Well I know most of you get this post a lot but maybe you guys can help me...ok here goes

First Im in highschool junior, and alot of my friends have always "joked" that i have add, not as making fun of, but as in they "think" i have it. I find it Extremley hard to concentrate on a teachers lecture, i kind of tone out, i think of alot of things once i do, a variety. I really do forget things, an example" im looking for my keys for my house, and I just had the dam keys about 5-6 hours ago, i searched and searched, of course i got grounded, but i finally found them hidden in an area i must of put them : \. I am really figity, i shake alot, wether it be my leg or using my pencil, i get extremley tempered with people sometimes, Even my best friends, i cant concentrate on what there saying, but i try to and they look at me as though im not paying attention. anyway back to the temper, i get really tempered, i feel as though i want to really punch my friend in the face, i get this fealing as though i want shut them up, because i just cant listen to it anymore. I procrastinate ALOT, i try to keep in focus. I also am "Hyper" if you want to put it that, i feel really energetic when im sitting down, and feel like doing something, and that then makes me lose concentration

Anyway I use to be a Straight A student from 1-6 grade always my 5th grade teacher told my parents "I expect great thing from michael" , I moved from my home to another and Middle School to High School, it just seemed extremley difficult for me, i have the knowledge, but when we move on, i can't seem to focus enough to keep up. I don't know if this relates my cousins both have disorders, one as ADD and the other as Retinitis Pigmentosa, so does that play a factor?, i was also dropped on my head as a baby. so that may have done something?

Anyway I have a big problem. I Can't CAN'T Confront my dad about this, i just get way to scared. He always thinks I'm a Hypochondriac, and if i tell him that i might have ADD he'll just shun me or tell me " O please, your sucha Hypochondriac , and i dont believe i am, i just can't, SO...do you guys have any suggestions, im too "afraid" to ask anyone:(

hi SykoSamurai welcome :)

Im not really certain how old you are (in Highschool Junior) .. :) <-- not from the US ..
but is there a chance that you could go talk to your family doc? Or is there maybe a counselor or similar at your school?

You do indeed need to be evaluated by a psychiatrist to make sure it's ADD. It sounds like it indeed in my ears, but you need a good evaluation .. and conditions that mimic ADD need to be excluded.

Probably the other americans here have more specific suggestions. Good luck!

im 16 at the moment going to be 17 in july, id like to mention that, i Cant stand waiting in lines, i cant just Sit still at all, i'll start to move, or in a line, i'll just walk away, I also forget thing alot, i mean alot. and i cant keep focus when im reading, i kinda tune out, i love reading i would always read during elementary school wether it be a fiction book, or a autobiography, I also kind of switch subjects so when i talk to my friends, they loose there play, + i talk kind of fast. anyway i thank you for those suggestions, and i think im goin to see my councelor, I hope i dont make a fool of myself, and they find nothing wrong? or there must be something?


Edited*: Also, i just want to know because i don't want to wake up at the age of 30 working at a Fast food joint, thinking why couldn't i make myself work, why couldn't i do this couldn't do that, and find out that the problem i "might" have could of been resolved years ago, and have a better future.

Well get used to the idea :D I'm 21 and that's where I'm heading.

im 16 at the moment going to be 17 in july, id like to mention that, i Cant stand waiting in lines, i cant just Sit still at all, i'll start to move, or in a line, i'll just walk away, I also forget thing alot, i mean alot. and i cant keep focus when im reading, i kinda tune out, i love reading i would always read during elementary school wether it be a fiction book, or a autobiography, I also kind of switch subjects so when i talk to my friends, they loose there play, + i talk kind of fast.
I dont have the hyper part and am actually quite slow .. dont talk much. But that's the different types that you have .. I'm on the extreme end of the inattentive type. WHat you describe sounds more like the combined type, with both inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity.

anyway i thank you for those suggestions, and i think im goin to see my councelor, I hope i dont make a fool of myself, and they find nothing wrong? or there must be something?
You know - if it really bothers you .. and impedes your functioning, then *something* is probably going on. Whatever that may be, ADD or otherwise. It is worth the attention of whoever you are going to talk to!
You will never make a fool of yourself by trying to resolve that. On the contrary, it is great that you try and change things for the better!

