I came to this site to get some help with my 5 year old son and posted there last night. Now I am reading in here and thinking OMG maybe its me too could I have it? I did bad all the way though school not because I'm not smart but just because I was "lazy" I didnt pick up after myself when my mother and father hounded me and heck even yesterday when I was over at my mothers she said you were just "too lazy" to do it. I love learning but hate school can't sit in those classes day after day.
I'm 31 now and always looking around thinking what is wrong with me I want a clean house I make lists of things to clean get all excited that today or tommrow is going to be the day I get going and yea right it never happens..on those rare occasions that I do get motovated and get something done by the very next day its all crashing down around me again and I get stressed and wonder why I even put so much effort into it. Heck remembering to clean the cat litter is even a chore for me sometimes it can get pretty bad. I'm always afraid that someone might want to come into my house. Always worried that the landlord will kick me out and lemmie tell you if I was him I wouldnt blame him.
It takes everything in me to get my son to school on time and to pick up my hubby from work on time. My son is usally late for school and I'm always just getting there maybe right on time to almost anything I have to do. Bills suffer because I forget to go over and pay them spend the money on something else and then scramble to get them paid. Now I;m thinking of starting a ADHD support group to help deal with my son when maybe I need to start looking at myself as well. Could this really be it? Am I not lazy? I can still remember on everyone of my report cards reading "does not apply herself" but I'm by far not stupid I know alot and I love to read..wow...maybe I should call my doctor today..that is if I dont keep putting it off like I usually do and if by chance I make the appointment I will have to try very hard to keep it. Heck remembering everything my son has to do in a week is a challange and I have a 9 month old son too. Could this really be whats been wrong all these years?

I mean this in all gentleness and sincerity............

the fact you are saying:


Heck remembering to clean the cat litter is even a chore for me sometimes it can get pretty bad.

(one of the few chores that reminds me to do it all by it self.......... :faint: whew can those things get rank :o )

The next paragraph I read


Now I;m thinking of starting a ADHD support group to help deal with my son



I think it would be worth the appointment you mentioned. Because forgetting to clean the cat box one minute and considering beginning a support group the next should probably be listed on the DSMV for ADD (symptom diagnostic list for professionals here in the US) :p ! However the only way to find out for sure is to go to a qualified health professional!

I serious doubts about the “your lazy” theory because the truly lazy wouldn’t even care enough to ask if they are being lazy- I would go with the ADD possibility!

Blaze, this sounds so much like me! I can get the house clean one day, but then the next day it's like I have to do so much all over again and I can't keep up. I also have a hard time making sure I pay my bills instead of spending the money on other stuff.

I would call your Dr. Some Dr's don't "believe" in ADD or really listen, so if yours doesn't I'd see if I can get a referral to a psychiatrist.

Could it be? Yes, a thousand times yes! Possibly not? But a large percentage of adult diagnosed ADDers "discovered" it in ourselves after seeking answers for our children. Count me in that percentage. It is definitely worth looking into!

I agree with meadd, the truly "lazy" don't become inspired to start support groups. I can also relate to the litter-box theory :faint:...it just happens to be I have delegated that task to my 10 year old ADDer, Momma has quite enough to do and is ADD as well ya know. Its a potent motivator for the child since she really deoes not wanna give up her cats (honestly neither do I, love those little furballs).

Welcome and speak up if you have questions. This is one great group here :).

Very possibly it could be ADHD.

ADHD is certainly genetic. In my family it went down the line father to sons. The way I found out about my own ADHD at age 36 is when my last paternal uncle passed on and I began to piece together the wreckage of their lives with my own. It was a very stark realization and taught me a lot.

The best place to start for an adult with suspicions of ADHD is www.oneaddplace.com (http://www.oneaddplace.com). They have online tests that you can take. For me I answered yes to nearly every question and on the scale I was severe inattentive ADHD. My MD referred me to a psychiatrist on my request and again I was diagnosed the same.

I've been controlling my ADHD now since november of 2004. It was amazing the difference when I cleared the mental fog and the mind began to process things the way it was designed to.

You've made a good start - just check out the tests. Make sure your doc checks for non-ADHD reasons though (they are supposed to) like thyroid, bipolar disorder, heavy metal poisoning, depression, etc. They all can mimic some of the ADHD symptoms.

Best wishes to you and your child.

You might want to get your thyroid function checked too. Thyroid problems can mimmic adhd sometimes.

All of those require blood test and can be done right in your doctor's office in most cases.

ME :D

Very possibly it could be ADHD.

ADHD is certainly genetic. In my family it went down the line father to sons. The way I found out about my own ADHD at age 36 is when my last paternal uncle passed on and I began to piece together the wreckage of their lives with my own. It was a very stark realization and taught me a lot.

