Is there a place here for over age 35 AD-ers

[theloner]

Just wondering, would like to share our worldly wisdom we've had to deal with over the years with this ADHD

[ginniebean]

It's been mentioned a.few.times but so far nothing, I'm surprised more people haven't asked for this.

[salleh]

I think it's a great idea .....I asked more than a year ago .....

[Retromancer]

No place is necessary, because...

[spunkysmum]

We tried that, but us youngsters in our late 30's were annoying the over-60 set....

just kidding, LOL. But at 36, I hardly consider myself a veteran. There are grandparents and retirement-age people here and I haven't even had kids yet.

And if I am, then I would think my worldly wisdom would have the most value when shared with the younger folks.

[Drewbacca]

You've brought this 32 year old to tears that not even your terrible towel could mop up.

[Retromancer]

Here kid go play with your uncles lawn darts!

[Flia]

Isn't that what all of us do all the time?

Personnally I feel that ADHD is pretty age neutral.
Some of us have a life's worth of experience at 20, and some have lived a sheltered and uneventful life despite the ADHD

[LindaW]

Hi, new member here...I immediately came to this thread, as I am 52 myself. I'm surprised that there doesn't seem to be too much for the older crowd. ADD may seem like an illness of younger folk, but that's just because it is a fairly new thing. When I was school-age, there was awareness of something going on, and I remember Ritalin being tried through some hospital-sponsored trials of the drug, but for the most part, we ADD kids were thought of by most teachers as annoying little ******** who just needed a swift kick in the pants.
Now it is accepted, and treated. But us older ones have, over all the years, developed compensatory strategies that make proper diagnosis difficult. Depression is common, as are OCD, withdrawal from social interactions, various addictions, etc. We get treated for those, but they are only symptoms of the real problem, now so well-hidden by a thousand behaviors developed over time that it is often missed completely.
But, even being diagnosed and treated properly can leave one with anger at the realization that much of a lifetime has been wasted. I'm trying now to get through that.
I hope to see more posts about us old veterans...Maybe we can help you younger ones, and you can help us too.

[ginniebean]

Originally Posted by Flia

Isn't that what all of us do all the time?

Personnally I feel that ADHD is pretty age neutral.
Some of us have a life's worth of experience at 20, and some have lived a sheltered and uneventful life despite the ADHD

The best answer to this is a post by meadde from a few years back...

Originally Posted by meadd823

With all due respect come back and let me know if you still believe this in 20 years okay?? Not trying to be difficult because I have no doubt you are mature - Maturity can be independent from age however the experience of aging it self isn't.


Hmmmm shouldn't be to diverse where???? Older adults are a lot different than younger ones if nothing else we are in a different chapter in our lives.

We are no longer dealing with many of the same issues young adults are.

While young people can blame their lack of forethought on being inexperienced and immature wtf does one say after 35 when every one expect you to have your crap together?????

ADD and arthritis - what about ADD and high blood pressure and your doc is scared to give you stimulants - what about coordinating your urologist with your ADD doc -

Proctlogist ??? Ever been??? Look forward to your first visit ???

Have problems remembering all of those medical screening test one is supposed to do after a certain age.

Aging parents - how is one scattered ADDers supposed to take care of kids and parents!!!

How about retirement issues - grown kids?? Kids in collage???? Borrowing money the car??? Dating teens??

How about grown kids who refuse to move out????


Caring for a terminally ill spouse with while dealing with ADD ??

What about covering that gray - or wrinkles - age spots????

Sound like any thing you could relate to at 19 or 25????? Yes we can relate to the issues of younger people however there are many issues we deal with that younger people simply do not yet comprehend

[crystal8080]

I agree that as you age you have different life experiences and new ways of viewing the world. My only problem is there is MORE than just OLD and YOUNG, there are many chapters in life, how could you agree on the age of 'cutoff'. Over 35? Over 50? Or both? Or more than that?

Or is it agreed that 35 is a magic number? I'm very curious actually because I'm 32 is the sky going to fall in 3 years?

[dagomez05]

I am 53 and in hind site I realize I probably had ADHD all my life, there just wasn't an acronym for it back then. I was officially diagnosed about 5 years ago and the doctor prescribed Adderall. Once the correct dosage was set, it has not changed but I haven't felt a need to change it. I just wished I had gone to get tested earlier.

[ginniebean]

Yep, the cut off age is arbitrary.. so what.. eventually the stuff in that section would become relevant to you and.. when something is relevant it becomes useful and not before

I do think it would be nice to have a section to go to than wish and a prayer search function.

[crystal8080]

No, I agree you guys are right. I was being facetious.

It would be good to have a place for issues specific to aging with ADHD. You are absolutely right. Its something we will all have to come to. I'm behind the idea 100%.

[Flia]

Originally Posted by ginniebean

The best answer to this is a post by meadde from a few years back...

I can agree to a certain extent. But how you cope with those things depend on so many other things, such as spouses helping or not, spouses understanding ADHD or not, having understanding friends or not etc.

The problems I'm having at 56 can be interesting for someone at 20, and I can get feedback from someone at 65. How the 20 year old sees her mother is very interesting to me, as I have a 30 year old daughter with ADHD traits.

The ways to cope are universal to ADHD'ers, but also individual, but to me they're not age dependant.