Well I just got back from my first visit with my first counselor. She was absolutely great and made me feel like there is hope after all!
She thinks I may have ADD w/hyperactivity so I will continue seeing her and we will see how it goes! I feel so lucky to have found such an understanding person on my first try.
Well I could probably blabber on all day but I just wanted to let everyone know how it went!
Hooray!

Brit~ That is AWESOME!!ITs so important to have someone who understands and who you feel comfortable talking with about your ideas and problems!! Make sure that you tell her everything, don't not tell her something because you think it sounds dumb or strange, because 99 out of 100 times it definately isnt'. ITs going to be a long process, and you must have lots of patience and especially understanding. You'll get frustrated at times but just keep plugging away! GREAT NEWS!! Thank you for sharing it!!

WOO HOO!!! It's always awesome to hear when one of us has a great experience with those in the medical field. :D Keep us posted!

smoo

I second that woo hoo!!! It is great to hook up with someone you like.
Jim B

I went to my counselor again today and did an evaluation on my childhood. She says I am have a "textbook case" of ADD and it is too bad I have had to wait this long to seek help (I am 25). Anyways it makes me sad that I've struggled my whole life feeling like I am dumb and a loser while everyone around me has thier life "together". I've lived my life constantly being called lazy and unmotivated.
Sorry, I am losing track of what I am posting this for.... oh yeah, so next thursday I will take the TOVA test. Then what??? I guess that is a question for you guys, what happens next?
Thanks for listening!

Congradulations on finding a counselor and welcome to the ADHD club. I am ADHD (as opposed to ADD w/o hyperactivity) and I was also diagnosed at a late age (24).

If it helps, here is the criteria that the Counselors I interned with used (I also went throught the same criteria when I was diagnosed):
1. Take TOVA aureal (sound) and/or visual (pictures) tests
2. Do childhood analysis and questionaire (you have done this I think)
3. A spouse, sibling, and/or parent is asked to be interviewed either in person or by phone
5. Sometimes an IQ tests is administered
4. sometimes past academic records are requested for examination or a history of employment (this is not always the case, however, and can also be done in an interview process)
5. You may also be asked to take some additional tests to rule out other illnesses (i.e. depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc). Again, this is not always the case.

I hope this helps. This is what we are required to do in Georgia in order to register a valid diagnosis of ADD/ADHD. Ask your counselor as well and he/she will gladly give you a run down of everything that is going to be involved. You may even want to ask to a list from her/him so that you can be prepared for what happens next.

MM

Thank you mighty mouse, you are very helpful. I think the counselor and I went through all of the procedures w/ the childhood stuff. I guess I will just have to see how the next appointment goes. I feel nervous about the TOVA, probably because I am not good at tests. Oh well!
thanks, britawn