[ospreyguy]

I need to get this under control but I don't know where to start. I feel like a failure because I can't do my job without stopping every 5-10 minutes to look at the internet. If I don't, I end up staring at the screen thinking about god knows what. RIGHT NOW, I'm at work and on this forum and I have to watch over my shoulder to make sure no one is coming.

WTF is wrong with me?!

So I know I need a dr. but I don't know how to find one... Any help to get started would be very appreciated.

[sunrise]

Hi ospreyguy, do you think it is ADHD? It could be other things too, even what they call Internet addiction. Do you have other symptoms of ADHD too? I'm also very distractable with the Internet and I do have ADHD so yeah, I sympathize! At work, I used to try behavioral tricks to get me to focus. Such as working for 20 minutes uninterrupted and then rewarding myself with something, like a trip down the hall, or drawing a picture. When I didn't absolutely need the Internet for the thing I was working on that minute (like a Word document or spreadsheet, for example), I would disable Internet access on my computer. It could be reestablished with a click, but somehow being disconnected helped me not be tempted. I also made lists of tasks I needed to do and rewarded myself by checking them off. If a task was too daunting, I would make a list of 20 minute increments on the task and give myself a check mark for every 20 minutes I spent on the project (or 10 or 15 or whatever works for you).

For finding a doctor, I would actually recommend starting with a therapist. It's true, the therapist cannot prescribe for ADHD, but the therapist can help you figure out what might be going on, because it might not be ADHD. It might be an Internet addiction, or a symptom of anxiety, depression, etc. Or it could be a combination of these. The therapist is also good at helping with behavioral modification. The therapist can also refer you to a prescriber who is experienced at ADHD if he/she thinks that would be helpful to you.

Primary care providers are suspicious of new patients who come to see them and want a stimulant prescription. They will suspect drug-seeking behavior and amphetamine addiction, because they have seen that so much. So having a relationship established with a therapist, who then refers to a prescriber, can give the prescriber confidence it is not just drug-seeking behavior. Also, the therapist will know who to refer you to who is familiar with diagnosis and treatment of ADHD in adults, It is usually not going to be your family doctor, but either a psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner. I see the latter. She is great and treats many adults for ADHD, is very experienced with all the medication options, and skilled at distinguishing ADHD from other conditions. My family doctor does not have this expertise. Another option is to start by going straight to a skilled prescriber, but from what you describe, I think you could benefit also from behavioral therapy for your symptoms, and prescribers don't necessarily help with that. If you do go see a prescriber, do not be surprised if you are first prescribed a non-stimulant medication such as Strattera or Bupropion. These do help some people with ADHD and also help the prescriber see that you are not just seeking drugs for your addiction. If you give those meds a good trial, keep in touch with progress reports with the prescriber, and they determine it isn't helping as much as you need, then they may be more willing to prescribe stimulants. They see you are serious, truly wanting to help your symptoms and improve your life, and not just after drugs. It is common for a prescriber to start the patient on one of the non-stimulants and then never see the patient again because they were really drug seeking and just moved on to the next doc on their list. Sad, but true.

Best of luck.

[ospreyguy]

Thanks for the info! But I can assure you it's not an IA (internet addiction). That is just my go to thing when I can't focus. It could be anything. In fact I caught myself today building a stupid cell phone holder for no reason out of paperclips... Why? I have no idea... I literally stopped and told myself "WORK!"

It goes back to childhood - like most - and I should have been tested then. But it was the 80's and it was still a new field. Many people told my parents to have me tested but no insurance covered that kind of thing back then and there was no way they could afford it.

I do all kinds of things to reward myself but geeze it's hard to make it happen. I have known for years that this was an issue but never did anything (serious) to correct it. In college I taught myself to study in ways that worked for me. A lot of typing hand written notes, and flash cards. Groups helped to they kept me on track most of the time.

Here is the tough part though. I live in FL but I am on a job in NC right now so I am away from primary and hormone dr's right now and anyone they could/would recommend would be there... I have had a hormone work up and I have really low testosterone which can make the ADD symtoms worse but hormone therapy isn't fixing it...

I found some psychatrists that are therapy driven here in the area and I may just give them a call and see what I think of them. Who knows one may be perfect for me.

Here is something that I have always wondered if it was the ADD or just me. I am a hobby hopper. I will get on these kicks like a cell phone and learn to hack it and what not, follow the forums for about six months, then on to the next one. Which could be traditional shaving with old fashioned razors (bought one...), old trucks (bought one...), jeeps (bought one...), computers (bought more than one...), you get it. Sometimes they cycle back sometimes not. Does anyone else do this?

[hooMeye11]

Originally Posted by ospreyguy

Thanks for the info! But I can assure you it's not an IA (internet addiction). That is just my go to thing when I can't focus. It could be anything. In fact I caught myself today building a stupid cell phone holder for no reason out of paperclips... Why? I have no idea... I literally stopped and told myself "WORK!"

It goes back to childhood - like most - and I should have been tested then. But it was the 80's and it was still a new field. Many people told my parents to have me tested but no insurance covered that kind of thing back then and there was no way they could afford it.

I do all kinds of things to reward myself but geeze it's hard to make it happen. I have known for years that this was an issue but never did anything (serious) to correct it. In college I taught myself to study in ways that worked for me. A lot of typing hand written notes, and flash cards. Groups helped to they kept me on track most of the time.

Here is the tough part though. I live in FL but I am on a job in NC right now so I am away from primary and hormone dr's right now and anyone they could/would recommend would be there... I have had a hormone work up and I have really low testosterone which can make the ADD symtoms worse but hormone therapy isn't fixing it...

I found some psychatrists that are therapy driven here in the area and I may just give them a call and see what I think of them. Who knows one may be perfect for me.

Here is something that I have always wondered if it was the ADD or just me. I am a hobby hopper. I will get on these kicks like a cell phone and learn to hack it and what not, follow the forums for about six months, then on to the next one. Which could be traditional shaving with old fashioned razors (bought one...), old trucks (bought one...), jeeps (bought one...), computers (bought more than one...), you get it. Sometimes they cycle back sometimes not. Does anyone else do this?

I am a hobby hopper too! I thought that was just me.I go from trying to be a gormet chef, to a poet, to putting puzzles together, to singing and acting, the list goes on and on and on...infinity. Last week I was crocheting, today I took out my sewing machine, because crocheting was taking too long. I withdrew from college twice, 6 years ago and BADLY want to return but am afraid of failure because every week I have a new "dream job". I also tend to act on impulse. My friends and husband always say things like they dont ubserstand my brain or thought process. I am the worst story teller ever cause there are always stories,within stories and no one can keep up, or I forget what Im talking about and out of emvarassment, or just because I dont feel like being harrassed for it, I just make up abrupt endings. Random ramblings...do it all the time, sorrt