For my husband and his ADD, he can't organize. He can't multi-task. He can't focus, and he can't sit still. For me, the ADD shows itself differently: I'm irritable. I feel out of control of everything (including listening to others and focusing). I procrastinate horribly. I avoid any phone calls--whether it's making them or answering them. And finally, the worst symptom is my lack of motivation. In fact, 8 times out of 10 that I don't take my Adderall, I either can't get out of bed or won't leave the apartment. And it's affecting my life, as you can imagine. I avoid any social contact and it makes me more depressed than I already am when I stay indoors.

BTW--I am on medication for depression.

At present I'm not working--other than some pet sitting. So to find reasons to make myself get out of the bed and leave my dark apartment is a challenge. And today, even with my Adderall, I still stayed in bed all day which is unusual.

I know that ADD is frustrating for all of us. It just seems my ADD manifests itself so differently from others and I feel so all alone!

bekahboo,

You are not alone. Heck, NC isn't that far from Penn's Woods and there is plenty of us can't organize, can't multi-task, can't focus, procrastinate horribly, avoid phone calls, no motivation, but try like hell not to be any of the above in these here woods.

ADHD reeks emotional havoc on all of us. ADHD is a disorder. Disorders are things no one wants. Disorders cause pain. Disorders ruin lives. Disorders are misunderstood by everyone except the afflicted. "You have to try harder." If you just did ___ . Fill in the blank with any or all the platitudes you've heard throughout your life.

Take your Adderall. It works. Every time I take my Adderall it is a little reminder that I am defective - until it kicks in. Then for several hours I am the guy I would have been less the defect. He's smart, motivated, loves life, new adventures, very creative.

Do it.

Bob

Don't feel alone!

Getting out of the apartment has been and is one of my greatest struggles. Not always, because sometimes I just feel an urge to get out, but very often I've been sitting at the table, a cup of tea in front of me, and felt "I want to go outside, I want to go somewhere and do something.", without being able to act on it.

You know, I used to hate the words "motivation" and "to be motivated" because as it's generally understood "to be motivated"="to have the will to do something and go through with it", and I really wanted to do....e.g. get up earlier in the morning, but I couldn't.

I don't feel the same aversion to the word "motivation" than I used too because I know it's a more complex notion than the esiest explanation, but I still have problems doing things....

And one thing that is really frustrating, I don't know if you experience it too, is that I might be really into doing something one day and then have absolutely no interest in continuing it the next.

I was absolutely frozen, stuck, unmotivated - whatever you want to call it this past weekend. There are chores I know I absolutely have to do - and some I've been putting off for months. Even though I took my Concerta, I still couldn't get unstuck - I just didn't feel as bad about it. The ADD problem is that I was sitting on the couch all day overanalyzing, overthinking, mind-spinning, wanting to get things done but just couldn't start. Added in was a healthy dose of fear that I wouldn't get things done right - ADD perfectionist tendencies/worries.

The way out is to do ANYTHING no matter how small. From this I get my little taste of success and then work up the nerve to try the next task. For instance, after a while I finally said I'll do one load of laundry. Once I got that done I felt some relief and felt better about starting something else. It's the ADD organizational issue plus all the emotional baggage that really causes us to get stuck. That's why doing anything small can help get that momentum going in the right direction.

I HIGHLY recommend the book "You Mean I'm Not Lazy, Stupid, or Crazy" - the new revised 2nd edition that just came out. It offers lots of helpful advice for overcoming the ADD problems that drugs alone cannot conquer.

The hardest part of doing something is getting started. Once you get started, the hardest part is to continue on forward. And, once you`ve gone forward, the hardest part is finishing,,,,, and we all know how hard that is! I guess my point is,,,, It`s a struggle for us all to face the things that haunt us,,, to look at something and deal with it. I know it`s not easy,,,, This has been my life for many years. Everyday I try to deal with "ONE" of the many issues I avoid,,, be it making that phone call, paying that bill or one of the fifty other things I have to do. I have found that the satisfaction of "Doing" is alot easier to deal with than hiding from myself. I wish I knew how to type. It wouldn`t take me so long to type what I want to say,,, I have lost my attention to type,,,, Later =]

For my husband and his ADD, he can't organize. He can't multi-task. He can't focus, and he can't sit still. For me, the ADD shows itself differently: I'm irritable. I feel out of control of everything (including listening to others and focusing). I procrastinate horribly. I avoid any phone calls--whether it's making them or answering them. And finally, the worst symptom is my lack of motivation. In fact, 8 times out of 10 that I don't take my Adderall, I either can't get out of bed or won't leave the apartment. And it's affecting my life, as you can imagine. I avoid any social contact and it makes me more depressed than I already am when I stay indoors.

BTW--I am on medication for depression.

At present I'm not working--other than some pet sitting. So to find reasons to make myself get out of the bed and leave my dark apartment is a challenge. And today, even with my Adderall, I still stayed in bed all day which is unusual.

I know that ADD is frustrating for all of us. It just seems my ADD manifests itself so differently from others and I feel so all alone!

My first post here.

