I am just curious... what happens to us? specifically the inattentive type.

i want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now? where you would be with/without your medication. would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier. what are your goals in life?

i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life.

I'm an "H", I'm nowhere, I rent my grandma's basement, I'm on social assistance for the first time in my life the past 2 months, I can't decide what my identity is, I don't know what I want to do with my life that I'll end up hating or being bored of in a year, as all my other dead end jobs ended up like.

Medicated I'm pretty much the same way, just calmer and slower. Unmedicated I don't know, I don't want to be unmedicated anymore.

If I hadn't been taken off Ritalin before high school who knows where I would be now? I might have left the mind-control cult I stayed into until last January, I might have applied myself in school and gotten a scholarship. Or I might be exactly where I am now.

My only goal in life is to change, be mobile, improve myself, and not be a loner in this basement forever.

Well right now I'm in the Navy. I'm in surgical tech school and it surely is hard for me. I'm in the clinical part and I feel like I'm a burden sometimes because it takes me a while to catch on to things unlike other people. I love the job, but it's really technical. I'm slowly cathching on to things and I'm constantly learning different things every day. I just hope I'm ok by the time I graduate. If I get through this school it will only be because of God's grace.

Besides doing this my passion is writing. There's times when I get so motivated to write and then theres times when I just get bored to quickly and don't even bother. I was also thinking of becoming a pshiciatrist or some type of counselor for those with my condition or any mental disability.


I am just curious... what happens to us? specifically the inattentive type.

i want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now? where you would be with/without your medication. would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier. what are your goals in life?

i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life.

"Do people like us ever get anywhere?"

Hmmm, you mean like Albert Einstein? Did you know that he was 4 years old before he could speak, and it was not until after he turned 7 before he was able to read?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? Mozart´s life shows that he displayed many of the hallmarks of ADHD. He was a whirlwind of energy, agitated, impatient, impulsive, easily distracted, creative, innovative, provocative, irreverent and a maverick. He has composed some the world´s most complex and beautiful music.

Henry Ford?

Thomas Edison?

Alexander Graham Bell?

Ben Franklin?

Frank Lloyd Wright?

Robin Williams?

Jim Carey?

etc., etc.

http://borntoexplore.org/famous.htm

Glad they found someway to succeed in civilisation (which lets face it is set-up in our disadvantage) using their abilities (not symptoms ;))

Where I have come before knowing I had ADD:
On the positive side: being able to earn my own income as a computer programmer, and even having built up so much experience that I have no trouble finding a job. Being generally liked / valued by others. Feeling positive about life despite the issues that I ran into time and time again.
On the negative side: serious underperformance. Erratic performance. Not having been able to follow university. Relationship issues due to unrecognised ADD traits.

While I can speculate whether things would have gone different *if* I had been diagnosed earlier, there is no way to know. And I don't really want to linger there for too long since it does not help me.

I hope a couple of things will change now I am aware that I have ADD, have been diagnosed and use medication: I hope to better be able to use my talents, in my work and elsewhere. I hope that my next relationship will be more rewarding. I hope that I will be able to maintain friendships better. Maybe I'll try and get that degree after all.

I have already noticed that I am much more aware of who I really am deep inside, what's important and what not. My self esteem is a lot higher. My social anxiety seems gone.

My father, my brother and I all have H, I, combo and we have had sucessful lives even though we did not get diagnoised untill later in life. My dad retired at age 52 having made great financial decisions and travels the globe with my mother. My brother is a Lt. commander in the coast guard and works in DC, owns two homes, boat and has a wonderful wife and two great kids. I have a wonderful husban,two kids and a masters degree and have worked in the same school district for 8 years until I quit to be a stay at home mom. Both my brother and I payed for our own college by the way. We did not get to live off our family while we simply went to school. I worked three jobs and paid my own way 100%. All three of us had a rough time. We have to work three times harder than other people, but my family has a very strong work ethic and we do not give up no matter how many times it goes wrong. We are a stubborn group! But, with the medicine....... Life is calm!!!!! Much easier to take. I don't have to make figure 8's on my way from point A to point B!

Where I have come before knowing I had ADD:
On the positive side: being able to earn my own income as a computer programmer, and even having built up so much experience that I have no trouble finding a job. Being generally liked / valued by others. Feeling positive about life despite the issues that I ran into time and time again.
On the negative side: serious underperformance. Erratic performance. Not having been able to follow university. Relationship issues due to unrecognised ADD traits.

While I can speculate whether things would have gone different *if* I had been diagnosed earlier, there is no way to know. And I don't really want to linger there for too long since it does not help me.

I hope a couple of things will change now I am aware that I have ADD, have been diagnosed and use medication: I hope to better be able to use my talents, in my work and elsewhere. I hope that my next relationship will be more rewarding. I hope that I will be able to maintain friendships better. Maybe I'll try and get that degree after all.

I have already noticed that I am much more aware of who I really am deep inside, what's important and what not. My self esteem is a lot higher. My social anxiety seems gone.


It sounds like you have a great life. It is great to look back and see how far one has come and how far one can go!

soccerloven,

I'm 26 and was just diagnosed a few months ago. I started suspecting that I was ADD when I was around 19. I never looked into ADD very seriously though and I regret it.

