[SophiaG]

I've been reading these posts and it's like a lightbulb has gone off in my mind.

Why doesnt anyone believe me when I say i have ADD? lol. Does anyone else have difficulty convincing others that they have ADD?

People seem to view it as a joke when it can really screw with your life...



Ever since I was a little girl I'd run away from structured activities (such as homework). I loved/still love to daydream all the time. I hate planners. I dont manage my time well. My assignements are often handed in late.

In high school I remember it'd take me so much longer than the other students to do a homework assignment. But i'd sit there and do it anyway. Determined. Now, i'm in College and I just despair.

I've already tried a lifecoach and it didnt seem to help. I dissapointed her.

I hate dissapointing people.

I keep telling my mom I have ADD but she wont listen to me. %@#&*

Why wont anyone listen to me??? :l

ugh.

Why does college seem so impossible. It's always felt impossible. I cant focus.

I never focus. I dont focus at all during class. I never have. Not during sermons either.

...

>_<

[nellbells]

Sounds very frustrating. I recently brought up the idea to my mom and sister that I was feeling like I have some ADD symptoms. They were skeptical. My mom's a teacher so she's been on the front lines in suggesting that some students have ADD. She said she never thought of me as having it, but she's being supportive of me. My sister is having a rough time herself so she was transferring her problems on to me. Which is frustrating. I just want someone to be like "oh yeah, I can see where your coming from." But I can't expect them to see things from my perspective. I am going in for my intake next week to start the process of getting tested for ADD.

You may not get anyone convinced right now, but if you have a plan for how you want to handle your assumptions and share these plans with them maybe they will support you through the process anyway.

Maybe not helpful, but that is my experience right now.

[sunflower55]

Why does it matter if anyone else listens to you?
Go to your college health center and ask for an evaluation. If they cannot do it, they surely can send you to the appropriate people who can.

You are an adult now. It's time to begin to take care of yourself. That's what being in college is all about. It's a transitional time. If mom won't help you, you need to help yourself. It's what growing up is all about.

And, as an aside,
For those of us with ADD/ADHD, a planner is almost an essential part of our lives, like air. You ought to get used to using it. It will make your life easier in the long run. Because a diagnoses of ADD/ADHD is not an excuse to fail. It only means that we have to find solutions to the challenges we face.
You can do it.

Peace!

[SophiaG]

I am very thankful for the replies I've gotten so far. But I'd like a few more. I want to hear what others have to say about my "issue". It might help me gain the insight needed to solve my ADD issues.

Ty so much everyone <3

[TheDeliciousDish]

Not only do I believe you, I think I'm a mirror image. I've *never* been able to use a planner properly (because I'm not even paying attention sometimes when I'm told something that needs to be written down in it), I'm horrendous at managing my time, assignments always get in late (if at all), and I constantly let down people who care about me a lot.

Reading this actually helped answer a post I just made, wondering if I even have ADD or not. Whether we've got it or not though, you've got my support in knowing we definitely do have something tricky to deal with.

I agree with Sunflower55 that ADD cannot be used as a simple excuse for not getting things done, but it sure does help as an explanation for why you're having so much trouble.

Be wary of your college health center. They very often have fresh, young staff that will not necessarily know how to handle your case. I would get a recommendation from a trusted doctor for a trusted psychiatrist in your area who would be able to properly diagnose ADD, and then go from there. I'm actually in the process of getting a reference for such a doctor right now! Let me know what you decide to do, and I'll keep you posted on what happens with me, especially if I find something to be particularly useful or successful!

Best of luck!

EDIT: I also forgot... Suggestion for how to cope with it: Try your hardest to make an environment with as little distraction as possible, but also as COMFORTABLE as possible. Experiment with different times of day and different locations, and see what conditions are the best for you to get things done. Another suggestion I've had given to me that didn't do a whole lot of good for me, but may for you, is to try working in just 15 minute (or less) intervals. Work for 15 minutes or so, then get up, grab some water, a snack, chat a bit with a friend, play a little game, watch a short video... whatever you like to do! Then go right back to it for another 15 minutes and start again. If you start to get too wrapped up in the other things though, then scratch it, because you're probably better off milking the work time for all it's worth! Okay, actually done now xD

~Dish

[Junerain]

Here is a whole website, support forum for you

http://helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add...strategies.htm

[Pamela Choi]

I understand that ADD is and can be tough. Especially if you have not been diagnosing at an early age, I too suffer from ADHD and other mental diseases (bipolar). I understand that you can’t hold a thought and it’s hard to follow directions, comprehend, and putting sentence together when writing and reading (especially in front of people). I would advise you to have an assessment to determine if you have ADD and if so what type of ADD. Medication can help with concentration but you still have to work on other things that are a side effect, concentration will help this process.

Also, educate your self about ADD so you better acquaint yourself.
Pam

[Junerain]

You could print out this thread and show it to your Mom, to show how serious you are about having ADHD...

[turquoisesea]

((((((((((((((((Sophia))))))))))))))))))))

I hate it when people don't believe you... it's so hard to make them understand if they've never experienced it themselves. *doesn't have ADD but have experienced the same thing with other problems in my life*

[katrinas]

I am very careful about who I tell I have ADD. Many people still dont believe in it. Some have treated me different in the past so now I am careful. I am 43. I was dx'd back in 2000. When I mentioned it back then to my mom. She was like "bull loney, thats ridiculous. theres no such thing. " Nowadays she knows she is and we laugh about all the adventures we always end up having and vent about the ones that werent fun.