[njal]

I've been seeing a Pdoc for a month or so due to extreme depression and anxiety issues. At my last visit I finally got the nerve up to talk to him about ADD as I think that this is a catalyst for my anxiety but was dismissed off the cuff since I'm "successful". Now there are lots of valid reasons why I could be wrong but I don't think that "success" should be the key metric.

I could be wrong I guess about the ADD part but I don't really think so.

• In and out of the principles office and teacher conferences during elementary school for acting out and being "unfocused"
• Couldn't read in the third grade, but eventually found a topic I enjoyed (greek mythology) and was reading at the 9th grade level in only a few months.
• School complained to my parents about my hyperactivity (mind you I'm a bit older at 35 and they didn't suggest medication back then).
• Chronic underachiever in secondary school was always told "you could do more if you would just concentrate". I got by since I am pretty intelligent.
• Never could do homework and always waited until the last moment for projects. Almost failed several classes due to the amount of missing work. Was only a firm hand from my parents that I could do any of this.
• Went to 3 different colleges because of difficulties staying focused which caused academic hardships and delays. I switched my major 4 times because I couldn't stay focused for very long. I eventually found a major that I was interested enough in to see through and graduated with decent grades. I ended up with 228 credits for a 120 credit degree from all the changes.
• I didn't take notes at all in college and couldn't read most of my books. I couldn't take notes and listen or I would just miss everything that was being said. Most of my notebooks contained nothing more than doodles and rants...
• I didn't do well in most of the heavier reading classes and classes requiring papers. I had too much trouble staying on topic and focused. The only classes I did well in were related to math and science which I found interesting and easy.
• I've had several jobs since then and I've done pretty well but I have a habit of leaving once my disorganization causes me to get completely overwhelmed. I'm constantly in a state of chaos and my desk/files are a mess. I can't for anything get organized and it always ends up biting me in the long run. Now I'm a higher level manager but its because I'm really good at the analytics and when its a crunch I can do great work.
• Over the years I've developed my own systems (well really several redundant systems) for trying to get my work done. Post-its, online calendars, voluminous to-do lists, etc. Without those I wouldn't get a single thing accomplished. I'm lucky actually that I'm a manager since it lets me bounce between lots of different things rather than try to focus all day on one particular thing. I also have my staff do all my organizing for the most part since I'm so bad at it. Even then I'm sitting here with a desk full of stuff that I really should have filed or done but haven't.
• I chronically miss things, fine details, emails, etc. I end up sending work thats wrong often and then catch it and resend again with the corrections. I can't seem to focus at all on the small things.
• I lose things all the time, keys, wallet, my lunch... I stopped bringing much of my work home because I wouldn't ever remember to bring it back. I have to check to make sure I have everything like 5 times in the morning.
• My house is full of unfinished projects. I've been remodeling for 5 years now and each part is half done. Its not that I can't do the work its just that I get side-tracked and never get back to it. I started hanging pictures for my wife 4 weeks ago did one wall and never finished.
• My son was diagnosed with ADHD and I know there can be a genetic link. My wife is luckily really organized so I don't think he gets this from her.

There's tons more but this is already long. I guess I'm just frustrated that my Pdoc won't even explore this with me. Hell I have 14 half finished business plans, each time I get hyper excited and start it only to have it sit on my table and gather dust when I move on to the next one. At this point the cycle has become circular where I just seem to move from one to the other redoing the same beginning work and stopping when I think it gets down to the nuts and bolts.

So can you be too successful for ADD? I guess that was the question that started the rant.

[sunrise]

So can you be too successful for ADD? I guess that was the question that started the rant.

I don't think so. But part of the criteria for ADHD is some sort of functional impairment, so if the person has no impairment in any part of their life--job, school, relationships--then they wouldn't be considered to have a disorder. For me, I have had quite a bit of success, but as I have aged, my ability to cope with the ADHD has been overcome by increasing cognitive demands and a less capable, older brain. So my ADHD is manifesting quite a bit more in my older years. From talking to my doctor, this is not uncommon. Lots of us learn to cope well and then when the load gets to be too much, everything tips, and voila, adult ADHD!

