[Angel10]

Hi everyone I am new and I haven’t been diagnosed, but my mother has ADD and depression. I seem to have the same problems as well. I can’t concentrate on the tasks, like reading a book, work, school, etc. I can’t remember simple things, my sort term memory is lacking greatly. I have struggled for years since I was a kid. I had received my B.A. and I still feel worthless because I forget the simplest things. My husband doesn’t understand the way I am, he thinks if I try harder or pay attention more etc. that I can get better. It is not that I am unintelligent; it is the fact that my mind is moving in 20 different directions at one time. I used to use Prozac, it helped with the confusion and depression, but it made me a zombie. I need to go to a doctor, but what kind of doctor can diagnose me and how does it work? Can anyone tell me what has worked for them in the past for depression, and ADD? I have worked for years on improving myself and I think I am at a point in my life that I need some help. It is very hard to give myself motivation anymore; I have to try twice as hard as anyone else to keep my mind on a task. I also get confused and depressed for no reason and it is getting worse. Now that I have been married for a little over a year and life kicked in a little harder I just need some extra help… Can anyone give me any advise or steer me towards someone who can help me?

[emwell]

the first question I have is, Do you have insurance? If yes, many companies have web sites where you can search for a doctor who has experience with ADD. If you don't have insurance, there are still ways to find people experienced with ADD. Just make sure they are qualified to help you with other things too.

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
My husband doesn’t understand the way I am, he thinks if I try harder or pay attention more etc. that I can get better

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post"> I think we may be married to the same guy. Mine hasn't actually said this exactly, but I know how he thinks due to his behavior. We can be having a conversation, and 5 minutes into it I have no clue what he said. I usually have to tell him that I didn't hear a word he said. I find it amazing that I can look like I am listening to every word and not hear a thing. He also hates clutter and cannot understand how I manage to create so much. He actually nicknamed me "the tornado".

Welcome to the forum and thank you for sharing.
Deb (emwell)

[Angel10]

Yes I do have insurance FINALLY (after 6 years)… Thank you I will have to search more for a specialty doctor in my area, but another problem is I can’t take time off. Oah well I will figure it out. Anyway I am not always a mess, I am either extremely messy or overly clean. (one extreme to the other). I am glad you know how I feel no one else does. Do you get confused and disoriented easily; I practically live on map quest, ha, ah?

[emwell]

Yes. Confused, distracted, forgetfull, etc. I am a pack rat and my husband hates it. I also have OCD which I wish meant I was a clean freak. I can't stay in one room long enough too clean the whole thing. I might start with doing the dishes. The next thing I know is that I am cleaning the bathroom. I try to vaccuum last when cleaning the bathroom as I know once i start, I will move to the hall or bedroom. If its the bedroom, I will then notice the laundry and start that. Meanwhile my husband finishes the dishes.

[Angel10]

Hi, try trying to clean out boxes of your stuff… IMPOSSIBLE. I start looking through EVERYTHING… I can’t help myself. (7 hours later and I still haven’t cleaned out the attic). I put the milk in the cabinet and the cereal in the refrigerator. I can’t remember what I just talked about, and my brain moves faster than my mouth. (I used to shudder) I have 100 different things in my head when I need to do only one of them. I can’t grasp what exactly I need to do even though I have done it many times before. (you sound just like me) Ginko here I come!!!!

[emwell]

I have so many boxes of stuff. I understand how difficult it is to go through them without looking at everything. I still have English journals from the 7th grade. I bought some containers so I could organize my photos. LOL The empty containers have become part of the clutter in the bedroom. Unfortunately my mouth moves faster than my brain much of the time.

At another web site I found about ADD, they have a thread just for stories like milk in the cabinet. Some of them are pretty funny.

[Angel10]

Emwell
We seem to be one in the same, I am only 25 years old and I am already tired of struggling with this, and I have 40 years left lol… Yesterday my husband yelled at me to (in his words get fixed) nice hua. Anyway, what is the name of that add site, if you can tell me.

[emwell]

I will PM you with the addy of the website. Not sure if I am allowed to leave a link here or not. I got yelled at too. Apparently I did not shut the back door when I went to sleep. Then he noticed the front door was open as well. My dogs go in and out so much, it is tough to remember if the doors are shut or not.

[Hapax]

Hi! I'm new here, just in the door. Someone suggested to me I might have ADD (I'm 57). I've previously thought I was just depressed, bi-polar, or PTSD. Smorgasbord self-analysis.

Anyway, been trying to separate causes from effects, and realized a lot of my anxiety and depression comes out of my extreme procrastination and tendency to clutter. ADD makes sense for me in that context, and the scenarios you've described in this thread match my experience very closely.

I'm based in Ireland, though, where medication is often harder to come by, and informed therapists / counsellors almost impossible to find near my town.

So this is to say thanks, and wish me luck!

Hapax

[DougInPA]

I too am new to this site...but dealing with a wife and daughter w/ ADD in not new. My wife and I have been married for almost 5 years. We completed some VERY successful (but difficult) couple counseling that helped us to both better understand AND work with our differences. I've read a number of excellent books that helped me deal/ cope with both my wife and my daughter. The key has been to recognize that ADD gives, and ADD takes away...not always in understandable ways...but I have found that giving is so much more than the taking away. (This is Dougspeak for the positives far outweighing the negatives). A big part of the positives has been my changed perception of the negatives (the piles of stuff, bills that don't get paid, etc.) as relatively small when compared to the blessing my wife and daughter truly are in my life. My wife is the most caring and compassionate person I know. She is extremely intelligent (her IQ is somewhere above 130) and is moments away from her masters in teaching. But there is a trade off...its one I'd make any day...boy if I could only remember that when the other stuff seems to overwhelm me Is this to help you or help me? Anyway, I hope that you are more able to seek the positives, accept the "stuff" and love yourself first and always!

