ADD question

Hi everyone...

Do you think having ADD affects how you work through and heal other mental problems? Do you think it would have a hindering affect on the whole healing process due to being unable to concentrate?

I haven't been diagnosed with ADD, but my family doctor told me a few years ago I had a great deal of the symptoms for adult ADD. In the past few years I've been aware and dealing with a lot of anxiety issues. Without being able to afford a T, I've been attempting a lot of self help work, but nothing seemed to be helping. Once realizing I'm the only person standing in the way of my healing, it made me think... I just can't seem to pay attention enough to break out of habitual things. Before I've realized its happened, its happened.

This has got to be one of the most frustrating things for me right now so some feedback would be amazing!

Thanks a lot everyone

I'm certainly no expert, but if you read up on ADHD you'll find that it has a lot of comorbid conditions. A lot of times people will develop depression, anxiety, and other things of that nature if they have ADHD. It's believed that the ADHD at the very least contributes to the development of these conditions.

I believe it has more to do with how the ADHD affects interpersonal relationships and how we handle day to day tasks and the stress that comes along with them than simple lack of concentration. The sad part is that there seems to be a movement to treat the anxiety or depression instead of the ADHD at the root of the problem, essentially switching over to treating symptoms rather than the actual underlying condition.

In answer to your question, I believe that if there isn't a problem with concentration/motivation and you don't have anything hindering you from completing the things that you want or need to accomplish that you'd be far less likely to have to deal with anxiety or depression in the first place. So, I guess concentration does factor into healing in a roundabout way.

I primarily started therapy for OCD. It wasn't getting better, and then I was put on ADHD medication and things rapidly started to improve. The thing about OCD is that it feeds off of your vulnerabilites- since i couldn't focus, it would try and make me obssess about things to the point where i literally had to focus on one certain thing for hours. and then of course, i coudlnt' focus so i couldn't satisfy the ocd and it just went around and around. Anyway, my point is yes- i think the adhd had been getting in the way of dealing with my other mental problems.

I had this exact same question in another thread I had started!

I was wondering especially since it seems like mindfulness-based therapy seems to be getting more and more popular. And I had bought the books before I was diagnosed with ADHD.. so I had wondered why I wasn't getting as much as other people seemed to be. I couldn't follow along with the meditation program they set out. It made me apprehensive just to think about following something. To sit still for that long in my day. To block out time like that. I don't know.

Now I understand it more.. but still makes me think that they should write like a Mindfulness techniques for ppl who have ADHD book lol

I believe it's going to vary from person to person. I have ADHD, and BPD. Treating my anxiety is the most trickiest for me. The rest is easier, for me. If it was not for my technical job and constant classes I need to take to keep up, I would not even be concerned with my ADHD. But I do need to address that to keep my job. I imagine if I had a easier job I'd be fine. I can certainly see some one with ADHD having serious problems that could in turn trigger depression and anxiety too. This is what makes psychiatrists jobs so difficult, sorting out which came first and what's causing what and why. All we have to worry about is showing up to our appointments on time, which I hope you do next.

I'm planning to be a psychologist ... so if it wasn't something I need to worry about, it will be in the future :P

wow a psychologist!! Cheers to you!!!