The best place to start for an adult with suspicions of ADHD is www.oneaddplace.com (http://www.oneaddplace.com). They have online tests that you can take. For me I answered yes to nearly every question and on the scale I was severe inattentive ADHD. My MD referred me to a psychiatrist on my request and again I was diagnosed the same.

I've been controlling my ADHD now since november of 2004. It was amazing the difference when I cleared the mental fog and the mind began to process things the way it was designed to.

You've made a good start - just check out the tests. Make sure your doc checks for non-ADHD reasons though (they are supposed to) like thyroid, bipolar disorder, heavy metal poisoning, depression, etc. They all can mimic some of the ADHD symptoms.

Best wishes to you and your child.

You might want to get your thyroid function checked too. Thyroid problems can mimmic adhd sometimes.

ME :DGood point! Not to mention get a neurological check if you have ever had a head injury or suffered any type of prolonged state of unconciousness (assuming that you remember if this happened to you or not ;) ).

Welcome to ADDFORUMS...

Heck remembering to clean the cat litter is even a chore for me sometimes it can get pretty bad.
This made me laugh. Those boxes can look pretty clean on the top, but it's the stuff on the bottom that makes your eyes water. :eek: :faint:

Just changed our cat's boxes today. Whew! No wonder the cats were upset.

Just tell your visitors you only clean with the finest ammonia. :rolleyes:

Oh yea, welcome to the forums.

The best place to start for an adult with suspicions of ADHD is www.oneaddplace.com (http://www.oneaddplace.com). They have online tests that you can take. For me I answered yes to nearly every question and on the scale I was severe inattentive ADHD. My MD referred me to a psychiatrist on my request and again I was diagnosed the same.

Hello, everyone. This is my first post. The last six days has been one long epiphany for me.

I recently decided to try to quit smoking and my doctor suggested Wellbutrin. I started taking it six days ago and felt an immediate difference in focus, concentration and motivation. That very day, I began clearing out piles and piles of clutter (physical, not metaphorical) which I had not been able to deal with for at least six years. I'm still smoking but, as of this afternoon, those piles of clutter are now completely gone. I was so impressed with Wellbutrin and it's effect on my performance that I began researching it on the internet and found that it is commonly prescribed for ADD. Prior to this week, I had always heard (and had no reason to disbelieve) that ADD was a "fake" condition. As I began reading through the list of symptoms for ADD, lightbulbs went on and things began to click. Many years ago, I saw a psychiatrist for depression (or what I assumed was depression) who put me on Prozac. I stayed on Prozac for years with no quantifiable result - other than the fact that it made me feel somewhat deadened and emotionless. I am wondering now if I was depressed only because I was not able to live up to my own self-expectations due to being ADD?

I just took the above-referenced test and scored in the 40s. I have now decided that I need to find an ADD specialist, get officially diagnosed and then decide what course of action is best for me.

This may be an ignorant question but are ADD specialists generally psychiatrists also?

LOL, I loved this

forgetting to clean the cat box one minute and considering beginning a support group the next should probably be listed on the DSMV for ADD (symptom diagnostic list for professionals here in the US) That is so very true:p .

I actually have a very similar story to yours. I've always known my son had ADHD, but didn't fully grasp the full spectrum what ADHD is. I mainly just thought of it as the hyperactive, rowdy boys that we so often see. After my son was diagnosed I went hunting for information and landed here. Reading the posts from the adults made light bulbs start going off in my head. Almost everything I read I thought "that's ME". I then began searching for more information girls/women with AD/HD, and became even more convinced.

I initially went to a psychologist who pretty much blew me off. Said he felt I had significant attention and memory problems, but any deficits would have been picked up before now and he felt I was depressed:rolleyes: . I knew dang well that I may "appear" depressed by my lack of motivation, procrastination, etc, but I sure don't "feel" depressed. I was also diagnosed as a teenager with depression when my mom took me in for an evaluation because I was failing out of high school:eyebrow: . My mother and I both went "Depressed? I'm depressed? Happy, bubbly, lovin life, me....depressed? But hey, you're the professional"

Anyway I had pretty much given up on ever being taken seriously as an adult, until a yearly exam by my girl-doc, ended up with her asking me if anyone had ever thought I may have AD/HD. I was so happy and relieved she even asked the question that I started crying:o . She set me up for an evaluation, with a wonderful, caring doctor that took me seriously, and I was diagnosed with AD/HD combined type. Never thought I was combined, but being on medication I've realized that I am normally extremely internally restless. The calm I feel on medication is amazing.

So yes, it's very possible that this is your issues. As someone already said it tends to run through families. My brother has it also, and I believe my mother has it as well. Find a competent doctor and get an evaluation. If you don't feel like your doctor is really listening, find someone else :).