[2_b_free]

This post is written with kindness and a genuine sincere effort to help people not to end up with a misdiagnoses or harmful medication. I have been concerned lately at the number of ” I think I have ADHD” posts from people who are sincerely convinced they have ADHD because they have experienced some of symptoms. I have severe ADD and believe me you don’t want to have this disorder. Please don't convince (self-diagnose) yourself with a disorder until a professional can evaluate you. Learning everything about a disorder from the internet is probably not the best idea without a confirmation.
ADD/ADHD only effects only about 5% of the population. There may be several disorders that have the same symptoms. My biggest concern is someone who has been researching ADHD every day will know enough to get diagnosed with ADHD in order to get medication (sincerely or deliberate) and are given a prescription for a class 2 controlled medication that can be addictive and dangerous, especially when not required. ADHD medication will not work the same in people without ADHD and it is not take a magic pill and everything is cured. People with ADHD have to work hard at getting better, changing behavior, creating new problem and coping skills. This doesn't happen overnight. Be happy if don't have it.

[Travelinglady]

Great advice!

[Turtleboy]

i think you are right 2b even psychology students are warned not to self diagnose

[venusss]

Also: hating maths (or one class in school) is not ADHD. Not having straight As doesn't mean you are ADHD. (yes, I seen people think that because their kid gets bored in school it must be ADHD).

the ADHD tests should be taken with grain of salt.

question such as "cannot concentrate on text, unless it's easy or interesting?". Boredom is not ADHD. Having difficulty to follow text, instruction that may be above your level is not ADHD (so if you just gone to Uni and are overwhelmed by what they want from you... it doesn't mean you had undiagnosed ADHD all your life. If you find new job exhausting... it could be pretty much that you need to get used to the new situation). Not keeping concentration sharp for 8 hours or more straight is not really ADHD.

[-jimi-]

It can go the other way too. If questions or information is geared in a certain direction, you might miss it too. For a long time they really stressed hyperness and not so much just ADD, and they stress attention more than anything. So for a long time I thought I couldn't have ADD because I do not misplace things, I know where everything is, I am quite lazy and I don't feel energetic at all, when people talk I can listen, I could listen at school, I'm not impulsive, I'm very good with money etc.

It's just more recently when they see the whole span of executive functioning skills that they and I understand I have ADD. Like never completing a task, never starting if it seems the slightest hard, having no schedule for eating and sleeping, having a very rich inner life with many ideas, excessive daydreaming and so on.

Actually I was quite surprised the test here scored me as moderately ADD, because tests usually miss me altogether and ask the wrong stuff.

[dbadams]

Can't agree with you more about self-diagnosing. I, too, have ADHD and it is a real disorder. Everyone experiences symptoms of ADHD to some degree , especially in today's information overloaded society. Only a professional is qualified to diagnose. On the other hand, if one has a honest concern, it doesn't hurt to ask.

[Newlisalife]

My younger years were traumatising but I was very lucky to escape and to be able to have a life without the normal worries. I have spoken to my doctor about my symptoms around 5 times in my life span of 45 years, they ask me, if I have stress in my life, I tell them No. They then go on to say that I maybe depressed which I don't believe to be the case but in the end I decided to try the medication because I was desperate for help. One week on the medication was horrendous, I took the pills back to the doc saying if I was depressed before then now I can't get myself out if bed.
I am not a strong person and have always been a people pleaser if you know what I mean, basically way to nice!!!! Run from any form of confrontation and unable to sustain any long term commitment with anybody or anything. I know self diagnoses is not the right way but when I found the symptoms for ADD I cried so much, it was like reading all about me.
I took my research to my doc last week, she told me I would need to see a physiotherapist to get diagnosed and that it is very expensive.
I found this site recently but I find writing posts very difficult as I want to say so much to feel understood but its very difficult to find the right words.

[PrincessxKitty]

also the people who only get Dx'd with AD(H)D just to get C-II drugs to abuse it (sometimes just to sell them), make it extra hard for people who HAVE AD(H)D (not by "choice") and NEED the meds; docs are getting very paranoid/suspicious and the dr-patient relationship ends up either being ruined or never built at all...

sorry for the mini vent there, but the this topic was much needed IMO

[belledisastre]

I guess the same could be said about people that self-diagnose with other disorders such as bipolar, anxiety, depression, etc. I don't have ADHD; I'm lurking this forum because one of my bipolar medications makes it very difficult for me to concentrate several times a day & since I never had this problem before, I don't know how to deal with it. One thing I would say though is that if a person is putting that much effort into researching a disorder and even signing up for a site like this, their symptoms must really be impacting their life because most people don't have time just to research disorders and self-diagnose for no reason. You've made a great point though, I'd recommend that those people really be evaluated by a mental health professional to prevent misdiagnosis or anything like that.

[krisakira]

Thanks for this. No you don't want to have ADD/ADHD because it is hell when I go to school and can't even sit still. I take adderall, and I wouldn't wish anyone to take it if they didn't need to. This is because my experience is that it works well for me to calm down and think clearly about the lectures, however when I don't take the med at school, I am worse off than before I started taking the adderall. My body gets used to the med and I don't want anyone getting used to such a med if they don't have to! My boyfriend gets annoyed at me and I hate that. I feel like such a bother to him and want to just be dead so that he doesn't get bothered anymore. Adderall doesn't treat laziness or bad parenting, or boredom and bad grades. In fact, if you don't have ADHD /ADD adderall will make you worse off. It only works if you have it.

[amy_Doncaster]

Hi,

I saw your thread and completely agree with what you have written. (NewLisaLife) I have always thought there was something 'odd' about me but I never knew what it was. It wasn't until I started a new job and they suspected ADHD that I looked it up and it made me cry. It was like a huge relief of 20 some years had been lifted and finally things made sense. Every time I mention it to my friends they laugh at me or don't seem to understand so I have no support at all. And now it seems like an even bigger battle to cope with every day and accept what I may actually have. It's hard to explain but if anyone kind of understands please get in touch! Advice from someone in the same boat would be greatly appreciated. x

[2_b_free]

Originally Posted by amy_Doncaster

Hi,

I saw your thread and completely agree with what you have written. (NewLisaLife) I have always thought there was something 'odd' about me but I never knew what it was. It wasn't until I started a new job and they suspected ADHD that I looked it up and it made me cry. It was like a huge relief of 20 some years had been lifted and finally things made sense. Every time I mention it to my friends they laugh at me or don't seem to understand so I have no support at all. And now it seems like an even bigger battle to cope with every day and accept what I may actually have. It's hard to explain but if anyone kind of understands please get in touch! Advice from someone in the same boat would be greatly appreciated. x

Amy - Please re-read my original thread. Until you are officially diagnosed with ADD, please do not assume you have it. Like I said in the thread there is a danger to begin thinking you have it and start acting accordingly. Unfortunately, by the time you do get tested you will probably know more about ADD then I do. I would strongly suggest that you try to change your behavior before going on to medication, you will find this beneficial even if you don't have ADD, there are plenty of information on organizing your thoughts, being less distracted, time management and completing tasks, you are going to have to do this with medication anyway.

ADD only effects 5% of the population and meds are not a happy little magic pill. I have know people who are ADD and cannot get medication because there are too many people who have convinced themselves they have ADD and don't, Pdocs are becoming concerned with the increase of people looking for an easy way to get speed, because that is what it is for people who do not have ADD; it is dangerous and addicting.

Once again, I recommend you get a diagnoses first and immediately begin to start behavior therapy first, you may find this is all you need. Good luck