Do I have ADD?

[andy_pandy]

I'm 22 and will be starting university this September. I always wondered if I had ADD.

I did suffer from abuse from my parents, brother and people from my school between the ages of 12 and 19. This led me to go create a imaginary world in my head.



I have the following symptoms:

I daydream a lot.
I can't read without day dreaming. Sometimes, I have to read a paragraph 3 or 4 times.
I have a very short attention span, if something is boring.
I easily get distracted.
I can’t stick to a task that is tedious or time consuming.
I have a problem doing my homework and I usually hand them in after the deadlines.



Idon't have the following symptoms:

constantly changing activity or task
having difficulty organising tasks
being unable to sit still, especially in calm or quiet surroundings
constantly fidgeting
being unable to settle to tasks
excessive physical movement
excessive talking
being unable to wait for a turn
breaking any set rules
little or no sense of danger
being unable to listen to or carry out instructions
appearing forgetful or losing things

[rockydaydreamer]

I think so because I have the same symptoms.

[andy_pandy]

Do be diagnosed with ADD I need to have 6 or more symptoms. This is not the case with me. I only have 4 symptoms. Could it be something different, like depression? I don't have much motivation either.

[plank80]

Theres lots of things that look like ADD/ADHD. Just because you daydream doesnt mean you have ADD.

What impairments do you have in school, work, relationships etc?

Maybe you do, nobody can tell you over the internet.

You should look up maladaptive daydreaming.

[andy_pandy]

I checked Maladaptive Daydreaming symptoms and I definitely have all of them.

• This excessive daydreaming often begins in childhood.
  
  
• Books, movies, music, video games, and other media may be a daydreaming trigger.
  
  
• The daydreaming itself is often detailed and elaborate, sometimes compared to a movie or novel.
  
  
• They may sometimes talk, laugh, cry, gesture, or make facial expressions as they daydream. People suffering from this know the difference between daydreaming and reality, and do not confuse the two; this makes them distinctly different from psychotics or schizophrenics.
  
  
• Some people will lie in bed for hours daydreaming, and may either have difficulty going to sleep because of this, or have difficulty getting out of bed once awake. They may also neglect basic functions such as regular meals, etc. because of excessive daydreaming.

However, Maladaptive Daydreaming is not a recognized condition though, is it?

[Amtram]

First time I've ever heard of it. . .

[plank80]

Originally Posted by andy_pandy

I checked Maladaptive Daydreaming symptoms and I definitely have all of them.

• This excessive daydreaming often begins in childhood.
  
  
• Books, movies, music, video games, and other media may be a daydreaming trigger.
  
  
• The daydreaming itself is often detailed and elaborate, sometimes compared to a movie or novel.
  
  
• They may sometimes talk, laugh, cry, gesture, or make facial expressions as they daydream. People suffering from this know the difference between daydreaming and reality, and do not confuse the two; this makes them distinctly different from psychotics or schizophrenics.
  
  
• Some people will lie in bed for hours daydreaming, and may either have difficulty going to sleep because of this, or have difficulty getting out of bed once awake. They may also neglect basic functions such as regular meals, etc. because of excessive daydreaming.

However, Maladaptive Daydreaming is not a recognized condition though, is it?

No I dont think it causes enough harm to be labelled a condition, just explains why some people daydream a lot. I think it develops as a coping mechanism as an alternative to reality.

[ginniebean]

I wonder if self awareness isn't playing some role here, often people interpret the criteria as "OH, so not me" and then later go.. oh is that what it means?


I can't tell you how often I've seen people say I have NO hyperactive symptoms and then they start posting and there they are in stark relief, but they don't think of them as hyperactive so.. in thier minds it doesn't count.

[plank80]

I was thinking that as well.

It could be that he just doesnt realise some of the things he does that are ADHD related.

[andy_pandy]

I know I'm not hyperactive because I was never told I'm acting in that manner. Even when I was at college my teachers never told me to calm down and be quiet. They were so many other kids that caused enormous amount of noise. When I applied to University, my teacher gave me an excellent reference and he said I have good behaviour in class.
I’m not those type who jump around all the time or talk too much.

[alisha99]

I can understand your problem. I think it is ADHD because i have same symptoms.

[sarahsweets]

sometimes in adults the symptoms of hyperactivity are not physical or even as noticable to others. For me, aside from the physical, my hyperactivity is my mind. It goes a million miles a minute and it cause so much chatter in my head it gives me additional trouble with focus and concentration beyond the standard symptoms of adhd.


[quote=andy_pandy;1334687]I know I'm not hyperactive because I was never told I'm acting in that manner. Even when I was at college my teachers never told me to calm down and be quiet. They were so many other kids that caused enormous amount of noise. When I applied to University, my teacher gave me an excellent reference and he said I have good behaviour in class.
I’m not those type who jump around all the time or talk too much.[/QUO

[plank80]

Originally Posted by andy_pandy

I know I'm not hyperactive because I was never told I'm acting in that manner. Even when I was at college my teachers never told me to calm down and be quiet. They were so many other kids that caused enormous amount of noise. When I applied to University, my teacher gave me an excellent reference and he said I have good behaviour in class.
I’m not those type who jump around all the time or talk too much.

Hyperactivity means motor overactivity, not all hyperactives are loud. Some shy people cant sit still either.

[deepest blue]

Originally Posted by andy_pandy

I know I'm not hyperactive because I was never told I'm acting in that manner. Even when I was at college my teachers never told me to calm down and be quiet. They were so many other kids that caused enormous amount of noise. When I applied to University, my teacher gave me an excellent reference and he said I have good behaviour in class.
I’m not those type who jump around all the time or talk too much.

I know that for me I'm only hyper some times , if I like something I go hyper over it very easily and I can spend hours on it ,time seems to slow down for me during those times .