The following article was found through the Monmouth College site:


Frequently Asked questions about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

What is Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder?

Otherwise known as ADHD, it is a neurological condition that affects learning and behavior. Symptoms tend to change throughout one’s lifetime. Adults with ADHD may have problems with tardiness, impatience, and may be disorganized. Mood swings and problems sleeping are especially common in college students.

If I wasn’t diagnosed as a child, can I be diagnosed in college?

Yes, if a student is academically successful as a child, parents and teachers may not have identified them as in need of assessment, but college students can be tested for ADHD.

I have the symptoms, Do I have ADHD?

Most college students report difficulties concentrating at one time or another. A large number of medical and psychiatric conditions cause problems with attention and concentration. Anxiety and depression are common conditions that cause concentration problems. However, ADHD that is left untreated my also produce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Disordered eating, sleep disturbances, and substance abuse frequently cause symptoms of inattention. Interpersonal relationships and family conflicts are especially common sources of inattention for college students.

What can I do if I think I have ADHD?

You must first be sure that your symptoms are not secondary to depression or anxiety. Thus, it is crucial that you see a professional trained in ADHD who has worked with college students. A misdiagnosis may result in an exacerbation of inattentive symptoms and will only make matters worse. If you think you need to be tested you can call Edited out--irrelevant contact information. Find a doctor!

How is ADHD treated?

If you are diagnosed with ADHD, there are a variety of ways in which you can reduce the severity of the symptoms. Medication is frequently recommended. However, modifying organizational and study behaviors, participating in counseling or support groups, and seeking accommodations through the college can also be helpful. Because students with ADHD often experience interpersonal difficulties outside of school, participation in therapy is strongly encouraged.

:D
smooch

I would talke it over with a medical professional before you are thnking you have add all thease syptomps posted in advertisments could fit the majority of the people in the Unitied States, when there is more to dignoising it then those syptomps they advertise.

I agree, with mccoffee. There are other factors that can cause ADHD-like symptoms. The best thing you could do, is to talk to a medical professional about the symptoms you are experiencing.

i didn't think i had it. i was talking to the doctor about something else entirely, and she wanted to see some bloodwork results i was supposed to have... and i said, "oh yeah, that must of been that peice of paper i carried around in my pack for most of the year last year... i guess i never got around to it" and so she asked me some more questions, and bingo! i had to fill out some stupid forms (the bane of my existence...)
i had been given rittalin before at my previous university, but i didn't believe i had ADD, i just liked drugs.. :faint:

One other point I would like to add here...

In most colleges, there are plenty of resources available to you. Use them! They may not be able to give you everything you need, but they can very well give you the resources to find them. For example, my school has a counseling center (student counseling services). I went to them telling them I thought I had ADD. They weren't able to do the testing (shame, it would have saved me a few hundred dollars), but they referred me to an excellent psychologist. And now I'm going to the on-campus clinic to see a psychiatrist about treatment.

I believe there is more of a tendency to recognize these sorts of things nowadays and that it is certainly is a good thing that more and more people are encouraging people who exhibit these tendencies to get tested.

I have recently been diagnosed and being a college student without good health insurance, can't afford to go to a psychologist or someone like that. Is there anything I can do to help myself?

I have recently been diagnosed and being a college student without good health insurance, can't afford to go to a psychologist or someone like that. Is there anything I can do to help myself?Hey there!

One thing I've found, both for myself and for one of the sixteen-year-olds I tutor for a living, is that as long as your motivation doesn't have to come from inside you, things could work out just fine. Find someone to poke you when you need it. This might take the form of an individual, one-on-one study buddy, but full-on support or peer coaching groups could provide a wealth of further tips and, well, support.

I expect most US colleges will have their own student-run AD/HD coaching groups already, but if need be, you can seek out fellow diagnosed students and start one yourself.

If you need to be reminded, I could PM you about it. :p