Edited*: Also, i just want to know because i don't want to wake up at the age of 30 working at a Fast food joint, thinking why couldn't i make myself work, why couldn't i do this couldn't do that, and find out that the problem i "might" have could of been resolved years ago, and have a better future.
You're right about that :)
I think you are definitely doing the right thing!!

btw - there is also a teen section on the forum .. mb you can check that out as well if you like.

Well get used to the idea :D I'm 21 and that's where I'm heading.

I'm not ... I'm gonna be happy :D :p :cool:

wait ... I already am, usually :rolleyes:

cool thanks again for "encouraging" me, im actually quite shy,

cool thanks again for "encouraging" me, im actually quite shy,
same here .. it does not always show in writing .. but in real life, yes, a lot.

That's why we're here to help one another :)
(and to have a good time as well... I laugh a lot in here)

sorry to say but i have another question, i know there are more important ones then mine, but Im sorry to say this when i think of a person that has A.D.D. i know the definition for it, or what the symptoms are, but i think of an over energetic person, who's way to much energy, I mean is a person who has A.D.D. always what he/she is diagnosed or does the person have different feelings, i know this sounds stupid so bear with me, but does a person on A.D.D get depressed or tired, and if he/she does, is it an extreme depression or so tired that they have to sleep? sorry for the stereo type, im not one to judge

sorry to say but i have another question, i know there are more important ones then mine, but Im sorry to say this when i think of a person that has A.D.D. i know the definition for it, or what the symptoms are, but i think of an over energetic person, who's way to much energy, I mean is a person who has A.D.D. always what he/she is diagnosed or does the person have different feelings, i know this sounds stupid so bear with me, but does a person on A.D.D get depressed or tired, and if he/she does, is it an extreme depression or so tired that they have to sleep? sorry for the stereo type, im not one to judge

who could judge what's important? You are just as important as anyone .. :)

There are several types of ADD .. or actually, it's called ADHD officially.
I mostly use ADD because I am not hyperactive. I think that some time ago ADD was the general name (for whatever we all have in here) .. both the hyperactive and the quiet ones. Now the official terms are:

ADHD-PI .. Primarily Inattentive .. not (much) hyperactive/impulsive but attention/motivation problems. Can be slow or sluggish, mentally and physically.
ADHD-C .. Combined type. Has both inattention and hyperactive symtpoms
ADHD-H .. only Hyperactive

Lots of people dont recognise the 'quiet' type .. and we're often missed at school because, typically, inattention is not so visible like hyperactivity.

People with ADD often have co-existing conditions ,.. basically caused by having to deal with ADD - and the people that react to you - especially if you are not aware of it. Speaking for myself, I was anxious. Lots of people are more or less depressed .. in various degrees. I dont think it usually is a "severe" depression .. although that could occur as well.
I also recognise the tiredness. Not always, but yeah.

And please .. just keep asking! :)

how would you approach your counselor about ADD? i dont just want to go up to her and say " Hey , i think i have ADD" and she has a gasp look, like "what...ok...???"

how would you approach your counselor about ADD? i dont just want to go up to her and say " Hey , i think i have ADD" and she has a gasp look, like "what...ok...???"

You could do that .. I think a counselor can deal with that :) - I doubt that she'll gasp. She has probably heard a lot of things that are far more likely to make someone gasp! ADD is not that spectacular ...

Maybe you can write down what you wrote here .. or print it out.

Just be straight .. she'll probably say something like

"Hi, what can I do for you?"
"well .. I seem to be having some problems with attention and being distracted .. and being impulsive .. here .. I wrote it down"
"OK, thank you ... let's see ..."
"So I was hoping that you could maybe tell me what I can do ... it does bother me quite a lot .. "
"Do you think it is ADD what bothers you?"
"There's been a lot of people making remarks like that .. and I did some research and it looks a LOT like it I think ... "

etcetera.. just an example, mind you ...

It might be a good idea for you to first simply talk to your family doctor about this. Everything said to your doctor should be kept in confidence. He or she might be prepared to treat you or refer you to another doctor who specializes in ADD. You can keep that quiet from your dad as well. No point speaking about something not yet confirmed if you're just going to get shot down and no point self-diagnosing. Let the professionals do that.

how do i get to a family doctor though? Im only 16 and i still cant drive...

how do i get to a family doctor though? Im only 16 and i still cant drive...

bus ... ask for a ride .. ?

sure, family doc is a good idea .. but maybe the school counselor might be a good "first contact" as well ..? Not sure, I dont know how that exactly works in US high schools.

