Question for you guys. I'm soon to make an appointment with a psychologist to do a screening for ADHD. I'm not off as bad as some, but I think enough that it warrants taking a look at it. Apparently my wifes aunt has a ADHD kid and was asking her if I was ADHD, and after reading through this site, many traits lined up with me, enough to warrant futher investigation.

I think I've also over the years assumed most people are the way I am, or just disregarded little things that would have pointed towards this. He was "special". I was gifted, but perhaps it helped that I was intelligent with a very focused attention on something I became passionate about.... yes, i now am a google a holic as well.

I'd like to know if you, while knowingingly being diagnosed for ADHD, have you any of these traits. I'm new to all this, so its hard for me to line up. Some of these don't seem like ADHD behavior, maybe I'm just one with odd habits.

1. I'm highly intelligent and have had success at anything my mind has set to with school work. I was homeschooled and taught myself (along with my moms help) to study well. I've always had a 4.0 or close to... the one class I got a B in was a easy history class that lost my attention due to idoicy of a professor that would put questions about his xwife on a test! (seriously). I got my first and only B in that class! At work I was the best in the office, till I got burnt out and bored, now I'm ok at what I do, but its hard making it through the day, If I get bored I start yawning tremendously, shaking my leg or foot, and trying to find something to do (like surf the web on the side while doing something else).

2. I've had a huge problem pinning down a career I want since my interests constantly change, because I get bored with what I was looking at. My family /extended family for a while have been thinking I'm a flake in choosing what I want to do.

3. I love doing music with the church. But I got bored with not pushing the envelope, and stepped back after getting tired of the same old thing.

4. I get interested in many things, normally becoming really good at it, and then get bored. That sounded AHDH to me?

5. Movie and music soothes me. Unless its a movie I've seen before, then I have a hard time motivating myself to watch it (thus my wife makes me wait to see a movie!)

6. I love reading fiction, nonfictiondoesn't hold me too long.

7. When I was younger, now that I was thinking about it last night, I had some innocent compulsive tendencies. Ie, would check the oven everynight to make sure was off, several times sometimes in case I missed it and things caught on fire! And now, I've worked on it, but sometimes I have a hard time mentally dragging myself away from checking my alarm clock. I've been better, after working on it, but for a while I would stand there staring and checking my alarm clock for over 1-3 mins just clicking, knowing it was on, but checking again just to be sure..... I've had mild "ompulsion" on certains things for quite a while. Ie, I for a while while driving my car (i ride a motorcycle to work now), couldn't stand a single smear on my window, i would clear my window daily. I used to rainex every window, sun roof, side mirrors, everything..... lol

8. I don't have a problem going to sleep once I settle down (ie get everything situation, music playing etc).... but a nightmare of a time in the morning waking up....

9. Have celiac disease.... Get sick with gluten. The odds of ADHD and a genetic disease... what are the odds? Too much??? Wow.

10. I have far superior communication and vocabulary to most of my peers. I could speak publically probably a lot easier than them.... BUT when I was younger I had to go to a speech therapist for a while for mixing up R's and W's as the same sound. It was hard. It eventually sorted itself out.

I'm just figured if I am ADHD, that because it was destructive, and I was homeschooled in an enviroment that let me set my own pace, and by a family that didn't believe in ADHD as a valid issue, that it might have been passed up. Knowing I am, if so, would help me and improve my marriage, since certain forgettfulness traits and Short term memory etc might be improved if in fact I can work on this ADHD side.

Anyway, a lot to read through, but from what I've seen ADHD must give you guys super typing powers... since the average words per post on this site is MUCH higher than typical. :)



I'm just curious if anyone with ADHD ever experinces anythign like this, since some line up with ADHD, and some just must mean I'm weird. :p

Hi specter - welcome to ADDF!

I relate to much of what you wrote - intelligence, great grades, always being the best in the office (perfectionist), OCD tendencies, no sleep problems - but lots of waking up problems, fidgiter and leg-jiggler.

