Just had this conversation with 2 of my family members about our childhoods.

One thing they both agreed on was the fact that I was extremely hyper as a child. They remember my first hyperactivity started before kindergarten.
3 times I was sent home because I was aggresive or violent towards other students in kindergarted. ( I only remember once)

They said I was very mean to other child while playing. (things had to be my way or no way.) here is one example. I wanted my friend to turn the jump rope for me, then she did for about 5 mins... then I demanded we go play something else, without giving her a chance to jump rope. (apparently I was this way alot.)

I moved when I was young to a new school. There I was shy, and couldnt keep friends. Friends that I did manage to have were always superficical. They actually hated me "underneith"

One time in school, we had a tent set up, and a sleeping bag set up. We each would take turns in it during story time. The one rule was NO HEADS UNDER THE SLEEPING BAG, I knew this... yet, I just had to for whatever reason try and touch my feet at the bottom of the sleeping bag (it seemed really large) of course I got in trouble. Was the last time I was allowed to do that.

I would create things in my mind (stories) before telling them to children. When I was very little. I grew up a bit after that and realized I was making up lies.. and stopped right there. I realize now.. that my mother does this all the time. I dont understand why.

Things I have noticed that seem ADD related: (with me)

-Being in a social situation I feel half tuned out at times to what others are saying/or dont really know how to respond/ not interested in what they have to say

- When my college teacher is going on for a long time about something I notice with surprise my mind is thinking about something else. and I dont remember how or when it switched topics in my head

-I then try to focus on what the teacher is saying to discover 5 mins later my mind has wandered again.

-I forget minor things that dont seem important to me, but very important to other people. like where I put something. I can lose money,bank cards etc for days.

- Sometimes I feel like my eyes are zoned out, where I could just stare forever without blinking, and I become somewhat oblivious to details around me. like signs while driving, or street lights at night. I see the farther lights first and think I can go, untill at the last minute I realize their is another closer set of street lights saying STOP.

-sometimes my bf says I say/ or act the wrong way around his overly sensitive parents. which makes them upset, and I am like... "what???"

-Procrastinate waay more then I should

-have had to drop classes because I am overwhelmed or not interested in them, and I leave the work untill it is too late to catch up

-Use to be very messy. With clothes(still am) I can get messy, not dusting, throwing clothes everywhere. But I live with clean freak people, and I have to clean up perfectly just to be left alone.

-When reading things, my eyes "zone" and I end up skipping over lines, or scanning through it, without reading it. When I try to read line by line (homework) I have to re-read it, because it feels like I dont absorb it.

- can be a huge worry wart about things, but let other things slide off my back.

ADD related with family: I heard ADD can run in families?

-all the family members can not keep their homes clean. They are always dusty, cluttered, papers everywhere, lots of animals, no sweeping/ vacumming. just filthy. I use to be the same way untill I moved into a house with clean freaks, and now I keep it clean just so they leave me alone (which took a long time to learn)

-my mother makes up lies and passes it off as intelligence. no idea why

-scattered brained, all of my family. my sister mostly. goes shopping for one thing...buys everyone she can think of things she thinks they need. takes forever.

-always seem to not really be listening to you when you are talking about yourself, or what happens in your life. Like they dont care or something

-my family always says they will do something.. and then they dont

-my mother cant spell(she puts the wrong letters in where they dont belong) and never wants/likes to read

-mother always wants what everyone else has, and gets jealous easily.

All I can think of for now...
just seems like I may have ADD, but I cant prove it.
During My psychiatrist appointment... he never asked me about anything ADD related.....
How do you really know if you have ADD or not?? Maybe I just think I do?
But I cant stop thinking I might be?

Everything you have put sounds ADD to me. I have ADHD and I do pretty much everything you have listed.

Maybe you should see a different doctor, it never hurts to get a second oppinion.

How do you really know if you have ADD or not?? Maybe I just think I do?
I didnt know I had adhd until this year, I just thought everyone was like me, so I dont really know how you know if you have it or not. Although as I started to get older I did notice that I was somewhat different from my peers in the way that I acted and the that I was socialy and emotionally at a diferent level to them.

Also I think you can ask just about anyone to do an adhd checklist and they would be able to check quite alot of them, its just about how much theyve checked and for how long theyve had the symptoms for.
I think it also has to cause some kind of problem actually preventing you from doing something, e.g. learning.

id say its seems that way id go to doc an get some tests an see iam not a doc but you seem likelty two cheak out dorm

Many "experts" still aren't willing to look for ADHD in adults as they still feel it's a childhood disorder that eventually just "goes away". I agree that you should get a second opinion - but ONLY after you've breached the question directly by just asking "could it be ADHD??". It's possible he thinks that it may be but thinks you already know for sure. They aren't mind readers (though it would be nice wouldn't it?).