I suggest going to someone who is more experienced at diagnosing and treating ADHD. Your pdoc sounds inexperienced with this disorder in adults.

[growlycat]

I know 2 successful professionals who worked in the corporate offices of 2 major, well known companies---I know that these 2 individuals were diagnosed with ADD. Do they stop diagnosing ADD after adulthood? Maybe that's the issue?
But I'm pretty sure successful adults can have it!!

[Polykronic]

I'm considered a successful adult, and I was just diagnosed with ADHD.

Being successful doesn't mean you aren't also impaired in your functioning. Based on my IQ and other indicators of potential, I should be doing better than I am. Instead, I find it difficult to do as well as I do because of difficulties concentrating, keeping track of schedules, impulsivity, etc.

Definitely look for a professional that understands that! I have also heard, " Well, you seem to be doing okay so there's no need for medication." Um, who just wants an "okay" life? Especially when they try so hard every day!

Best of luck to you.

[lancetrot]

A lot of people with ADD are having successful career.The trick is how to work with it and how to treat it.

[jzinsd]

A lot of professionals I work with seem to have ADD and it's those that manage it seem to have even more success

[AniManiac]

I have ADD and have generally been very successful. I have to work very hard at it, though, and have to use a lot of coping skills and take meds. I have a lot of the same behaviors you describe. I started coming up with coping skills on my own by age 7 because it was so distressing to lose things all of the time.

I've been given the "you're smart enough to have learned to compensate by now" line before and I wish I had punched that person in the face. I went asking for help because I was distressed at how hard things were for me!

[bipolarmedstudent]

Personally, I think no. If I hadn't been diagnosed and treated for my adhd, I doubt I would have graduated high school. I was diagnosed at 14 and put on a stimulant medication, and because of that I was able to graduated high school, attend university, and now I'm in med school. But without my meds? I can't even get dressed in the morning by myself, let alone pass my classes. It's doubtful I would be nearly as successful as I am today.

[venusss]

Well, if it bothers you and you feel it is holding you back, it is an impairment of a sort, not matter if you learned to deal with it (people can learn to deal and live successful life while missing a limb, but it does not mean in any way that they do not miss a limb. And many of them would go for artificial limb given a chance).

You seem to have few issues and you may benefit from a treatment... but on the other hand, try to consider if you are not too hard on yourself and aren't too much of a perfectionist, hoping for something to get you there. Do not take this in wrong way... but many people are good only at some subjects at school or take time to figure out their focus in university. And it's okay.

Do you feel you have more potential and don't know how to use it? Is that one of your roots to depression and anxiety? I believe it is always a complication interconnected issue, so it is worth exploring....

[AtlantaFalcons]

Good Day All,

I honestly have made it where I am by knowing the right people and having the right attitude. My family pulled me out of high school because I probably would have never graduated. I had already been retained in the 7th grade. They had me take the GED in the 10th grade which I passed. I went to community college for a year and a half. Ended up doing contracting work in Washington D.C. for the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms at 17. Ran away from all of that to go back to my home town of Atlanta. I don’t even remember 19-24. I moved back to the D.C. area and started working for the State Department. Now I am 28 and still doing contracting work and I am at my crossroads. Since all of my work experience is non-technical and it is mandatory that I either earn a degree or become more technical to earn more money and have the knowledge to start my own business. I have to go to school and study. So, I have begun self study for my CCNA which is very tedious. The standard book for study being 700-800+ pages. And of course ADD has reared its interesting face again showing me that I can’t run away from him. So, long story short if you really have ADD/ADHD somewhere down the line you and IT are going to fight and how prepared you are for the fight determines your outcome. Prior planning prevents poor performance.

Atlanta Falcons Fan