Hi,

I'm new here and just wanting to get feedback if you think I have ADD. I'm a 25 year female from Australia. I have a sneaking suspicion I have a bit of ADD and I thought I would ramble on about some of my symptoms.

First off my father has bi polar and I have read ADD and bi polar can be connected and have similar symptoms or you can have both. I don't think I have bi polar, well at least not yet!

I don't think I'm very hyperactive. I don't interrupt people and I'm quite kind and considerate. I do however, get very excitable and I am very impatient, but I don't bounce off walls just become a bit loud and talk a lot.

I think my hyperactivity is let out through my migraines and headaches.
I get headaches/migraines regulary (nearly every day) especially in stressful situations or where there is a lot of activity surrounding me such as being in a class with computer and students or a lot of thoughts going through my mind. I also get headaches from light and smell.

My mind does wonder a lot, especially at school when someone’s giving a talk or reading to me. When I was younger people would read to me and then ask me a question about what they had just read and I wouldn't be able to remember the question or what he/she had just read.

I also find it hard to take notes in a talk/lecture. If I am writing, I wont be able to keep up with what the speaker is talking about.

I can read quite well, but I don't enjoy reading. I don't think I have picked up a book in three years, because every time I got to read a book I get bored after the first few pages and put it down. I try to go back to the book with no luck. That's not say that I can't read a book, but I have to really enjoy it and I speed read.

Another thing I have a problem with is writing. I hate it. I find it quite hard to put paragraphs together (I'm sure you can tell ;)), especially for uni assignments. I also find it hard to complete papers for uni and tend to get family members to look over my work or help me finish paper, because I'm too impatient to read or finish my paper. My mind also wonders a lot when trying to come up with ideas/words and paragraph structures. My school reports, were never that great and I went terrible in my final year exams at high school - and I really took it badly for a few years, feeling very ashamed and felt something was wrong with me. I've always been very ambitious and determined to succeed so it was very painful for me to do so poorly at school. I don't think it was because of laziness that I went so badly at school, because I did study. It's also very hard because for some reason people assume that I am very smart and think that I would be great at English, maths and so on, so I feel even more terrible because people have this high expectation of me. I'm also terrible at maths and don't even know my times tables.

Another problem is I am extremely untidy. It's actually getting really out of hand (it's getting worse and worse). My bedroom is like a pigsty, papers on the floor, books clothes, dishes and much more. My untidiness follows onto my car, which is also terrible. I don't really understand the concept of organising - I try but never succeed. I can't quite explain it but it's almost painful for me to think about organising and tidying things up. When I do tidy up, it's a real struggle. It usually takes me a day or two to clean up, because I end up getting really bored and frustrated and find other more important things to do. Anyway, my tidiness last about a day and then my room seems to become messy - without me even realising it.

Oh another thing is I am very anxious person, and I tend to let out my frustrations nearly every night by standing in front of the mirror and picking my face and back. I can do this up to an hour without realizing what I am doing.

Also I find it quite interesting, when my dad was diagnosed with bi polar and he was going on a real high it was very stressful me and I wasn't coping and my picking habit was getting out of hand so I went to a psychiatrist who prescribed me some anti depressives for a couple of months. It was funny during that time I was a lot more organised and it was easier for me to concentrate on things. Thus making me think more and more that I do have ADD.

I have found something I am quite passionate about design/multimedia and I am currently finishing my final year of studies in multimedia. I am able to concentrate on designing, but I do get restless and have to have breaks every 10 min - walking away from the computer. I cannot however, write up briefs which is really embarrassing.

Well that's all I can think of at the moment. Would love to get some feedback. I think I’ve written way too much.

Gee I'm feeling like a real basket case now :)

Cheers

It sounds possible that you do. You might want to try the two ADD screening tests at the link below, and if they show probable, see a doctor about getting formally diagnosed.

http://amenclinics.com/ac/tests/

thanks for that link. I think I will see my doctor :)

It's better to go and have a doctor's opinion on the matter than to wonder for years, thinking you do, and not have any sort of treatment. Trust me. . . then you'll feel angry at yourself for the "wasted time."

Thanks! Another question what are the sort of test the doctor goes through to test if you have ADD?

Mine sent me to a psychologist 1st and we took a couple of written questionaires very much like the ones you'll find online. I have known I was ADD for years, but they diagnosed me as being ADHD because of my history of hyperactivity as a child, and because even while sitting still I do things like pick and bite at my nails, twirl my hair, rub my hands together, pop my knuckles, tap my foot, on down the line. It's like one small part of me must be moving for me to concentrate. So, that's ADHD. I didn't know that until then. :o