I am new to this site and thought I would post because I have concerns. I am not looking for answers - just a place to air my anxiety and maybe find support from people similar.

I have not been dx'd with ADD but am attempting to get an appointment to see if I can get a dx. My concerns are that I will be told I don't have ADD and then what will I do? If I don't have ADD then I will not know what's wrong with me and it will all become hopeless.

A little background (sorry if it's long winded - i tend to ealk excessively, lol):

I didn't even start to think I had ADD until my 7-yr-old son was diagnosed with ADHD near the end of last school year. It was then that I started researching because I wanted to learn more.

I had issues with behavior and attention as a child and always got into trouble in school because I wouldn't pay attention, do my work, and I skipped school a lot. I dropped out when I was 15 and got my GED when I was 16. My mind would wander and I would have difficulty listening to people talk without tuning them out. I was always told that I was just a problem child and needed to try harder.

I got married at 19 and that's when things really started to go downhill. I am completely unable to take care of myself! I am disorganized, overwhelmed easily, and forgetful. Yet I do not have all of the attention issues that I used to. I am able to listen to people when they talk now and don't tune them out so easily.

The problem is that I depend on my husband to take care of me because chores overwhelm me and I don't even know where to start half the time. If I can even get up the motivation to start, I quit after 10 minutes because I am bored or find something else to do. This causes problems between us because he thinks I am lazy and make excuses.

I am also hypersensitive to touch. Being touched makes my skin crawl, so to speak. I am also sensitive to light and startle easily.

I am extremely irresponsible and impulsive. Example: I have a $400 dentist bill that needs to be paid. We signed our tax check over to my mom to cash for us and I told her to keep the money but give me $400 to pay the bill. Instead of paying the bill, I spent a good portion of on expansion packs for my Sims game so I would have all of them. I played the Sims with expansions for about 3 days and now I'm bored! I blew off a responsibility over some stupid games that I don't even want to play anymore!

I decided to take one of my son's Concerta pills one day just to see what would happen. Basically all that happened was that my anxiety level hit the roof and I had a racing heart for 12 hours! :eek: Although it did motivate me to get things done that entire day because I did not want to sit still, lol. I am hypersensitive to stimulants (even coffee makes me feel cracked out) but I would think that if I had ADD then Concerta would not make me anxious with a rapid heartbeat. This makes me think that I don't have it.

I don't have as many problems focusing mental energy as much as I did as a child. I enjoy complex tasks as long as I have interest & knowledge of what I'm doing and don't get frustrated or confused. I more or less hyperfocus these days. I can sit and read or do something for hours if it's something I choose to do and that's often the case.

I drive my husband insane because I tune out everything around me. He says that I am "oblivous" most of the time. :D My kids can be making a mess of their toys right behind me and I wouldn't know because I don't pay attention! I know that makes me sound like a horrible mom. Heh.

I also don't have trouble with time management or being productive when I need to be productive. I am just extremely forgetful and procrastinate. I can't remember appointments and write them & notes on little pieces of paper that are scattered around my desk. I either lose them or throw them away on accident. Sometimes I might miss an appointment because of this.

There's a lot more but this is beginning to turn into an essay (sorry, lol). :D By the way, I am only 26, lol. So young to have such strife in my life! Hey, that rhymed. :p

I am just nervous about seeing someone about this because I am afraid of being told that I don't have ADD. If I don't have it then I won't know how to help myself. And if I can't help myself then how I can help my son? I have a low tolerance and frustration level so half the time I can't help him with school work because he frustrates me after about 2 seconds, lol. I have taken those online questionaires and they all seem to suggest that I have ADD. I just hope I can get some help! Thanks for listening. :)

Welcome,
On a mission. I have been where you are. It sounds like your ADD, but a Dr. should be the one diagnose you. All meds do not act the same on everyone. Again tell the Dr. everything you told us. I am sure you will find lots of good support an info here.
Jim B

It certainly sounds like you are one of the crowd - so to speak.
If I were you I would research the topic and find the name of a Dr in your area that knows AD/HD well - whomever is treating your son is a good place to start - Drs who treat AD/HD children often end up treating their parents too!
From my own experience I'd advise you to write down all the reasons you think you have it (your post here does a good job) and bring it with you, with as much info from your childhood as you can (old report cards, etc). Present this to the Dr when you get there, and see what he says. When I first went to see a Dr, I didn't have my "ducks in a row", didn't get to make the points I really wanted to make (he directed the conversation's direction) and in the end I was told - "you sound depressed" and that was that. The second time around - with a Dr who knew his stuff - and with my info prepared, it went better.
Good luck,
Greg

Im so glad you came. Obviously, you have alot going on inside.I hope we can give you the support you need and maybe you can find some answers.

Thanks for the welcome. :D I had thought of bringing along the post along with checklists. I have been told I am mildly depressed in the past and also that I have anxiety issues. But we could never work through why I was and I get depressed because I am so unmotivated and overwhelmed. I don't know how to change or become motivated.

Unfortunately (for me, lol, not for him) my son was dx'd by his school psychologist last year and then we went to his pediatrician. It was not hard to get help for him because he had a history of academic difficulty, plus he is extremely hyperactive. He has difficulty learning to read and doing his work. He failed the first grade. His doctor gave him a prescription for Concerta without a problem and it does help somewhat.

Yesterday and today it took him an hour to walk home from school. I was furious because he gave me an attitude about it but I can understand that he got distracted and forgot to come home. :D

Supposedly I have to wait for an intake person to call me and then after conducting a phone interview they will direct me to the proper person who can do another intake. It will probably take a while. My mom is supportive and understanding because she knows how I am and was as a child (plus my brother is severely autistic and mildly mentally retarded which makes it more likely for something to be going on with me). My husband is a different story. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with me because I can sit at the computer for hours, lol. :D

Before you make the appointment make sure that the professional actaully has experience diagnosing and treat adult AD/HD. There are many who don't.

You may want to look at sites like http://www.add.org/help and http://www.addconsults.com

Don't let the fact that the concerta made your anxiety worse lead you to dismiss the idea that you may have AD/HD. AD/HD needs to be diagnosed by a qualified professional by signs and symptoms not by the affect of medication.

Many women also have existing conditons like anxiety. When more than one condition exists both must be addressed and treated.

Welcome to the ADD Forums onamission

I have an appointment for Tuesday for an intake. I will have to see an intake person who will evaluate me and then send me off where they think I need to go. If they are convinced that ADD could be my issue then they will send me to someone who is knowledgeable in that area and can evaluate me further. If not, then I will take into consideration why they don't feel I would not benefit from seeing someone who specializes in ADD. I will go someplace else or maybe not if they can reasonably explain to me why I am so nuts all the time. :D

I can totally relate to your post. I quit school same age, got a GED.
I couldn't follow conversations, lectures. I am better now usually.
My son is ADD as well.
I was fortunate that I learned a skill early on and it has given me survival. Otherwise I would probly go out of my mind, being I am so different and disorganised. As a musician it is more acceptable.
Anyway, Welcome welcome! Glad you found us!!
Janine