I have the same problems

Difficulty focusing
procrastination
lack of motivation
depression which my new med Cymbalta seems to help

My inlaws think im a lazy schmuck because of my lack of motivation and inability to hold a steady job

I definitely feel your pain.

Welcome to the Forums bekahboo714 and jtroy! :)

Big Thumbs Up to all the regular forum users that posted before me and who wrote such wonderful things in this new member's introduction thread!

You all wrote such good things that you made me want to add my two cents in too!

Bekahboo, I avoid phone calls all the time too! Incoming and outgoing! In fact, I think it's gotten worse every since I've gotten a Computer and an Internet connection!

Todays technology seems to bombard us with information! Everything from mobile phones, land line phones, e-mail, instant messages, blogs, forums, etc., etc., seem to constantly harass me, wasting most of my valuable time and energy, which causes me a lot of anxiety!

Eventually, all I want to do is just withdrawal from it all! I'll lock the doors, pull the blinds, and try to escape from it all! Unfortunately this just puts me more behind which then causes me even more anxiety! LOL :D It's a vicious cycle that never seems to end!

I imagine that even non-ADD people have a real difficult time dealing with all this information overload!

Thrown in even a moderate amount of depression and it soon seems completely unbearable! But we must continue to prevail whether we have ADD or not, and whether we want to or not!

Unfortunately this is the society that we live in today! Once you start getting your depression in check, and getting your ADD medication in proper working order, it all seems a lot more easy to deal with!

Also, I have found that once my depression has lifted, that if I make myself stay busy even if I don't feel like it, not only do I feel better because I am accomplishing something, (No matter how small of an accomplishment it may be) but keeping busy also conveniently distracts me from worrying excessively, which unfrotunately is a common problem with many ADD people!

Anyway, hang in there, and again welcome to ADDF! :)

Welcome to the Forums bekahboo714 and jtroy! :)

Big Thumbs Up to all the regular forum users that posted before me and who wrote such wonderful things in this new member's introduction thread!

You all wrote such good things that you made me want to add my two cents in too!

Bekahboo, I avoid phone calls all the time too! Incoming and outgoing! In fact, I think it's gotten worse every since I've gotten a Computer and an Internet connection!

Todays technology seems to bombard us with information! Everything from mobile phones, land line phones, e-mail, instant messages, blogs, forums, etc., etc., seem to constantly harass me, wasting most of my valuable time and energy, which causes me a lot of anxiety!

Eventually, all I want to do is just withdrawal from it all! I'll lock the doors, pull the blinds, and try to escape from it all! Unfortunately this just puts me more behind which then causes me even more anxiety! LOL :D It's a vicious cycle that never seems to end!

I imagine that even non-ADD people have a real difficult time dealing with all this information overload!

Thrown in even a moderate amount of depression and it soon seems completely unbearable! But we must continue to prevail whether we have ADD or not, and whether we want to or not!

Unfortunately this is the society that we live in today! Once you start getting your depression in check, and getting your ADD medication in proper working order, it all seems a lot more easy to deal with!

Also, I have found that once my depression has lifted, that if I make myself stay busy even if I don't feel like it, not only do I feel better because I am accomplishing something, (No matter how small of an accomplishment it may be) but keeping busy also conveniently distracts me from worrying excessively, which unfrotunately is a common problem with many ADD people!

Anyway, hang in there, and again welcome to ADDF! :)

I also have the same problems. The internet makes it east to find interesting things to read about and therefore withdraw from the real world.

Phones yep ive been avoiding them too sorta hoping that the world will acually go away

I also have the same problems. The internet makes it east to find interesting things to read about and therefore withdraw from the real world.

Phones yep ive been avoiding them too sorta hoping that the world will acually go awayYou betcha! Real people annoy me and I can not just log off when they do ;).

Phones are iffy. As long as I can pace and rock and pay attention its all good. If not, then buh-byes. That's why I have caller ID!

Crazy :cool:

I know what you mean, I also have ADD, Depression, Anxiety, and SAD. Just remember to take your Depression medication EVERY DAY, it wont help you if you take it one day and not the next. Hang in there :) .

I know, having ADD is hard. I could write a book about the troubles I have.

I love email. I HATE PHONES. I dread getting phone calls. I'm paralyzed when it comes to making a phone call. I'm so glad to read that there others out there who feel the same way.

I love email. I HATE PHONES. I dread getting phone calls. I'm paralyzed when it comes to making a phone call. I'm so glad to read that there others out there who feel the same way.
Lunacie, everything about this is me - even the night-owl logo. I think we are twins.

I love email. I HATE PHONES. I dread getting phone calls. I'm paralyzed when it comes to making a phone call. I'm so glad to read that there others out there who feel the same way.My father {admits to ADHD} and my brother {who does not, but I know better ;)} and I all rely on email over using the phone whenever possible.

I do call some forum members on the phone, and it gets whacky sometimes :D but hey, that's support and looooooove!

Crazy :cool:

Lunacie, everything about this is me - even the night-owl logo. I think we are twins.
Hmmm, I always figured if I had a twin it was a sister. Turns out it's a brother, eh? ;)

Fraternal twins are valid! Nice to see a forum family reunion of any kind. I myself have been "lost and found" here at ADDF :D and its a great feeling!

Crazy :cool: