Hi Newtus. I just read this thread, and I don't know if I can help you much, but I would like you to know that I read it. So, your first and third questions are answered. Therapists are just people, and work a little bit like doctors do. Doctors when they are in training or new, or they see something that they aren't sure about or is not their area, etc., consult with other doctors so that they can know that they are doing the best thing to help people. That makes sense, right? It's the same with therapists. Therapists discuss their cases when they are learning, so that they can learn how to do therapy. It's part of school and the training process. After they have finished school, they are supervised for a couple of years, and they discuss things with their supervisor. After that, they might be part of a treatment team, or they might have a question about symptoms and how to work with someone the best way, and might consult with someone.

These days people don't just get 'put away.' Psychiatric hospitals are for people who are having dangerous symptoms or something that can't be treated elsewhere, and it is usually short term. People might stay in a hospital for a few days until they don't feel suicidal or until they aren't too scared to handle the outside world, or something like that. Usually it's just for a few days, until they are better.

Are you going to a therapist now? If you are, what does he or she say about your fears and your symptoms and your diagnosis? I'm concerned that some people seem to put too much importance on diagnosis. All that diagnosis really means is a word that describes a set of symptoms. Some symptoms might be persistent over a long time, but they also can change. What someone said you had when you were 15 isn't necessarily still true now. Therapy isn't really about treating a diagnosis. It is for helping you to feel better and be healthier, etc. You don't have to only work on symptoms of one diagnosis and leave out other symptoms that might suggest another diagnosis. Therapy can help you with all of them. Sometimes doctors have to be careful about which medications they give you, because they have to treat certain symptoms first, or maybe a medication could make some symptoms worse. But that doesn't mean that your other symptoms can't be treated. And medication isn't the only way to treat you either. There is also therapy, and therapy is to help all of you.

I am concerned about you because you are so scared. Also because of what you are thinking about doing because of being so scared. Can you see how some of those things could hurt you even more than what you are afraid of? Especially stopping your car on the highway and getting out, or trying to kill someone before they can kill you. What if they aren't really trying to kill you, or if you got the wrong people? How can you tell who it is?

It is important for you to talk to someone about those things. You might need medication to help you be safe and not be so scared - scared enough to do dangerous things. Remember that medication isn't the only treatment, though. You can talk about what you are afraid of, and if you think you have ADHD, how to deal with those symptoms.

We probably can't really answer your second question here, because you need to talk to a professional who knows you about that, but I do want you to know that you can get help for what you need help with now, and it isn't necessarily going to be like when you were 15. Things do change.