I came to the US from Bosnia when I was 12 and a half and had a pretty rough time adjusting and having to interpret for my parents (taking on the adult role... filling out paperwork dealing with doctors and lawyers, remembering dates and names and all that stuff that is especially hard for ADD type people) and feeling like I didn't belong... didn't have any roots... having issues with my identity and such. I dropped out of high school. I didn't get a GED, but I did graduate college. I have two B.As; one in Philosophy and one in Applied Linguistics. My goals were to go into computational linguistics and do work on natural language processing...although I was terrified of applying to graduate school so that hasn't happened yet :)

I developed an eating disorder as a teenager and am just now getting over it. Adderall was a miracle in treating my eating disorder. I've been to eating disorder clinics as a teenager, was treated for depression and PTSD and nothing seemed to work until I finally found someone who was able to examine me, listen to my history and diagnose me as ADD. Taking my first dose of Adderall felt like what I imagine it feels to get glasses after having poor vision for most of your life.

What I'm trying to say is that I wish I had been diagnosed earlier. I think had I been diagnosed earlier, I probably wouldn't have suffered with an eating disorder for 12 years nor would I have been so frustrated with myself for starting things and never being able to follow through, with feeling stupid and inferior. I probably wouldn't have dropped out of high school and I probably would have gone to college that matched my interests and academic abilities.

But nevertheless even without medication I did manage to study what I wanted to study in college and graduate (it just took me longer and there were a few bumps). I am also a kinesthetic learner and as a result I think fitted very well into the technology field and as a teenager taught myself a lot about what interested me, computers/programming, and currently work in the technology field. I own a house, can drive myself places (miracle!), and have money to travel. I am in the process of applying to graduate school for a masters in software engineering and am hopeful that medication will help me complete it in a timely manner and with fewer tears :)

Be nice to yourself. Being ADD does not doom you to failure. It can be frustrating and affect your self esteem, make you feel like you're not performing to your potential, but it doesn't doom you to failure. You know you are ADD, you know that it is a neurological condition and that there are ways to treat it, if you choose to. You also know or with experience will learn which deficits you have and the reason behind those deficits and will learn to compensate or adjust for them. Additionally, I think as you grow and learn more about yourself you'll find that there are a lot of benefits to being ADD as well. I know two ADD people in real life (neither one was able to finish school), one has a multi million dollar company and the other is an incredibly smart/creative person who amazes me daily at work with most creative unique ways of solving problems. Neither one of them is a failure. So be nice to yourself!

It sounds like you have a great life. It is great to look back and see how far one has come and how far one can go!
Maybe it's more correct to say that it feels full op hope. It has been really tough at times, but still, considering everything, I never have had the idea that I should complain or feel sorry for myself.
For some reason that does not occur to me. Sure, a lot of ppl have had a much smoother time, but a lot are fare worse off than I ever was. And heck, with every bump I have to admit that it all contributes to being *me*. And yes, it's great to see how far I have already come despite this severe inattention.

The ADD diagnosis is definitely the best thing that ever happened to me. My life, the movement, the process, the hope, yes indeed, that's undeniably great! :)

I would guess that ADHDers are much more likely to be successful than ADDers.
ADHD and ADD are very different disorders.
ADHD is a deficit of inhibitory control.
ADD is a deficit of working memory, executive control and motivation.

ADHDers' social problems generally arise from impulsivity and unthinkingness - they are generally extroverted and unself-conscious, and their problems are clear for all to see ... so they tend to be diagnosed quite early in life.

ADDers' social problems arise from passivity, withdrawal and under-arousal - they are generally introverted, self-conscious, socially isolated and tend to internalise problems ... hence they frequently go undiagnosed.

ADHDers generally adapt better to the demands of life because they are able to learn a good degree of inhibitory control - so there are generally fewer obstacles to success than there are with ADDers.

Because ADDers have problems with working memory and executive functioning, the problems they face are not readily amenable to behavioural self-modification.
IOW, their problems are fundamentally more hardware-based.
Their chances of life-success are accordingly, dramatically lower than those of ADHDers.
Executive dysfunctionality makes staying focused very difficult for ADDers and they become bored very easily, losing interest and failing to complete on tasks that were otherwise, well begun.
For this reason, they face very substantial obstacles to success at any level.
This is not to say that they are always unsuccessful, but the effort required of them to succeed is vastly greater than it is for their ADHD counterparts.

ADHD is a deficit of inhibitory control.
ADD is a deficit of working memory, executive control and motivation.

and combine ADD would be????? This all or nothing approach is not very accurate - considering most ADDers are combined meaning they have both problem with impulsivity / hyperactivity {or did have as a child} and inattention. Many here have more inattentive symptoms outwardly but problems with impulse control can be seen upon further revelations


Instead of seeing what other sub-types have that I do not have I have read here and in many many books to find what it is we do have in common - seeing that the current medical profession classifies us all as being ADD but with different expressions or subtypes

This definition has it's roots in John Ratey's book "Shadow Syndrome" but has been modified by me - it applies equally to all three subtypes.

ADD - the inability to consciously control your direction of focus and length of attention span.




ADHDers' social problems generally arise from impulsivity and unthinkingness - they are generally extroverted and unself-conscious, and their problems are clear for all to see ... so they tend to be diagnosed quite early in life.

Gee I am primarily hyperactive one of the few most will meet in this medium and this doesn't fit me at all - I was very aware I was different, self conscious is not some thing I lacked and what appeared to be unable to control my impulse to move to many was the need to move out of physical pain . . . and I am not too sure if I would call 29 "quite early" in life - it would greatly depend upon the length of ones life - wouldn't it so if I live to be 99 then I can say that I was diagnosed quiet early in life- however I was well into my adult years - so please do not try and place me some nice neat little box of categorizes I hire mental professionals for that - but thank you any way.

My point

Generalizations are never accurate - yes that is a trick statement.:D

Inattenttive ADDers are not the only ones who struggle nor do thier symptoms present any more of an obstacle to success. Perhaps because the more hyperactive have more energy it only appears we do not struggle as much - not one person who posted above said their achievements came easily.

While the energy shown by those who are more physically active may make the feeling of slow or sluggish seem like it would be worse however often times inattentive ADDers are not even noticed as stated above however they are not picked on singled out for emotional abuse nearly as often {generally speaking that is} They are more able to sit in one place and some how society as a whole seems to prefer that compared to those of us who interrupt while others are speaking because we are afraid we will forget the question if we wait to ask it - or are unable to sit still because it hurts to be still for to long meaning we distract them which is never taken well. Yes we are motivated by every change in the wind so instead of sitting ideally by undecided so we can't move we chase our tails in nine different directions- like some how that is easier????

{what ever} I would not say inattentive ADDers are less likely to be successful than other subtypes nor would I venture as far as to say any one sub-type suffers more than the others-

Do people like us ever get anywhere?

Where is it you want to go?


want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now?

IN front of my computer like you - sorry I couldn't resist.

I am "middle age" and have worked in a couple of different professions. Right now I am taking a break from the NTer world by working with my husband in his business - may it is our business now - so I work for myself.






where you would be with/without your medication.

I really do not know I do not think any one really does know the answers to these thing for sure All we can do is imagine and for those of us whose Adderall wore off oh around 2;00am we aren't going to be able to focus long enough to write out what our imagination comes up with.

My husband is more annoying when I am un-medicated -




would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier.


Many thing I am sure but it doesn't make any difference really because I was 29 and wishing it were different won't help me make any difference in my future - will it?





what are your goals in life?

To learn how to go to bed before 4;00am on a work night - I did really well last week I have sucked this week. I would also like to actually build a house on the property my husband and I are buying - I could plan it out and lay it o out for him but I have so far been unable to get myself to focus very well lately - some of it is depression related to an incident but what was it before the incident?





i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life.

Several thing have already come out of my life some being more successful than others but I still have phases where I feel just as lost as you describe - it normally happen when I do not have current goals I am working on or I have slacked off on the one I am supposed to be working - like I am right now. . .

I tend to agree with meadd824.

I have compo and my hyperactivity and inpulsiveness is what is the most difficult for me personally to controll. My meds really help the inattentive part.

But what I saw everyday in my special education classroom that I taught for 7 years helps me put my son's and my ADHD in perspective. I had kids in there that will never have any job, marriage or children and may only live a few more years. It really helps me to realize that my son and I at least have a shot at life and can make the best of it.

I'm midway from 33. Up until about six months ago I thought I was destined to fail at everything, ruin my husbands life, emotionally and financially, be a total loser in the Mom department too... etc. etc.

When I realized I had ADD, I realized that I was not dysfunctional. I wasn't "broken", or missing any parts. I'm just ADD. The realization has been just as much a therapy as the meds have.

So now when I look at my life, here's what I see, I'm nearly a financial expert because I've read, researched and learned so much due to our financial ails. My brain is full of various bits of knowledge simply because I love to research anything, and my beloved ADD gives me the go ahead to research what I want without thinking "this is useless, I'm wasting my time". I'm the go-to for information when my friends need something.

I'm also the master organizer. My closets and drawers would make Martha Stewart tear up. Thanks to my ADD I can spend hours on end organizing my band aids, and now, I know where to find the knuckle ones. My girlfriend loves when I come over because I can't help myself from cleaning, sorting and organizing her kitchen drawers.

I've also realized, I'm only 33. People in their extra golden years have accomplished things I've only dreamt about. College, dream jobs, families, etc. I'm not dead. I have so much life and I can do whatever I want, I just have to think differently, find alternate ways to achieve, use resources more effectively.

I personally am so excited to realize I have a valid reason for why I made the decisions and choices I've made up until now. I'm also grateful that I have resources that allow me to function much better now. I'm not a perfect Mom, and I never will be, but I don't feel like a failure anymore. Removing that emotion from my life made the biggest difference.

Nothing worth having is easy. Nothing is going to be handed to me. Not only that, I've already learned, things I worked for, I appreciate more.

you're not alone in how you feel. i don't mean to make you feel that your feelings aren't valid, I just chose to not dwell on the negative. I'm quite happy to look to the future and where I WILL be, rather than the mess I've been through.

I was diagnosed as adhd a few months ago and only started taking medication recently so all my years previously were totally un-medicated.

I've had a succesfull career in the video game industry as both programmer, designer and artist, written a book and published a few titles ranging from Tom Clancy through to CBS as clients.

Luckily for me I was in an industry that was (I consider) best suited for the incredibly hyper and creative - had I been stuck doing just database programming (not that there's anything wrong with that mind you) working at a typical office, I would have gone bonzo earlier than I did.

It was only when I left the game industry to work at the stifled "office" setting (because I was just getting too burned out with all the crazy hours) is when I really started having problems. Having to abide by someone else's rules, schedules etc.. drove me nuts - and still does.

I have no doubt that before coming to "this" job I was far better off mentally , financially and physically. So I feel that I kind of went the other way around. Right now, things seem somewhat dismal but I'm sure they'll change.

Is there hope? Sure! It's about using your add/adhd as an advantage rather than living in the box society wants us in.

back through to the original post -
I think that a large part of the problem is that the ADDer doesn't buy into the ideals of nonADDer society -
- and instead of seeing it as such -
- instead -
- sees him or herself as unable to engage -

because of disorder
(not distaste or dislike)

Does anybody ever make anything of themself?

In the movies -
- one often hears -

'that boy
- he'll never amount to anything'

where amount = $job + $house + $cadillac + $(pink wife or blue husband)
- and
~well~

the thought bores me into mind numbing paralysis

- so I thinks to myself -
what does 'making something of myself' ~actually~ mean ?

-> Actually nothing -
- only happiness is important.

*Not* twee -
- what is happiness (though)?
- would be the question which need be chased -

- its answer will solve the question of
'and our aspiration is towards what exactly?'

- happiness won't turn out to be found in job, physical belonging or title per se.

There're always other jobs, belongings and titles to
covet
(after all).

So where ?

:-)


it's behind you

I am just curious... what happens to us? specifically the inattentive type.

i want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now? where you would be with/without your medication. would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier. what are your goals in life?

i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life.

I feel lost too... :/
I've just started taking concerta pills without seeing any doctor. I just don't wanna waste any more of my parents money u know?... they already have to pay dental to fix the tooth i broke doing my hyperactive sports. lol

often times inattentive ADDers are not even noticed as stated above however they are not picked on singled out for emotional abuse nearly as often {generally speaking that is}

I totally disagree. In my experience, hyper kids were more popular in school (maybe they were perceived as more "fun") and space cadets got picked on a lot more often. I read somewhere that inattentives may also be more emotionally sensitive than hyperactives (so their perception of events might be more negative). I suppose it all comes back to our individual experiences and perceptions. In any case, we shouldn't all be fighting over who gets the bigger pity pot.

Can inattentives be successful? Maybe... i would think not as much in science or engineering fields... but possibly in art and writing. I'm sure if I cared enough to want to do it, I could be a successful artist. But I'd rather be a scientist.

I think that a large part of the problem is that the ADDer doesn't buy into the ideals of nonADDer society -
- and instead of seeing it as such -
- instead -
- sees him or herself as unable to engage -
because of disorder
(not distaste or dislike)


Viva Los Slackers! Disorder is part of the problem, but personally, my distaste and dislike for society at large has grown out of proportion with my disorder. Have you seen the books "Voluntary Simplicity" and "Affluenza"? We don't need all this Chinese-made plastic crap they're always trying to sell us. A person shouldn't be measured by the neighborhood they live in or the car they drive. The U.S. is looking more and more like a bunch of sheep these days. Have you seen the show "Sweet Sixteen" (try not to)? It's awful how materialistic western society has become. To hell with the Joneses. We must march to the beat of our own drum.

"who me?" i totally disagree with you... i do not think that the innatentive type has more trouble finding and acheiving success at all. Many inattentive people, (like me) actually have very good memories, etc. I guess it could go either way, i can argue that the way hyper people are constantly just switching around from thing to thing.. idea to idea.. project to project, job to job, etc... will hold them back.

... ... my distaste and dislike for society at large has grown out of proportion with my disorder.
Have you seen the books "Voluntary Simplicity" and "Affluenza"? We don't need all this .. ... plastic crap they're always trying to sell us.
A person shouldn't be measured by the neighborhood they live in or the car they drive.
The U.S. is looking more and more like a bunch of sheep these days.
Have you seen the show "Sweet Sixteen" (try not to)?
It's awful how materialistic western society has become.
To hell with the Joneses.
We must march to the beat of our own drum.

I don't really know any of those shows -
- but there is one thing that I am absolutely positive about - and that is that the pursuit of money has usurped the place of a 'higher desire' -
though 'usurp' is perhaps too generous a term -
- since despite knowing
- that 'higher desire' - has never actually been explained sufficiently well -
- for all of us to be tempted sufficiently by its promise
- to change.

Regardless of wherever we should be going -
(putting that out of the equation for a second -)
- is there anybody who actually has a deep-seated belief that the pursuit of money is the right thing to do?

The question is worded a little unfairly -
would genuinely like to know though - whether there're any people out there
- who think that the pursuit of money is the route to happiness.

I think being nice is the most obvious route to happiness -
especially when people are nice back.

Tell you the truth -
- I don't much like people (at least the physical presence)
- everything - from the low bandwidth of 'talking' as medium of communication
to the inevitable
"can you do this? that? oh! and maybe also - the other? for me"
placing us in the awkward position where we're forced to feel bad if we decline -

- happens to me too often -

it's a pleasure to do nice things for nice people -
not for the others -
often left with the feeling that there's some sense of success felt by others - when others get their way -
- especially so when obviously against one's will.
Or maybe myself and my wife are sensitive to that sort of behaviour -
- anyhow -
we solve the problem by withdrawing from society in the physical sense - into this much more proper virtual world.

'd be nice to have moderators in real life -
manners appear not to be 'de rigeur' these days -
or maybe manners are one of the many casualties suffered from desperately trying to make
overinflated mortgage repayments.at ridiculously high rates of interest on overpriced houses.

Houses are just a few bricks - a couple of planks of wood - with an electricity inlet and water inlet and outlet pipe;
somehow though they've become anchor-shaped and connected to a chain - which has then been wrapped thrice around our necks
- immediately prior to the anchor being released into a particularly deep part of a rather large ocean.

"Sweet sixteen" (I have watched about 5 minutes of it, on MTV, regrettably) has these 16 year old rich California girls whose daddies spend $100,000 or more on their 16th birthday parties. One girl was whining/bragging about getting what she wants and bought an ugly dressed priced at $7000. All this while some kids in Africa (or even New Orleans) are homeless and starving. The girls complain constantly that this or that thousand dollar thing isn't perfect. It is truly disgusting. Anyways I'm wandering too far off topic, sorry. But if that is what defines success, we can live without.

I had a logo thing on a baseball cap I bought -
cut it out and sealed the hole with duct tape.

I grant you - it's not much to look at - and people might feel the urge to stop me in the street with offer of a few pence for a cup of tea -
- but there's a point - and that is that
I don't want to get wet -
not -
- I want to be a human advert.

Advertising generally costs the company money -
so
- how come we're expected to pay for a product and aren't paid for advertising that company's name?


Duct tape suffers a bit in the washing machine
:-)
(good enough for me though)

and combine ADD would be?????

I think a definition mismatch may be playing up here as well. Who_me is from Europe (as I am originally) and at least in the Netherlands they use "ADD" for inattentive ADD only, and ADHD is used for mixed type and hyperactive/impulsive-only. So, over there, there is no such thing as combine ADD.

It is very confusing .. in North America, ADD and ADHD basically mean the same thing (i.e. can refer to any subtype), but in Europe (ok, at least in the Netherlands) it's not like that.

I agree with Who_me up to a degree, although I think it is indeed not that clear-cut. So many more factors play a role ... intelligence, social background, coping skills, whatnot ... though generally, my impression is that people that have at least a portion of hyperactivity/impulsivity in them them tend to be more successful and energetic.

I am just curious... what happens to us? specifically the inattentive type.

Hard to find something that covers ALL of us - but I imagine we'll be missing out on a lot of folly.. I used to say that it's better not to hear everything that goes on.. of course that's lost some of its precocious wisdom now that I know it's a big disease and all.

i want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now?

I'm pretty much where I want to be, for real. Had you asked me that when I was 15? Different answer.

where you would be with/without your medication.

W/o meds, I'd be.. right where I am now. Can't help bc I started them way too short a time ago.

would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier.

Dx'ed earlier? Well, excellent question. Too early - I think I would have ended up selling myself short, thinking I couldn't do things because of my dx. Just early enough - I would have, w/o a doubt, finished college earlier. Worth it? Not sure. Oh, and I've always regretted not sticking with the soccer team. That is one fun sport, and I'm not a "sport" kind of girl.

what are your goals in life?

My goals in life -- well, that's hard to say (thanks for asking). But my goals in my newly branded life -- to understand myself. And others.

i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life

Sorry man. I feel that way sometimes too. I think that's why over and over on this board people say things like "but I'm really smart, my IQ is through the roof, I do really well on tests, most people would call me successful" - like we have to constantly apologize for ourselves. These external markers of success -- degrees, salaries, etc. -- you could call them "bulls*it" (and really, they are), but they're something to hang on to when you feel like.. nothing will come out of your life. Becasue it's "proof" that something has, sort of. So I say don't stop reaching for them - it's a lot easier to judge something once you've experienced it, rejecting "it" outright can turn into bitterness real quick. But I hope you don't get too caught up either -- remember it's your life.

----------
So many more factors play a role ... intelligence, social background, coping skills, whatnot ... though generally, my impression is that people that have at least a portion of hyperactivity/impulsivity in them them tend to be more successful and energetic.

Right ON. The "quirky" label is better than the "invisible" label. Just to generalize. But no one's ever called me the fun one, humph.

man!

this world so rocks.
->-
A wikiP article on duct tape which celebrates its many uses including clothing.

Yay (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape)!

Some people enjoy making novelty items out of duct tape or decorating objects with it. Increased interest in creating these novelty and fashion pieces (such as duct tape prom dresses and handbags) has given rise to designer duct tape handbags, wallets, belts and related items.
there *is* hope for this world -
after all

- duct tape uses #1-#3 -

-1- protection of all electrical portable gizmos
-2- repair of anything that exists inside and out
-3- stopping security guards from shooting us whilst we put all of their gold bullion into the back of our 1960's mini
- of course - immediately prior to returning it to the supernova from whence it came.

~s (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duct_tape)~
It is generally silver or black in color (although often green in the UK)
muahahaha!

The UK sooo rules.

;-)

maybe we could wrap the people in that MTV program in duct tape - from head to foot - and then remove it in

one
painful
yank

:-)

(or however many appear on the show)

it's interesting to read that. My son is ADHD and was diagnosed at 8. His biggest issue is impulsivity and I pray you are right when you say they learn it as they get older to a degree. Right now he is dealing with sexual assault charges stemming from impulsively grabbing a friends boob. My fear is that this will destry his life!

Yea, that is kind of the thing that is with me.

Its not that I don't feel like I will get anywere, or that I wont suceed, its.

I just don't....

To put it bluntley, I don't really fully concern myself...with the "non add world"
I thing its just....stuiped....yea...stuiped....

Well for me it has really been a mixed bag. I've successfully completed both college and grad school. I've also completed two years of Peace Corps service in Africa.

But I think ADD has challenged me in other areas where I'm not quite as successful. I've struggled many years with maintaining healthy dating relationships with other women. I find that I'm a bit emotionally immature and being distracted and disorganized doesn't help matters either. Also I'm challenged in the realm of work where lack of structure increases my overall disorganization and procrastination on various work projects.

Many friends and family would never guess that I was recently diagnosed with ADD, but they don't hang around me 24/7 either.

Where am I now? I'm half way through law school, although constantly struggling due to procrastination and mismanagement of money and time. Living off of student loans is really difficult with ADHD since I have to budget two annual loan dispersements to last all year... so a couple times a year I am usually being threatened with eviction and my utilities are shut off until the next loan check finally comes through.

I constantly worry I will not succeed as a lawyer and also wonder whether I even want to be a lawyer anyway. I was diagnosed and put on meds less than a year ago. The meds dont do much; but the diagnosis at least helped me put my 'failures' in perspective and has been awakening for me. I am the inattentive type. Although my father hasnt been formally diagnosed, I think he is a combined type and he has been very successful at owning his own advertising company as the 'creative director'. I think meds could possibly hurt his career since his creative mind is the backbone of his position. But maybe not...

I definitely feel lost too. School sucks and I barely get by; there still is such a stigma attached to ADHD, and I feel like an outcast. I'm in law school because I'm very passionate about social injustices, but I feel like I'm atypical and basically seen as eccentric (in a bad way). I'll be 200K in debt when I graduate so so much for fighting injustice which doesnt pay crap.

On the positive side, I'm thankful that I am a non-conformist and think outside of the box. I attribute many of my successes to ADHD since I have no fear of change/moving and my hyper-focusing and determination allowed me to get to law school although I never attended high school at all. It has been my experience that those of us with ADHD are great at multitasking, and I have been very successful in jobs/life when a lot is going on.

I think it depends on when your diagnosed and start treatment. Fortunitley your youn and much more is known about ADD ADHD. If you have it with depression which seems common it's worse.

I'm 59 yrs old and was diagnosed till about ten years ago. I'm sure based on your finding it early your future will not be like my past with over 100 jobs .

Went to college despite dropping put of high school at 17 to go in the Navy where I could drink (Self medicate) I finished high school and got a degree from Univ of Delaware. Well that degree for me was not worth the paper it was written on. Although I did a lot more drinking at college.

It was in business that I was introduced to pot in NYC Advertising. I did great work but never stayed at any place long enough. And to me it was an extension of college a lot of self medicating. I did not nor did anyone else hear about ADHD until my son was diagnosed with it by a great Dr. who has been treating me for the past ten years. He was so bad I thought he was demon possesed. The Dr was one of the pioneers in ADD. She has since stopped being a pediatrician and only treats neuropsycological disrders. depression, add, adhd, bipolar disorder etc.

But you , dear, will not have that ahead of you. There is enough knowledge and medication around now that you won't end up thinking you were just just a scrwed up negative personality. It is well known that ADD people have high IQ's and are generally more intellegent. What you can look forward to is harnessing that with treatment and medication.

I'm sure you will have a good and successful life. You were born at a good time.

I was sucessful for a brief time but all my job changing caught up with me I'm down to no money and not a lot to look forward to but hey I can't go back but you can go forward.

ok so happy moderator.. is knowing where we want to go not a contionuous issue for us with add?? i too am glad i now know at forty two why my life has been the way it has. also we all have heard of einstein, and all the others with this disease. most recently barack obama apparently says he has it. is that supposed to help us?? it only makes me feel less worthy to hear what others have done with this disease. i told my dad to please read the book driven to distraction. i dont know why i just did. no response. the only response i expect is one like i just saw of all the ones who have done so well with this. i promise i am 100 persent more positve than i was two years ago when i found out about this. i am also brand new to this sight so sorry for sarcasm. i just truly hope it has answers of ideas of HOW you with experience got where you are now. i will pipe down and read more as i am sure i will find some experience and tools on here that will help . thanks for having this sight , Dennis

I am just curious... what happens to us? specifically the inattentive type.

i want to hear stories (hyperactive too)... where are you are now? where you would be with/without your medication. would could have happened differently if you had been diagnosed earlier. what are your goals in life?

i guess i just feel lost, i feel like nothing will come out of my life.

Ouch. Being diagnosed with ADHD, PTSD, and Bipolar II at 45... It's really hard to say what might have been different. I don't know that it is possible to know what would have happened had I been diagnosed as a child. I was a smart kid, but my grades didn't reflect that. I could only guess that I might have finished my education and ended up with some kind of degree...and probably would not have the issues of alcoholism and PTSD.

However, I have found a career that pays reasonably well, and that I have been doing for a long time. My marriage is good, kids are doing alright. One is grown, the other nearly so. I've made tons of mistakes, but considering that I was undiagnosed, unmedicated, and rather badly treated, (The alcoholism "treatment" is the cause of the PTSD.) I've done OK.

As far as goals, I'm not sure. I'm thinking of a career change...thinking of maybe going back to school, but I will have to get some extra help or see if I have an LD as far as math goes, and will need a lot of help with financial aid, and physically finding my way around the campus. (That is actually the biggest barrier to higher ed. I can't find my way to my classes.)

In any case, retirement will probably never be an option for me. First, because I have no savings to speak of. Second, because I need the structure.

oh yeah somebody said we should not buy into the plastic life from china . i guess referring to our materialistic world. i agree with you fully .BUT. has it not been one of our biggest problems on how to live within this world? i cannot dream of trying to keep up with the jones. i have lived lightly and carefree most of my life . YET, i am a single parent. i do have bills . my daughter could care less about my dreamy ideals. even though she is very sweet about them. i am not asking how to completely conform. over my years of having this disorder although not knowing it. i have learned that discrediting the rest of the world and rebelling and living with my high ideals and trying to hold everyone else up to them . in turn shunning them even more and becoming quite judgemental. YOU WAKE UP WITH NO FRIENDS A BAD ATTITUDE AND NOONE TO LISTEN TO YOUR WONDERFUL RAMBLINGS. unless you give in to the more acceptable addictionss of alcohol or drugs then you have plenty of people to make you feel important. so THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO WE LIVE AMONGST THE OTHERS?? at least for me.

<hr style="color: rgb(209, 209, 225);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --> <!-- message --> im doing just find working at dads restaurant is like a dream come true my own boss i do what i want to with the job i haven't token medicines since i was 17 yrs old still same ol me i was diagnosed at age 5 been on medicines till i was 17 i never had goals still don't have goals they never happened so gave up with goals

wow i should really ck myself. there are people here close to my age or even older. i will shut up for a while and ck out what their experience is. no disrespect to you younger ones. i am sure you probably have most of the tools to help since their is more attention to this now. so i look forward to your insight too.

THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO WE LIVE AMONGST THE OTHERS??


~s (http://www.geocities.com/athens/academy/6422/rev0128.html)~
The three are believable characters, and the more we know about them the more we see how they have been cleverly selected to torment one another for eternity.THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO WE LIVE AMONGST THE OTHERS??
when 'huis clos'
THE BIG QUESTION IS ... ... ...
hell - other people it *is* ... ... no ???
... ... HOW DO WE LIVE ... ... ??
Am I another to an other ?
HOW ... ??

1.
Hell (like ADD)
- is a contextual disorder o' man a man mano a mano
2.
a - realization
b - change
c - redemption for the self(1) by the self(2) for your other selves(3)

:: contexts ::

(1)old (body)
(2)new (mind)
(3)collective species (zeitgeist - spirit - 'geist' - Holy spirit/ghost)

THE BIG QUESTION IS ...
why do people ask another hoping for an redemption to be conferred
when only the individual may seek redemption for him or herself

THE BIG ANSWER IS ...
*do*


you have all you need so to do


wikiP/Rabi Tagore (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabindranath_Tagore)
Gitanjali is Tagore's best-known collection, winning him his Nobel Prize

meditating upon the jivan devata ("living God within")

THE BIG QUESTION IS HOW DO WE LIVE AMONGST THE OTHERS??
Am I another to an other ?

Hell (like ADD)
- is a contextual disorder
:: contexts ::
(3)collective species (zeitgeist - spirit - 'geist' - Holy spirit/ghost)

Go a little more? Are you? Another, I mean.

http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:ABhAM3TXz7L6TM:http://www.ministryofmoney.org/papercut%2520people.jpg

Do people like us ever get anywhere?

Boards Of Canada - In a beautiful place out in the country

nice out
~in~

To boldly go ... ... ...
~within~
not without.

Do people like us ever get anywhere?
~ the final frontier (nth end) ~

~*~

n+1st start

http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/image6-2.gif

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=6 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=alt2 style="BORDER-RIGHT: 1px inset; BORDER-TOP: 1px inset; BORDER-LEFT: 1px inset; BORDER-BOTTOM: 1px inset">Do people like us ever get anywhere? </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Like "us" ?

like..that sounds like there is something *wrong* with us..

????? us?? we are people..all different...

we all got here didn't we?
So..yep..we are somewhere...and that's good ;-)

"Do people like us ever get anywhere?"

Hmmm, you mean like Albert Einstein? Did you know that he was 4 years old before he could speak, and it was not until after he turned 7 before he was able to read?