I always figured there was some diagnosis out there for what I was. You know - something concrete. What I've found in the last year, however, is that there is a tremendous amount of overlap, gray area and unknowns in mental health. I have depression and anxiety - those at least are obvious and cause me the most problems in life. I was diagnosed with ADHD, but have come to find out that much of my brain dysfunction could be due to a lifetime of anxiety. My spaciness and disconnectedness as a child could be explained by a mild autistic spectrum disorder. So, I sort of take the ADHD diagnosis with a grain of salt. I have some obsessive/compulsive tendencies as well, but since they are not that severe, it is not bona-fide OCD. I have a lot of weirdness and social ineptness that seem an awful lot like autistic spectrum (so even says my mom, who has studied it). But it's not severe enough for a diagnosis. I have lived my life in this gray "just not right" area.

Anyhow, at this point my diagnosis is an alphabet soup that's really only their best guesses... What it really comes down to is this: Identifying the symptoms that bother me the most and cause the most problems in my life and treating them symptomatically - with both therapy and medication.

IMO, you seem to have some ADHD-type tendencies as well as OC tendencies. Definitely see a doctor to talk about it if any of these things are bothering you or interfering with your life (like inability to stay with a job). I suggest that you prioritize before-hand what you'd like to work on. I think we all have lots of odd things about us that aren't particularly harmful or bothersome - like clean car windows! I've learned to just accept those kind of things as being who I am.

Sheesh - talk about wordy! Don't know if that was any help at all. I'm sure some others will have words of wisdom for you. :)

Hi specter - welcome to ADDF!

I relate to much of what you wrote - intelligence, great grades, always being the best in the office (perfectionist), OCD tendencies, no sleep problems - but lots of waking up problems, fidgiter and leg-jiggler.

I always figured there was some diagnosis out there for what I was. You know - something concrete. What I've found in the last year, however, is that there is a tremendous amount of overlap, gray area and unknowns in mental health. I have depression and anxiety - those at least are obvious and cause me the most problems in life. I was diagnosed with ADHD, but have come to find out that much of my brain dysfunction could be due to a lifetime of anxiety. My spaciness and disconnectedness as a child could be explained by a mild autistic spectrum disorder. So, I sort of take the ADHD diagnosis with a grain of salt. I have some obsessive/compulsive tendencies as well, but since they are not that severe, it is not bona-fide OCD. I have a lot of weirdness and social ineptness that seem an awful lot like autistic spectrum (so even says my mom, who has studied it). But it's not severe enough for a diagnosis. I have lived my life in this gray "just not right" area.

Anyhow, at this point my diagnosis is an alphabet soup that's really only their best guesses... What it really comes down to is this: Identifying the symptoms that bother me the most and cause the most problems in my life and treating them symptomatically - with both therapy and medication.

IMO, you seem to have some ADHD-type tendencies as well as OC tendencies. Definitely see a doctor to talk about it if any of these things are bothering you or interfering with your life (like inability to stay with a job). I suggest that you prioritize before-hand what you'd like to work on. I think we all have lots of odd things about us that aren't particularly harmful or bothersome - like clean car windows! I've learned to just accept those kind of things as being who I am.

Sheesh - talk about wordy! Don't know if that was any help at all. I'm sure some others will have words of wisdom for you. :)

Lol. Thanks! I've had times I suffered from slight depression (nothing that needed medical attention)... more like extreme burnout with life, and just weary weary weary! But God has helped give me passion for life, thought its hard not to get burn out at times. I've never suffered "medical mental" issues, so I guess thats why its kind of hard to believe that my personality could be affected by this. I know I've always been felt liked I rushed conversations, and could never understand why socially I always feel on the fringe, like I just can't sit and hold a good conversation unless I force myself not to be myself. Thats hard. I always thought it was just my introverted nature. I can be great when I force myself to be, and charm people, but mostly its more difficult to want to. Therefore I'm more of a loner excepting time with my wife.

FYI, for anyone who finds driving boring and has trouble focusing, do what I do: RIDE A MOTORCYCLE FOR YOUR COMMUTE! Yippekiyeah!