Pretty much all you've mentioned is classic ADHD. I too had many of the same experiences growing up. The self-gratification and inability to empathize are classic and I remember it being a very hard thing to live with as a child. The inability to resist urges for inappropriate behavior, the switching channels in the mind, the foggy focus are all tell-tale symptoms.

Now, there are physical illnesses that mimic some ADHD symptoms. There are also other disorders like bipolar disorder that have many of the same. A proper diagnosis is very essential for recovery.

Maybe try a couple of online tests for your own confidence. www.oneaddplace.com (http://www.oneaddplace.com) has many and it's where I started my journey over a year ago. Print out a couple and if you answer highly ADHD bring them with you to your caregivers.

If you get proper treatment, possibly including medication and definitely including specialized therapy called Cognitive Behavior Therapy, you can feel so much better. I have been on a combination of taking dexedrine and getting CBT for a year and a half. Very quickly I and all around me saw big results. My job no longer suffers. I now date (and normal people no less!) and have friends that I know what they are thinking. I don't get that "over my head" feeling as much anymore.

It's still not perfect and I definitely still have ADHD. My memory is improved 100 percent though and my ability to resist the urge to misbehave is easily controlled. I no longer feel that mental fog and the internal chatter is nearly gone.

Good luck! Feel free to ask me anything either here or by message. I'm always glad to help where I can.

It sounds like ADHD to me. See your doc because there are a number of other coditions that can look like ADHD.

Me :D


Just had this conversation with 2 of my family members about our childhoods.

One thing they both agreed on was the fact that I was extremely hyper as a child. They remember my first hyperactivity started before kindergarten.
3 times I was sent home because I was aggresive or violent towards other students in kindergarted. ( I only remember once)

They said I was very mean to other child while playing. (things had to be my way or no way.) here is one example. I wanted my friend to turn the jump rope for me, then she did for about 5 mins... then I demanded we go play something else, without giving her a chance to jump rope. (apparently I was this way alot.)

I moved when I was young to a new school. There I was shy, and couldnt keep friends. Friends that I did manage to have were always superficical. They actually hated me "underneith"

One time in school, we had a tent set up, and a sleeping bag set up. We each would take turns in it during story time. The one rule was NO HEADS UNDER THE SLEEPING BAG, I knew this... yet, I just had to for whatever reason try and touch my feet at the bottom of the sleeping bag (it seemed really large) of course I got in trouble. Was the last time I was allowed to do that.

I would create things in my mind (stories) before telling them to children. When I was very little. I grew up a bit after that and realized I was making up lies.. and stopped right there. I realize now.. that my mother does this all the time. I dont understand why.

Things I have noticed that seem ADD related: (with me)

-Being in a social situation I feel half tuned out at times to what others are saying/or dont really know how to respond/ not interested in what they have to say

- When my college teacher is going on for a long time about something I notice with surprise my mind is thinking about something else. and I dont remember how or when it switched topics in my head

-I then try to focus on what the teacher is saying to discover 5 mins later my mind has wandered again.

-I forget minor things that dont seem important to me, but very important to other people. like where I put something. I can lose money,bank cards etc for days.

- Sometimes I feel like my eyes are zoned out, where I could just stare forever without blinking, and I become somewhat oblivious to details around me. like signs while driving, or street lights at night. I see the farther lights first and think I can go, untill at the last minute I realize their is another closer set of street lights saying STOP.

-sometimes my bf says I say/ or act the wrong way around his overly sensitive parents. which makes them upset, and I am like... "what???"

-Procrastinate waay more then I should

-have had to drop classes because I am overwhelmed or not interested in them, and I leave the work untill it is too late to catch up

-Use to be very messy. With clothes(still am) I can get messy, not dusting, throwing clothes everywhere. But I live with clean freak people, and I have to clean up perfectly just to be left alone.

-When reading things, my eyes "zone" and I end up skipping over lines, or scanning through it, without reading it. When I try to read line by line (homework) I have to re-read it, because it feels like I dont absorb it.

- can be a huge worry wart about things, but let other things slide off my back.

ADD related with family: I heard ADD can run in families?

-all the family members can not keep their homes clean. They are always dusty, cluttered, papers everywhere, lots of animals, no sweeping/ vacumming. just filthy. I use to be the same way untill I moved into a house with clean freaks, and now I keep it clean just so they leave me alone (which took a long time to learn)

-my mother makes up lies and passes it off as intelligence. no idea why

-scattered brained, all of my family. my sister mostly. goes shopping for one thing...buys everyone she can think of things she thinks they need. takes forever.

-always seem to not really be listening to you when you are talking about yourself, or what happens in your life. Like they dont care or something

-my family always says they will do something.. and then they dont

-my mother cant spell(she puts the wrong letters in where they dont belong) and never wants/likes to read

-mother always wants what everyone else has, and gets jealous easily.

All I can think of for now...
just seems like I may have ADD, but I cant prove it.
During My psychiatrist appointment... he never asked me about anything ADD related.....
How do you really know if you have ADD or not?? Maybe I just think I do?
But I cant stop thinking I might be?