I dunno - I just don't think I'm ever going to get myself officially diagnosed. I don't know what it would accomplish... For one thing, even though I share so many symptoms with you all, I'm still having a hard time believing that THIS is adhd. I think that sure, I exhibit adhd SYMPTOMS, but maybe I developed those through my diet and just habit, you know? (Like I said, denial. Lalala) So anyway, I'm going to go gluten-free and sugar-scarce, in addition to behavior modifications, and see what happens. Also I'm afraid to start on meds because I don't want any horrid side effects... so I'd rather try the no-meds way for awhile first. And I also want to say thank you to everyone on this forum. You're all so incredibly supportive and helpful. :)

I can tell you exactly what it would accomplish, your wallet would be a lot lighter if you got diagnosed :D

Honestly, all managing ADHD-I boils down to is diets and habits. As far as I can tell, ADHD-I is a chemical imbalance that primarily causes poor focus and low energy. If you manage your energy by going to bed early, eating super clean, and exercising daily, and then change your habits to deal with the focus issues, then you can manage your ADHD-I. I'm slowly gaining a clearer understanding of how all the pieces go together - the low-energy thing is hugely managable and I'm learning new tricks for how to get myself to stay on task all the time.

And personally, yeah - I'd recommend staying away from meds. Some people have it really bad and need meds to survive on a daily basis, but if you think you can manage it on your own, I'd highly recommend it! 100% of medication for ADHD-I has weeeeeeeird side effects, so the more you can avoid it and manage it through personal behavioral therapy, the better!

I decided it doesn't matter to me whether or not I 'officially' have ADD. All I want is to be in control of my day-to-day life, and since I've found this forum, I've been improving my behavior, very VERY gradually, but still. :D

I decided it doesn't matter to me whether or not I 'officially' have ADD. All I want is to be in control of my day-to-day life, and since I've found this forum, I've been improving my behavior, very VERY gradually, but still. :D

If your life is a mess and you can't seem to get it under control, then go ahead and throw your hat in the ADD ring :D Technically I identify more with the SCT subset than with ADHD-I, but it's pretty much all the same stuff - low energy & focus problems.

I think the keys to defeating our problems are (1) gaining a crystal-clear understanding of how it works, and (2) developing behaviors to manage the condition. You can't make ADHD go away, so your options are (1) deal with or, or (2) become a victim, do nothing, and let your condition run your life. Personally I'm in favor of #1, especially now that I know what I'm dealing with!

I don't think the problem is whether or not you will accept the name. The labeling will always have its by-products such as denial, resistance, or pain. What matters is that you know that something is out of the ordinary, so now it's time for you to gain awareness, observe yourself, and then try to deal with it constructively. If you have time to experiment, good for you! ADD is but an aspect of life, so take your time, understand it, and then apply a diet, physical regime, and whatever else you prefer to meds. I don't see why that should have to backfire, if you are consistent.