I came to the conclusion that I might have ADD only a week and a half ago after talking to a friend who had just been diagnosed (her "before" symptoms were exactly like mine) and doing lots of reading. I happened to have an appointment with my psychiatrist, who I've only seen once (I just switched to him recently because of change in insurance) and he's one of those "sure, I'll write you a script, what do you want to try?" kind of guys, so I talked him into giving me a script for Vyvanse. I've just finished my first week on it and the difference is amazing. My mind is CALM. I can think about, and do, one thing at a time without worrying about all the other things I'm not doing or might be forgetting to do. My memory is better. I feel better about myself. I don't waste a ridiculous amount of procrastinating about something I need to do.

But I'm still having a hard time believing that it could really be true, that *I* could actually have ADD. I was a good student (although with anxiety problems even in childhood), very focused (hyperfocused?), don't think I forgot things or spaced out very much (but I can't remember - lol), did have trouble "connecting" with other girls and didn't develop true, close friendships until college, but now I am a successful real estate agent. I love real estate because I'm always on the go - no desk job for me! - and I feel like I multitask very well. The flip side of that is that I'm constantly thinking about all the "to-dos" in my life, juggling all the balls that job, marriage, and kids brings, and being quite stressed about it all fairly often , but I've just chalked the stress up to the busyness of life. I guess I never really knew I had a problem until I took the meds and experienced a calm and in-control mind.

I guess what I'm wondering is, doesn't everyone, whether they have ADD or not, feel better (more productive, happier, calmer, etc) on stimulants? Doesn't everybody (or at least 37-year-old mothers of 3 who work full-time) feel stressed about all the details of life and have a hard time remembering everything that has to be remembered? I don't want to take meds if I don't really need them, or to talk myself into some condition that I might not really have. But on the other hand, everything I've read online about women with ADD, symptoms of ADD, children with ADD, etc. fit me perfectly. I just can't believe this could actually be IT, that there might actually be a RELIEF from the whirlwind of thoughts I have always swirling in my brain from the minute I wake up to the time I fall asleep.

Stimulants do help everyone, regardless of whether or not they have ADD, that's why a lot of college students abuse them.

Every now and then people tend to show some symptoms of ADD. When my boyfriend is stressed, he loses things, can't plan, can't handle new tasks, etc. etc.

What makes you truly ADD is when it can go so far as to impair your life on a daily basis. For me, I couldn't do the simple things like changing my guinea pig's cage more than once a month (which would be considered gross negligence of any animal...). I'd sit in on a conversation and at the end, have no idea what just happened. I was a reckless driver, got a tattoo, quit my job, decided to move all the way across country, can't decide what candy bar in the vending machine so I pushed all the buttons kind of person.

My social life suffered because I never showed up at all when I said I would, my personal life suffered because I had the emotional capacity of a 5 year old, my work life suffered because I did everything wrong because I half-assed it.

You don't want to be taking medicine if you don't need it. It sucks to know that I NEED it. If you can get along fine in life without it, you should.

P.S. My friend who studied to be a doctor told me that when a lot of students are in med school and start reading about diseases, disorders, an conditions, they started to notice that they fulfill the criteria many things. You then start stuffing your life to fit around these diagnoses and it gets to you.

This isn't to say that you don't have it. I suggest you see an ADD specialist who can properly diagnose you. It may be better to get a real opinion than from a doctor with a script pad willing to do your bidding. It'll be better for you in the long run.

this is a very good post. i have recently come to the conclusion that i may have add ( undiagnosed) i have an appointment with my gp next week and hopefully he will refer me to someone who can diagnose me.

sometimes i second guess myself also, for example i just started a job back in october. up to this point i have never excelled in any job for a long period of time. mostly because it was either retail and it bored the crap out of me and i couldn't care less standing around for hours selling crap to people. or it was a desk type paperwork job and i could retain information or organize myself if my life depended on it. this current job seems to be such a good fit for me because i am constantly
going and their isn't a moment to stop over 8-10 hours. it's also in a field i am passionate about.

but am i succeeding because it's just the right job? or hyper-focus? mind you i do have many moments where the " fog" sets in and i make careless mistakes. also, today i was able to finally get off my *** and clean the house... usually i end up doing mundane things i can't stop myself from doing and procrastinate the day away. if i really have add why is today different?

* here i go having to read your post again trying to remember what it was about in the first place.... after a few minutes of my mind wandering off*

i wish you luck, and thanks for your post... because if i do end up being diagnosed with add i know there can be relief in sight. it sucks knowing your not like everyone else... but as soon as you realize what it is and your not alone it can solve so many problems. we can finally realize we aren't stupid, and it's a matter of our brains actually working differently!