[wi_fighter]

I scored extremely high on the adult ADD quiz. Not hyperactive, just feels like my brain is going all different directions at once.

Does anyone find that their inability to focus brings on anger and depression? It's a vicious cycle for me. My lack of concentration makes my workday extend into the late hours, which leaves me little time to spend with my kids. That makes my angry with myself, and depressed because I can't put in a decent day's work in a timely fashion.

I don't know which contributes more - depression to the concentration problem, or the concentration problem leads to depression, or if they feed off each other.

It's frustrating.

[kelbelle65]

I have adult ADD too and yes, it has made me angry and depressed. I have Adderall and Ritalin prescriptions and I forget to take them every day! It's ridiculous. I feel scattered a lot and unfocused and bird brained and I just can't seem to get on the meds for more than a day to see if they will help. ARRRGGGG.

Hang in there, and I recommend talking to a p-doc to get diagnosed and on meds. If you can remember to take them, maybe your life will change for the better!
Note: some p-docs are hesitant to diagnose adult ADD, so if you are sure you have it, bring the test with you and if the first doc won't diagnose you, go to another. That's what I did.

Good luck!

Kelly

[INaBOX]

Sorry to say this to you both but it doesn't sound like taking medications is working all that well. If it's inconsistent than it's not doing the work it needs to do. Have you thought about getting yourselves off of the meds? I can't believe you're on both Adderall and Ritalin. That doesn't sound morally right. If you're interested, I have some other suggestions.

Best of luck.

[darkeyes]

Besides being DXed with Bipolar-II(mild) I was also DXed with ADD at the same time, people can have more than one DX, but I find what the ADD does to my life is the depressor, rather than the opposite. They said they wanted to wait awhile to stabilize the bipolar side, then they would go to addressing the ADD.I have become so tired of docs saying it is the depression causing all this havoc, finally I said to my pdoc,"you have been treating me for bipolar for 5 yrs, I have not had any episodic behaviour, (I never did) I was told we would address the ADD after we saw how I did with the bipolar meds. now if you are not going to help me with the ADD part of my duo DX, then direct me to someone who will (there is a group of pdocs at this center)". I exclaimed, that I wasn't threatening him by saying that, but I had enough, this ADD is ruining my life, then he started me with Concerta, I'm still titrating but already see a subtle change, sort of like proving my personal theory. I knew that has been my problem for years, my experiment was while I was on diet pills for weight (stimulant) I did great in college, honor roll twice in a row. When I was a kid right up to HS I was always failing and what not. Kind of tells you something, eh?
I had to stop the pills, doc felt it was leading me into bipolar or triggering it. I know it's the ADD that is most of my depression. It is possible that is your case too.
It is hard to tell, not knowing you, but I do believe the ADD leads to anger and depression, due to the frustration we suffer from this disorder.
Take care now,
DE

[wi_fighter]

I saw a psychiatrist yesterday. He thinks I could have ADD along with the depression, but he said that depression always gets treated first. He wants me to take the Barkley's BADD test online and bring it with me next time.

[lothlo]

Hi, I feel exactly the way you do. I think having a more complicated job (I'm an elementary teacher) makes it more difficult for me. There are so many factors to consider when planning and implimenting good instructional techniques, monitoring student progress, etc., that I get overwhelmed. If I spent as much time as I needed to really do the job justice, I would never go home! My roommate (who is studying to be a nurse) thought I might have dysthmia (mild depression). But like you, I don't know which leads to which. I suspect my ADD leads to my depression, and like you said, it becomes a vicious cycle.

[wi_fighter]

I saw a psychiatrist two weeks ago. He said it's possible I have ADD, but they always treat depression first, since poor concentration is a symptom of that as well.

So, we'll see what happens once the new AD kicks in in full.

[INaBOX]

What do YOU think it is? Do you think ADD has caused your depressions? It can happen. If so, do you feel comfortable in dealing with the depression (through medications) rather than deal with ADD? Why do you think you're depressed? Is there any relations between the two or does it have it's own issues?

I'm not a fan of meds - particularly as a first resort. That's just my opinion.

[wi_fighter]

Thanks for the concern, but I'm not a fan of long lists of questions. I'll trust my doctor.

[dottie]

Hi W.I. I have AADD and 2 closed head brain injuries. I suffer the same things you described. I get angry with myself, usually if I am already in a poor mood. When I was in school as I little girl..the kids would turn and stare at me. I can still see all of those eyes -right on me..as if I had "defective" stamped on my forhead. I was also a very spiritual child..as I loved to spend recess and the lunch hour in church. (I went to Catholic School).None of the other kids did that..so I was considered very weird indeed. It was only in High school that I started to bloom. I worked my butt off tho. Things never came easy.::

High self esteem really helps to overcome these feelings. It is so important for us to learn to speak up and out.!! Hope I have made sense to ya'. I do know exactly how low you can get. It's a very hard and dismal place to be in.

TGC

[wi_fighter]

Thanks for the reply dottie. I've been thinking I'm not sure if it's anger so much, as frustration, but the frustration leads to angry feelings when I haven't reached my work goals, my kids get home and start talking to me, which gets me further behind. Then I get snappy and tell them I need to work. (and they must be thinking "geez, we've been gone for 7 hours. You couldn't get it done then?" ) Then I feel worse.

I wasn't like this in school. I even earned high honors when I went back to school at 28, plus I was working a part-time job and tutoring another girl in my class. Depression wasn't as bad then either. I had a low day once in a while, very infrequently. Don't we all?

Sooooo I'm thinking that the poor attention/concentration has to stem from the depression, which is why even though my psychiatrist/psychopharmacologist thinks I "could" have ADD, the depression gets taken care of first.

Yes, I would prefer to not "have" to take medicine, but if my brain chemistry isn't going to react well enough to behavioral modification or a vitamin (Tom Cruise, kiss my *****) I'd rather suck up my pride and take the dang Rx remedy.

[Wandering_Aimlessly]

I'm going through something very similar. All through school I have had less then average marks, until my last year in high school. I decided that I would put forth a genuine effort to prove to myself I could do it, and behold I did. That year I had a B+ average and felt pretty confident in myself and my abilities. The next year I was off to university, and things didn't work out. There were way too many distraction for me to handle, and I failed out.

It's only now that I am realizing there is something not right. I am depressed and angry all the time and I really think it has to do with the fact that I can't focus or concentrate long enough to ahead. I know I have huge potential because I am a very determined person and that is the only reason I have made it this far. But it is taking it's toll on me mentally and physically.

I go to see my doctor on Weds. and am pretty nervous about the whole thing. More embarrassed than anything, and I know I shouldn't be. Anyways thanks for listening and I'll keep you posted.

[wi_fighter]

I'm doing much better since getting on Lexapro, and with the custody situation having ended. Now I think it's mostly job burnout. I can concentrate on everything else in my life except when I'm working, and then.....well, I'm sure you understand. I let everything else take center stage unless I'm working on things I don't mind. As soon as work comes in that I can't stand, I come up with every reason in the book to avoid it. Like right now for instance, I saw two really loooooong, ESL doctor reports come in for transcription and I decided to log off instead of dealing with them.

I have a million and one reasons to kick butt and take names as far as earning extra income - kids are costing more to raise, psych meds are more expensive now, gas prices have gone up, food prices have gone up, etc., and yet I choose not to. You'd think I could at least clean the house or exercise while I decide not to make money, but no, I sit in front of the computer and let the house stay messy while I continue to develop secretarial butt spread. LOL