So I met up with a former co-worker from a few years ago....back then, I didn't know I was add.....anyways, we met up, and in the middle of our conversation (I suppose I got distracted), he asks, you have add, right? I was a bit suprised that it was that obvious to him, because I don't think I'm THAT severe, but who knows? Anyways, he said that he always knew, but never mentioned it back then, and just assumed I already knew I was add.....

did other people know before you did--especially those who you weren't that close to? I wish he had told me back then...oh well, at least both of us know now :rolleyes:

They knew I was different in some way. I'm the inattentive type.

My parents knew I have ADD, they were told when I was a child. But seemed to fail to mentioned it until I asked them point blank. You think when I had to withdraw from college that might have been a good time to tell me.<!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"/> <v:formulas> <v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"/> <v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"/> <v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"/> <v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"/> <v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"/> <v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"/> </v:formulas> <v:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"/> </v:shapetype><v:shape id="_x0000_i1025" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" style='width:12pt; height:12pt'> <v:imagedata src="file:///C:DOCUME~1ChrisLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml11clip_image001 .gif" o:href="http://www.addforums.com/forums/images/smilies/mad.gif"/> </v:shape><![endif]--><!--[if !vml]-->:mad:<!--[endif]-->

me.<?xml:namespace prefix = v /><v:shapetype class=inlineimg id=_x0000_t75 title=\"Stick Out Tongue\" smilieid=\"6\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src="images/smilies/tongue.gif" o<img o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"></v:shapetype>referrelative="t" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f"> <v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><V:path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"/> <?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock><v:shape id=_x0000_i1025 style="WIDTH: 12pt; HEIGHT: 12pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><v:imagedata class=inlineimg title=\"Big Grin\" smilieid=\"4\" alt=\"\" border=\"0\" src="file:///C<img src=" biggrin.gif? smilies images></v:imagedata>OCUME~1ChrisLOCALS~1Tempmsohtml11clip_image001.gif" o:href="http://www.addforums.com/forums/images/smilies/mad.gif"/> </v:shape><!--[if !vml]-->:mad:<!--[endif]-->Care to repeat that chris? LOL :D

I've noticed that happens often to you!

Hmmmm....I wonder why! :confused:

YES! A common response that I got from friends and realtives was "yah you were always kinda like that..." Of course my response was; "Why didn't you tell me?" and they would typically say : "You didn't ask..." :eek:: :faint:

go figure... :p


ME :D


So I met up with a former co-worker from a few years ago....back then, I didn't know I was add.....anyways, we met up, and in the middle of our conversation (I suppose I got distracted), he asks, you have add, right? I was a bit suprised that it was that obvious to him, because I don't think I'm THAT severe, but who knows? Anyways, he said that he always knew, but never mentioned it back then, and just assumed I already knew I was add.....

did other people know before you did--especially those who you weren't that close to? I wish he had told me back then...oh well, at least both of us know now :rolleyes:

Care to repeat that chris? LOL :D

I've noticed that happens often to you!

Hmmmm....I wonder why! :confused:I use firefox as my internet barowser, I dont see all of that stuff. I do use microsoft word to spellcheck. Here is it again. changed around a little

My parents have known I have ADD since the first grade. But seemed to fail to mention it until I asked them a few mouths ago. You would think when I withdraw from college that might have been a good time to tell me.:mad:

So I met up with a former co-worker from a few years ago....back then, I didn't know I was add.....anyways, we met up, and in the middle of our conversation (I suppose I got distracted), he asks, you have add, right? I was a bit suprised that it was that obvious to him, because I don't think I'm THAT severe, but who knows? Anyways, he said that he always knew, but never mentioned it back then, and just assumed I already knew I was add.....

did other people know before you did--especially those who you weren't that close to? I wish he had told me back then...oh well, at least both of us know now :rolleyes:

No one knew, not even school. I was always known as an over emotional, over sensitive, emotional troubled, kid.

I do have a few friends who would say to me they knew. I had say to me, "we know our own kind." She then welcomed me to the "club"

My mother doesnt know anything about ADD, and I really dont plan on telling her.

But, one day when I was first learning about ADD, I asked her how I was when growing up.

She said she knew I was "different" but in a "good way" she said. She also said I was alot like her ( I suspect she has ADD too) that I was always creative (because I was always so bored) and imaginative.

So far no one has said they knew, but my aunt who I have been close with my whole life says "OH well that explains SO much".