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart? Henry Ford? Thomas Edison? Alexander Graham Bell? Ben Franklin? Frank Lloyd Wright? Robin Williams? Jim Carey? etc., etc.

One thing I've learnt is that life throws you opportunities every so often, and doesn't matter if you're ADD or not it's finding the opportunities and maximizing them. What makes it hard for us ADDers is the last bit, and I guess often the first bit too..... But if you are in the right place at the right time......

I must admit I'm lucky - I've managed to wing my way through life somehow and get to the stage where I'm living comfortably. I'm not doing nearly as well as I should be doing, not by a long shot. I kick myself constantly about how stupid/lazy I am, (one thing I haven't managed to shake off from my past).

The people Lars mentioned are classic examples of ADDers who've 'made it', but they still had issues, still had depression. If you went back and asked Mozart whether he was happy with his life he'd probably say no.

I guess what I'm trying to say is: ADDers still fit into the jigsaw puzzle of life, (even though NTers don't want us to - but that's changing), it's just a matter of finding your sweet spot, (like NTers have to do as well).

All three of us had a rough time. We have to work three times harder than other people, but my family has a very strong work ethic and we do not give up no matter how many times it goes wrong. We are a stubborn group!
You hit the nail on the head here! Yes, ADDers do spend a lot more time doing the same thing NTers do. It's just harder, but not impossible. I found that pushing myself past my ADD limits helps. Much like someone does going to a gym to lift weights. It's painful, heck it's painful - but it's a 'good' pain.

- so I thinks to myself -
what does 'making something of myself' ~actually~ mean ?

-> Actually nothing -
- only happiness is important.

Totally agree SB. Most people equate
'making something of myself' ~= 'car' | 'house' | 'turquoise spouse' | 'title' ~= happiness

But I always think that bypassing that middle step is actually the most important bit. Being happy with what you have, 'cause the grass is always greener. Making something with what you have. Then, that's when the sudden realization comes about that the middle bit doesn't matter.

Soccerlove, Can I ask you why you feel lost? Maybe I can offer some specific insight that might help your situation.

Coffee...and now Adderall and coffee.

Happily married to the girl of my dreams, 3 kids, nice house, good vacations, and a job that pays 70K helping people. There were many many bumps. It can all be done. If you want it bad enough you will surprise yourself.

My sister and I are both inattentives and my brother and dad are H's - my mom is "normal." (Poor woman, living with all of us all these years!!)

--I am 24, newly married, newly medicated, working a full-time job as an administrative assistant to three busy pastors at a 2500-member church, while on the side building an increasingly successful photography business, taking pictures on weekends and editing them at night. On top of that, I also help my massage therapist husband build his self-operated business by brainstorming and designing advertising materials and strategies. I'm tired a lot, but it works.

--My sister is 18, undiagnosed and unmedicated, taking a NEVAC (job-related focus) program through her high school that lets her go through full-time beauty school for free, and is at the top of her class. She's also taking advantage of the Running Start program and is taking two (I think) classes at the community college. She goes through guys a lot, but... then again, she IS 18. ;)

--My brother is 21, diagnosed but currently unmedicated (I think), working as a plumber in a coveted apprentice program/position, and is in his second out of three years in the program. He's been fired once from one company for getting consistantly distracted on the job, but was picked up by another company fairly soon after that. He's been in a steady relationship with his girlfriend for a year now.

--My dad is a marriage and family therapist, undiagnosed and unmedicated, having gone to grad school (he and my mom both, at the same time, after they got married - whew!) and opened his own practice about 12 years ago. The practice has been up-and-down over the years, but is overall a success. He's published five books on various topics relating to his field, three or four of which have been translated into at least one foreign language. He's also been a popular speaker in many different conferences and groups.

I think realizing you have ADD and then learning to understand both the weaknesses and the strengths that it gives you, are extremely important in climbing up and making your life a purposeful one. That said, one can be successful without understanding those things, though life might be more depressing as you work through difficulties that you know shouldn't be difficult. I like what DeloresMelon posted -- "I realized that I was not dysfunctional. I wasn't 'broken', or missing any parts." I realized today that having ADD doesn't mean that I can excuse everything in life by just saying, "Oh, I can't do that -- I have ADD," but it just means that in some areas, I have to work a little bit harder to succeed. So what? Everyone has areas like that! Nothing is impossible. If you can't do it one way... just look for the side street around the corner!

im an airline pilot and my whole life ive been through ADD and ADHD.... if that doesnt scare normal people i dont know what will haha...

I'll start off by saying that if anything had been different in my life as far as being diagnosed as a child instead of at 36 and given the support and tools needed back then, I wouldn't be were I am today. And that would SUCK! I have the best damn husband and kids, a career I love, and I get to live in the mountains. Sure I may have gotten through college and become a fully educated Photojournalist or psychiatrist, or teacher. I'd have no wake of disappointed friends, employers, roomates,etc behind me. No grey hair. But I wouldn't be HERE.
After a few failed attempts at college I came to the conclusion that I do well when working with my hands. I became a massage therapist and am working on having some of my art shown locally. Sure, ADD is the bane of my existaence- but I DO have much to be thankful for.

Tried strattera-yucky. Heart palps and headrushes.
On Adderal so far for 6 months. Only slight improvement.:( Not what I was SO hoping for.