1. I'm highly intelligent... I tested borderline gifted (I guess the high end of normal) on intelligence tests given to me by my first therapist. I did well in school mostly, but not spectacular. My career moved very fast as I could catch on to tasks quickly... however, I'm a "do-er" not a "watcher." That means I learn by doing. Telling me what to do isn't enough. Plus I need to write down everything in detail until it becomes habit. I earned a lot of promotions very quickly. Once I grew bored though, I fell apart and have been struggling now for three years or more.

2. I've had a huge problem pinning down a career I want since my interests constantly change. This is true for me as well. Not saying I jump from job to job, but my interests do change a lot. I pulled of a complete career change when I hit 30, I decided to go back to school for something completely different. I'm working my way back up from the bottom again, but it's a struggle.


3. I love doing music with the church. I was a musical child. Not so much anymore... not because I lost the talent, just the motivation. I can't say I often got bored of it. It held my interest for a long time.

4. I get interested in many things, normally becoming really good at it, and then get bored. That sounded AHDH to me? I'm interested in many things, but not "great" at any in particular. I bore of a project about half way through and pick up something else that sparks my interest... and rarely finish one unless it's small.

5. Movie and music soothes me. Unless its a movie I've seen before, then I have a hard time motivating myself to watch it (thus my wife makes me wait to see a movie!) Depends. I'm not really a movie buff. I like certain kinds of music to relax, but what is most soothing to me is natural environmental white noise. It has to be real though. I don't own any CD's of birds and babbling brooks. Like you, I'm not one to re-watch a movie. It's just not the same when I know what's going to happen.

6. I love reading fiction, nonfictiondoesn't hold me too long. Same. I never considered this ADD, but who knows.

7. When I was younger, now that I was thinking about it last night, I had some innocent compulsive tendencies. Ie, would check the oven everynight to make sure was off, several times sometimes in case I missed it and things caught on fire! I have a house fire phobia. I get obsessive over certain things like checking and rechecking that I unplugged the curling iron. I've even turned around after leaving the house for work to check. I obsess over the location of my car keys. I must know at all times where they are. I'll check for them multiple times as I'm walking through the grocery store. Same with my cell phone and my laptop.

8. I don't have a problem going to sleep once I settle down (ie get everything situation, music playing etc).... but a nightmare of a time in the morning waking up.... I fall asleep easily. I was never a morning person and have accepted that I probably never will be. I can't blame it on lack of sleep. I just hate waking up.

9. Have celiac disease.... Get sick with gluten. The odds of ADHD and a genetic disease... what are the odds? Too much??? Wow. Can't relate to this one. But if worried about genetics, if there's a cancer, I'm probably high risk for it. Family history... skin type... (sigh). Not being hypochondriac.. these are things doctors have actually told me.

10. I have far superior communication and vocabulary to most of my peers. I could speak publically probably a lot easier than them.... BUT when I was younger I had to go to a speech therapist for a while for mixing up R's and W's as the same sound. It was hard. It eventually sorted itself out. I always thought I communicated well. Never had a speech problem when younger. My son will I think.

I'm just figured if I am ADHD, that because it was destructive, and I was homeschooled in an enviroment that let me set my own pace, and by a family that didn't believe in ADHD as a valid issue, that it might have been passed up. Knowing I am, if so, would help me and improve my marriage, since certain forgettfulness traits and Short term memory etc might be improved if in fact I can work on this ADHD side. I was never diagnosed as a child. I did well in school and it was never suspected.

Anyway, a lot to read through, but from what I've seen ADHD must give you guys super typing powers... since the average words per post on this site is MUCH higher than typical. :) Funny, I never thought it was an ADD trait, but when I type, I type a lot. I feel this compulsive need to explain everything in detail.

I'm just curious if anyone with ADHD ever experinces anythign like this, since some line up with ADHD, and some just must mean I'm weird. :p

None of this sounds weird to me. :p

None of this sounds weird to me. :p



:D

;)