Lovely :D

When I told my boss and a few others guys at work that I work with, they all laughed and said something like, "we're glad you finally figured that out". LOL

When I told my ex, who has known me for about 20 years, she was surprised.

Go figure.

In a word? Yes.

I guess part of the issue with add is that we sometimes lack self-awarness, and others who are more aware pick up on things that we would never notice in ourselves.....I wonder how many others know, but just don't say anything---and all this time, I just figured that people thought of me as a little quirky lol.

I actually never went to the Dr until a CUSTOMER asked me if I have ADHD, because I *SOUND EXACTLY LIKE HIM* and he is ADHD ..LOL..of course, I said NO!! LOL

I had thought about it, but that cemented it for me..

People could see something was wrong, but I was never told i might have ADD.

Throughout shool, I scored high on all aptitude tests and generally did well but...

I was disorganized.
I daydreamed alot especially if I understood something and the class was moving slow.
I was labeled "The absent minded professor", "not working to potential", "head in the clouds", and lazy.
It was hard for me to keep assignments and notebooks organized.
I was frequently late with projects, and procrastinated, even though the work was quite easy for me
I had a hard time finding things and had a lot of anxiety looking for things that were right in front of me.

I went through most of school this way. Around my junior year, I began to suffer with depression. Depression caught up again with me while in my early 20's while in the Air Force. I was first treated with Zoloft, which opened the world up for me again for about 9 months. I then began to suffer with depression and chronic fatigue which eventually led to a medical honorable discharge from the service. I finished an Associates degree in electronics while in the military, and changed to Computer Science when I returned home. I had a lot of stumbles in not feeling well and was eventually put on Paxil. I finished an Associates degree in Computer Science and started working at my current job.

At this time a girfriend of mine who was a counselor suspected that I have ADD. She noticed a lot of symptoms I had, and thought that I exhibited tell-tale traits of some of her students. I was screened for Adult ADD and my scores were off the charts. that was 3 years ago when I was 28.

So I guess people knew, but it wasn't until later in life that someone pointed it out to me. What kills me, is I had all of the same symptons 10 years prior, and some all my life and I had sought treatment. No one ever suggested Adult ADD.

I anyone has suspected that I have ADHD, no one has ever admitted it to me. I sure do wish that some one could have told me years ago that they thought I did. The most I've ever got from anyone is you're a little strange, different, eccentric, scatter brained, etc.... I don't really think this qualifies as being told they suspected ADHD. Most likely they weren't aware.

People could see something was wrong, but I was never told i might have ADD.

Throughout shool, I scored high on all aptitude tests and generally did well but...

I was disorganized.
I daydreamed alot especially if I understood something and the class was moving slow.
I was labeled "The absent minded professor", "not working to potential", "head in the clouds", and lazy.
It was hard for me to keep assignments and notebooks organized.
I was frequently late with projects, and procrastinated, even though the work was quite easy for me
I had a hard time finding things and had a lot of anxiety looking for things that were right in front of me.

I went through most of school this way. Around my junior year, I began to suffer with depression. Depression caught up again with me while in my early 20's while in the Air Force. I was first treated with Zoloft, which opened the world up for me again for about 9 months. I then began to suffer with depression and chronic fatigue which eventually led to a medical honorable discharge from the service. I finished an Associates degree in electronics while in the military, and changed to Computer Science when I returned home. I had a lot of stumbles in not feeling well and was eventually put on Paxil. I finished an Associates degree in Computer Science and started working at my current job.

At this time a girfriend of mine who was a counselor suspected that I have ADD. She noticed a lot of symptoms I had, and thought that I exhibited tell-tale traits of some of her students. I was screened for Adult ADD and my scores were off the charts. that was 3 years ago when I was 28.

So I guess people knew, but it wasn't until later in life that someone pointed it out to me. What kills me, is I had all of the same symptons 10 years prior, and some all my life and I had sought treatment. No one ever suggested Adult ADD.

I'm not sure if I could have written any better word for word or do you have some strange ESP mind reading thing going??????

In a few words, that describes my life very closely. I'm the inattentive type which was probably another reason that nobody ever suggested. "But he's so smart"....etc, etc, etc...........

EJOM definitely hit a few nails on the head here!

I was recently diagnosed, at 39, by my therapist. I began seeing my umpteeth different therapist (thoughout my life, overall) in July of this year, for overall depression and axiety. Midway through our second session, he asked if I had ever been tested/diagnosed with ADHD. I thought...uh...no...I am not an overly hyperactive person, why would you think that? (I only assumed ADHD was for people who were physically hyperactive) Well, he gave me a screening test, and just asked if I'd humor him.