[ocd123]

don't we all. I'm new too, and I'm not sure I have ADD, but it sure sounds familiar. I've lost jobs for getting so bogged down in confusion, not tomention stuff piling up that I forgot or just couldn't deal with. Talk about feeling stupid!! I've already got so many diagnoses I guess one more won't make much difference. Good luck to you!

[CompGeek]

For diagnoses for ADD or ADHD your Primary Care doctor should be able to diagnose you and if not him/her then he/she should be able to refer you to a doctor who can. as for depression your primary care doctor may be able to speculate but If i were you I would bring that question to a psychologist.

[gardenergirl]

Hi, just a plug for psychologist services. A psychologist who does assessment can also test you for ADHD. They can also look at the impact of anxiety or depression on your mental functioning and help you figure out what can help.

Good luck!

gg

[jmo531]

My daughter has ADD. She went through a series of tests wich determined that is in fact what she had. She was prescribed Strattera and has been on it for about a year and ahalf now. She has done so much better since being on this medication.

I would start with your Primary Doc and go from there. Wishing you luck. Please keep us posted.

[Nic_F]

Hello Angel10,

We have some similar problems in our family and we have found a natural supplement that works absolute wonders! My son has ADHD and had been on Ritalin for alomost 9 months when we started supplementation with Glutamag. He is now no longer using Ritalin and is very close to being a pretty normal boy.

Maybe you could give it a try if nothing else helps?

Best regards,

Nic

[kelbelle65]

Hi Angel,
I was diagnosed last year with Adult ADD. Contrary to popular belief, you can get diagnosed with Adult ADD even if you were not diagnosed as a child. I am 39 and last year I went to one doc who refused to diagnose me but the 2nd one did and prescribed Ritalin, which I can't remember to take (I wish I could laugh at the irony of that... but it makes me mad at my brain that I can't seem to remember to take it, even as I'm sitting at my job thinking, "Geez I wish my organizational skills were better and man, my memory sucks...") Anyway, the way I got diagnosed was fairly painless. I did a little research online and found a list of classic symptoms of Adult A.D.D. I had 16 of them and took the list to the doctor. Like I said, the first one wouldn't budge and said stress can make you forgetful, etc. but the 2nd one said, "There's no doubt in my mind that you have Adult A.D.D." But unfortunately, I'm not getting the support I need from friends and loved ones. They all dismiss it and say, "yeah, but everyone has a little of that." That makes me feel invalidated and embarrassed for bringing it up... anyway, every night I say, "tomorrow I will remember to take my Ritalin" and every tomorrow comes and I forget. Hey, if any of you long timers have any tips for remembering to take Ritalin (the kind that needs to be taken every 4 hours) please let me know. I remember to take my Lexapro because I take it before bed and I keep it on my nightstand.
Well, good luck Angel. Hope this is of some help to you. I'm going to try the Glutamag. Sorry I forgot to check and see who suggested it, but thanks. I hope it turns me into a normal little boy too. (hee hee just kidding!)

[cms39]

Hi and welcome all. Kelbel: I know that many people say "Yeah, everyone has a little of that" in regards to various disorders. That is true. But it's the severity of it that makes it a disorder. With my obsessive-compulsive disorder too, lots of people have some symptoms (checking their door to see if it is locked several times) but not everyone spends the inordinate amounts of time on the stuff I did before I was on medication. Plus, not a lot of people need to get up and sit down several times over and over before it "feels right." It's the same with ADD. The severity and intensity make it a disorder. Maybe you can explain that to the people who don't understand.

[whwilson]

I do not personally have ADD or ADHD, but I do have a daughter with several special needs including ADHD. She is also hearing impared and has developmental delays, so I can understand the frustration you are going through with yourself. The thing I have found that works the best with her is to have a routine and keep everything as organized as possible. If you are having trouble taking your meds, try posting signs around the house. It sounds funny, but it is the only way my friend would remember. She had one beside her bed, on her fridge and on the bathroom door. If you don't have a day planner, I would suggest you get one. They are very helpful and can really help you keep organized. If you have a plan and know that you can follow the plan or even just make the plan it will make you feel like you have accomplished so much! I personally make lists for the things I want to get accomplished, because with four kids and a busy mind myself I will be doing a million things at once and never complete a single one of them. And next time your hubby says to get fixed tell him you are normal and he needs fixing. Remember to love yourself too, and keep track of your positive actions and forget your minor mistakes because these will bring you down.

[INaBOX]

Sorry I have to add my personal belief here, quite the contrary to what I've read. I hope you don't mind.

My son has ADHD as well and his doctors wanted to medicate him (even before he was properly diagnosed). He has all of the characteristics. You know what? There are so many more options out there besides medication. I dont feel its right to medicate these children within minutes of the diagnoses. I can see using it as a last resort but doctors aren't doing enough to remedy this problem. It puts more money in their pockets to put a patient on a prescription then it is to deal with the route of the problem. I have a few alternative suggestions for everyone who' s open-minded to know. PM me if you're interested. I'll be happy to suggest.