/subtype_test1.php

s...with add it's only a syptom of the promblem.
What do you mean?

usualy when ADD is dxed most of the time in children i bet adults there is uaully depression bipolar or other illness along with add according to research i did

adults there is uaully depression bipolar or other illness along with add according to research i did
I am not an expert by any stretch of imagination, but my reading suggests that ADHD often presents along with other disorders, not as a symptom of other disorders.

What you might be trying to say is that ADHD shares symptoms in common with other disorders.

Anecdotally, in my case, I have been diagnosed with ADHD as well as Post Traumatic Stress and General Anxiety Disorder. I believe that, for me, the the PTSD and GAD result from the core condition which is ADHD, not the other way around.

If I had depression I think I would still be saying the same. If I had Bipolar, I might have symptoms in common with ADHD, but may not have ADHD at all.

But, again, I am not an expert, I have only been doing a lot of reading since my diagnosis only a short time ago. All the more reason why one should get a professional evaluation!

I am not an expert by any stretch of imagination, but my reading suggests that ADHD often presents along with other disorders, not as a symptom of other disorders.

What you might be trying to say is that ADHD shares symptoms in common with other disorders.

Anecdotally, in my case, I have been diagnosed with ADHD as well as Post Traumatic Stress and General Anxiety Disorder. I believe that, for me, the the PTSD and GAD result from the core condition which is ADHD, not the other way around.

If I had depression I think I would still be saying the same. If I had Bipolar, I might have symptoms in common with ADHD, but may not have ADHD at all.

But, again, I am not an expert, I have only been doing a lot of reading since my diagnosis only a short time ago. All the more reason why one should get a professional evaluation!
that's the thing though since all those systpoms are in common sometimes what will happen is that the add will get treated and not the depression you said what i was trying to say but i still belive that add is a syptom not a core