Passed that. A few more test and a specialist later, I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. I was really hacked off at the time that I had been diagnosed so late in life. How many therapists had I seen and not ONE ever mentioned investigating ADHD as a cause for what might be 'wrong' with me. My previous MD's had never noticed anything unusual to explore that as a possibility. Teachers and professors certainly never saw that...but they sure did notice my "not working up to potential" or "daydreaming" or "blurts out answers."

I'm now getting over being too angry about it. If none of them were trained to look for it, then they didn't know it was something to check for. I can't fault them for what they didn't know, just as I can't fault myself for being 'scatty' when I now know my 'scattiness' was WAY out of my control.

It's difficult, because there are SO many coping habits I've learned that now have to be 'unlearned', and I have to resist the temptation to criticize myself when I veer off course (which happens ALOT! lol!). I, too, am the inattentive type, so I guess I can see why it may have never been discovered, since I always assumed ADHD people were always physically active, and I'm not particularly physically hyper. (mentally..that's ANOTHER story! lol!).

I just hope that, while I am relearning to manage my life, I can help educate others on ADHD.

I found out yet again that my parents can pick behaviour changes in me well before I realise myself.
A few weeks ago I was at their place for Father's Day, and was constantly being asked if everything was ok. I kept telling them it was, and I was just tired and getting over a virus. Their asking should have been a sign to me, that I was about to crash emotionally.
It's just interesting how I can be really intuitive about other people yet miss the most obvious things in myself.

EJOM definitely hit a few nails on the head here!

I was recently diagnosed, at 39, by my therapist. I began seeing my umpteeth different therapist (thoughout my life, overall) in July of this year, for overall depression and axiety. Midway through our second session, he asked if I had ever been tested/diagnosed with ADHD. I thought...uh...no...I am not an overly hyperactive person, why would you think that? (I only assumed ADHD was for people who were physically hyperactive) Well, he gave me a screening test, and just asked if I'd humor him.

Passed that. A few more test and a specialist later, I was officially diagnosed with ADHD. I was really hacked off at the time that I had been diagnosed so late in life. How many therapists had I seen and not ONE ever mentioned investigating ADHD as a cause for what might be 'wrong' with me. My previous MD's had never noticed anything unusual to explore that as a possibility. Teachers and professors certainly never saw that...but they sure did notice my "not working up to potential" or "daydreaming" or "blurts out answers."

I'm now getting over being too angry about it. If none of them were trained to look for it, then they didn't know it was something to check for. I can't fault them for what they didn't know, just as I can't fault myself for being 'scatty' when I now know my 'scattiness' was WAY out of my control.

It's difficult, because there are SO many coping habits I've learned that now have to be 'unlearned', and I have to resist the temptation to criticize myself when I veer off course (which happens ALOT! lol!). I, too, am the inattentive type, so I guess I can see why it may have never been discovered, since I always assumed ADHD people were always physically active, and I'm not particularly physically hyper. (mentally..that's ANOTHER story! lol!).

I just hope that, while I am relearning to manage my life, I can help educate others on ADHD.

I feel your pain KC. Not sure if this describes you too, but for me I had so many other things masking the ADD (PTSD, depression, alcohol and drug abuse) that it wasn't until I peeled them all away one by one and happened to be seeing a woman for marriage counseling that had ADD herself that I was ever asked about it. When she first asked, I was like "No. Why would anyone have ever asked me about ADD?" because I also was uninformed and only knew about the hyperactivity. After looking into it and doing a few tests, I am now asking "Why didn't anyone ever ask me about ADD?"

hmm, no one in my family knew about ADD or adhd
. about three years ago while seeing a therapist with my wife she was asked how I do things...her answer triggered the therapist to suggest Thom Hartmanns book and she said "that is you". At my next appointment it was suggested that i read the book as well and it was a big "ahhhhaaaa" that is me..

I had most of the classic signs but no one noticed because i was able to disguise them well. Some how i managed to get thru chiropractic college, but i never got things on the first read. One of the things from thoms book mentioned always getting a seat near a window, another big ahhhaaa.
I do now seem to be able to pick it out in friends and sometimes mention it depending on circumstance ect. Sometimes i still get the "that is a cop out" line but it does not really bother me much anymore- just proves to me they have small minds....