[sunshine88]

Hi I hope yall are doing well. I will start off by saying that while I have experienced issues with ADHD throughout my entire life and that I am pretty positive that most of my family has ADD/ADHD, I was only formally diagnosed in 10th grade, which was about 5 years ago. Even then, I still did not take it seriously and went about my life without changing anything or really being aware of everything that being ADHD entailed. Now I am in grad school for Early Childhood Special Education, which is actually causing me to become somewhat introspective about my habits and general personality. Everyone who knows me or has spent any amount of time with me can figure out that I have ADHD and I am constantly reminded of my innattentiveness or randomness by my friends. It is not something that I really mind because everyone accepts me for who I am.

But lately I have been wondering about the correlation between ADHD and Impulsivity. I started to really think about this after I made a rash decision this weekend and hooked up with a guy that my best friend likes and has been talking to this weekend. The thing is that this was never something that I planned to do and I am still not quite sure how it happened. Even though the situation has been somewhat resolved, I do not want to keep making these decisions that I could easily prevent. I tend to act on feeling and jump right into something, and do not always stop to think of the long term effects of my actions. This was okay when I was younger and even in high school, but now I am 21 years old. I have a good heart and never intend to hurt people, so when it is my close friends I feel very regretful.

I have never taken medication for ADHD or really talked to anyone about strategies or ways to successfully manage my time or to make better decisions. Now I am wondering if I should as these things do not come naturally to me. What are some thoughts on how I can make better decisions and not give in to my own impulses (or really in most cases I give in to the influence of others, even if it os something that I am normally against.)

I realize that this is very long and I thank in advance whoever decides to read this whole thing. Any advice at all will be helpful and I will read others' posts and try to offer my own insight as well.

Thank you!!

[Simcha]

Sunshine--

I find it odd and interesting that even though your parents sent you to a professional for their assessment, they never sought actual TREATMENT for what you were diagnosed with (ADHD).

This is sad, because ADHD is very treatable, and untreated ADHD can easily lead to depression and anxiety problems as an adult. One thing I should congratulate you for though is completing college and getting accepted to graduate school without any help for the ADHD. Your situation only further highlights the fact that it is NOT just academics that are affected by ADHD, but also other areas of life as well.

Do you have health insurance? You might be covered by your parents if you do not have any of your own. The best thing to do is to see a therapist who has experience in treating adults with ADHD. Some are more skilled in this area than others, and you'll only know by contacting them in the phonebook for your area. A therapist with an MA or PhD in some sort of counseling field will be able to assess you and help you get treatment.

I find that medication works best with therapy. Some people do medication alone, and others don't use medication at all. Having a lifetime of the affects of ADHD can really take it's toll; even with medicine ADHD will not go completely away. Talk therapy really helps to deal with the myriad of issues an adult with ADHD is faced with.

What's stopping you from seeing a professional to help you sort out these things? Hesitation is normal, but most people feel really relieved when they start getting help with ADHD and whatever their other issues are.

[sunshine88]

Simcha---

Thank you so much for your reply. The assessment was done through my school and I was 16 at the time, so it wasnt really anything I didnt already know or hadnt learned to deal with. I think that my parents don't understand what the big deal is because they are the same way, so it is normal to them. They do not notice that I get off topic and jump from one thing to the next because they do the same thing! However I did not realize that it would really affect me later on in life and did not realize that ADHD, if left untreated, might lead to depression. It is wierd because I am a very happy and outgoing person on the outside yet I keep everything bottled up so no one really knows when I am unhappy. I think I would benefit from talking to a professional mainly because I do not want to burder any of my friends or family members, I am sort of the person that listens to other peoples problems, not one who talks about my own. As for medication I would be willing to try even though I have gone without for 21 years, because I would like to see how I would change, for the better.

Thanks again, I really appreciate the advice!

[theotterone]

I have been able to see the impulsive issue more with my girls than myself, though I am getting better at spotting it in me.

It's kind of like a craving that is difficult to deny. I see how my thought process is different. The key for me (and realize I wasn't diagnosed until August 2009 and spent 24 years being told I was NOT ADHD) is to slow down and THINK about the impulse. If after thinking about it for some length of time (depending on what it is) I may still "give in to" the impulse, but at least I have thought it through. I've only been able to do this since I have gone on medication.

Hope this helps!

[Moreta]

Hi shunshine88, I was diagnosed with ADD actually after I got out of High School. Looking back, I could totally see it, but since I got good grades and stayed out of trouble, nobody ever thought about it. I started college and had a hard time with concentrating and studying for tests (not to mention I was going through a manic phase) but when I started taking adderall it changed everything. I was also diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the same time. I did very impulsive things before I got started on the medication, but I'm not sure which disorder caused it. You might want to get them to check for anything else if you go to your doc for ADD. Just a thought.

[sunshine88]

wow all good things to think about... thank you so much guys!! yeah it is crazy i randomly find myself doing things on impulse that i would never do normally its like that part of my brain shuts down and i am so in the moment that i fail to think about the long-term effects. i am seriously considering talking to a professional and seeking help and advice. thank you so much again i just needed some unbiased opinions from people who were in my same boat.