1. I would say I am ADHD because I failed the 1st grade (who does that?), grades sucked, struggled with classes even in college now I struggle)

2. Consistency of impairment: ADHD is chronic and always present. I cannot ever remember where I would put the car keys so I find places that I can remember to put things I need. My keys are now always near the front door so I can walk out.

3. Mood triggers: People with ADHD are passionate, and have strong emotional reactions to events, or triggers, in their lives. Happy events result in intensely happy, excited moods. Unhappy events — especially the experience of being rejected, criticized, or teased — elicit intensely sad feelings.

I am passionate about animals (damn budweiser commercial made me cry), homelessness, helping others, unhappy for me is not being able to keep a job because of my ADHD issues.

4. Rapidity of mood shift: Because ADHD mood shifts are almost always triggered by life events, the shifts feel instantaneous. They are normal moods in every way, except in their intensity. They’re often called “crashes” or “snaps,” because of the sudden onset. Definitely does not sound like me.

5. Duration of moods: Although responses to severe losses and rejections may last weeks, ADHD mood shifts are usually measured in hours. The mood shifts of BMD, by DSM-IV definition, must be sustained for at least two weeks. I would say this is more of me in that I can be happy and sad all in the same day through the day but never last into the next day.

6. Family history: Both disorders run in families, but individuals with ADHD almost always have a family tree with multiple cases of ADHD. I have no genetic connections that I know of to bipolar.