Syko,

Quite the name there, kiddo.... Do you and your family have health insurance, do you know? Do you carry a card, for example? If you do, be sure to bring that with you when you see the doctor, ok? Be forewarned that, if you're concerned about your parents seeing that you went to the doctor, you'll want to discuss that with the doctors at the very beginning of the appointment. Otherwise the billing records may go to your parents, even if the insurer picks up the tab.

I suspect that a school counselor would actually be the first place to start (could be wrong) just because the school is obligated to provide an appropriate education for you if you have ADD because it's a disability. So I'd maybe start with the counselor and, heck, just bring in your posts here, because they do sound like ADD or ADHD all right, but you never know. Other things, like depression, for example (not sure if they diagnose that in someone your age) will cause distractability, for example.

Yes, there are times that one who is ADD or ADHD will become overwhelmed and sort of shut down. I do that on occasion. I'm not combined type, but know some folks who are, and they will do the same thing. It feels like you're anxious, and you get so anxious that you can't seem to choose to do anything at all.

Good luck, kiddo. Check out that teen thread and take care of yourself.

Sandy.

ya i think i have a blueshield card, my dad is always saying when im going to the doctor cause he always says "man im wasting money on your guys's health insurace, haha, you guys need to break something," he always kids like that,

Im right now feeling pretty scared, im trying to make myself believe theres nothing wrong, because im scared of going to the counselor, and starting this whole thing. I whish i wasn't so "Shy" if you would put it in that terms, really nervous, and i fee really shutdown as you said, i dont know what happened i can usually stay up pretty late, but its only 8pm and already i feel like its 4am: \, also does anyone feel as though, they feel like life has gone by more then there age im 16 and i feel like its been way longer then that sometimes...

Of course only a dr. can diagnose you, but if you're finding that the symptoms are really getting in the way of living a full and happy life than ADD maybe one of those answers.

Good luck!!

Its not that my parents will get angry, i just get sick and tired of my parents thinking im a hypochondriac, i mean last time, I was extremely sick, i couldn't speak very well, i felt crappy, i had repetitive nose bleeds, going all over the place, finally, he takes me to the doctor, I found out i had a fever, the flew, and strepthroat, according to him, my fever caused my nosebleeds, it released from my synosis's, anyway i just dont want to here " O be quiet michael your perfectly fine, and i dont think i am, i always thought there was something wrong.

I am as well going to encourage you to either take your posts from here or write a letter to your counselor and just walk up and hand it to her. You could title it "I'm Shy-Please Help Me" She will probably then take you in her office and sit down and ask you whats going on. If you need to you can just read from the letter or posts until you are more comfortable with speaking directly. Most counselors are good at making sure you feel secure and relaxed in their office. The good thing with typing it out first is that you can edit it as many times as you like and make sure you include everything you want to say. You don't have to worry you will forget to tell her something.

I used to be incredibly painfully shy and I still am in certain situations, but for part of it I've just developed the "I'm gonna be me no matter what!" attitude and it helps a lot. It does sound like you have some for of ADHD but like other posters have said there are many conditions that mimic ADHD.

Also about telling your parents you could write another note or letter and start it off by saying, "I know you often think I'm a hypochondriac but I believe I may have ADHD. Before you tell me that yet again I'd like you to just listen to what I have to say. I worry about it so much I am anxious most of the time and have so much difficulty concentrating in class-even the subjects I really enjoy. I think I might also be depressed. I'm so anxious about the way I feel and the way I act it's hard to think about anything else."

I realize I'm putting words in your mouth and of course you would rephrase it but I think it would be hard to ignore if you sat your parents down and said you needed to speak to them in private. I would hope that your parents would see just how concerned and serious you are about this and respond positively by getting you tested or at least taking you to see a doctor.

I think this all made sense and SO so so sorry for the length. Remember You are already making progress by trying to get help. ;)

oh yes, its really good that you came here :) .. first step, but a real important one.
You should indeed not have to worry about the counselor. They're good at this, even though they cant diagnose you .. but they can maybe kickstart the whole process and help you deal with your parents as well.
I know about the shyness .. had / have the same thing.