Im new, And ive always been curious if i do have ADD

Hello. =) I am a 16 year old male, who is in good condition, average weight. eats well, etc etc. Ever since ive been little, i really cant pay attention. I will either daydream, look away or do ANYTHING possible to avoid my work. When i went home as a kid and i sat down to do homework, i would look at it, try for maybe 25 seconds, then play with like a pen or something else around me. When i sit in school and i read something like a short story, I do read it, i just don't retain the information, ill try to answer questions on the story that i just read, but i dont remember about the story. I read just fine and i like to read, i just cant stay focused enough to even read it. I play video games and i ant to do stuff in them, but after awhile, i just get bored with it and ill do something else and get nothing done. I know im a smart kid but i just cant sit and do something. I will start something else or think of a million new ideas. To be honest, i think it could be a possibility that i do have ADD but its just a suggestion. Any thoughts,help ideas?

Thank You.

Edit:

I also want to add i have a HORRIBLE lack of motavation. My parents have taken away everything from me, Car,tv,outside time, anything and i still wont do my work.

Edit: ...once again

I got a 107 on that test that is on this website if that helps with any more info.

I'm 16 also. I was just diagnosed with ADD but about a month ago. You said "do ANYTHING possible to avoid my work". That made it seem if you didn't want to do the work cause you said you would do anything possible. So, yeah that was weird. But I just concentrate, not on everything just sertain things. Such as school things, especially history... ew. But it's mainly things that don't interest me. But you could consider it. My parents always grounded me and yelled at me for having poor study habits but I got so down on myself, and went to a counsellor for low self esteem, then we talked about schooling and then BAM, I was told I have ADD. I'm not on meds yet, gotta wait til July 11th grrrr busy doctors! Good luck!

Heh, yea my parents always deny me saying "NO, you do not have it" but by anything i meant i just sorta figet. I dont even mean to do it, Ex. When i sat down to do homework, id grab the pen, walk downstairs to grab a drink. i just couldnt focus on it. And im often forgetful, ill be like "oh remember to go here." and then i wont remember. Or ill go to remember a number, and ill walk back and re-look.

Edit:

Jess, i was reading your last posts, and ive noticed i do similar things. All these edits, are little things i forget to add -_-.

Ha it's fine. For me I basicly just forget things. I'll have a conversation with my boyfriend and 5 minutes later I completely forget what we were talking about. I'll be telling a story and I'll just stop and said hold on and I just have to re-track and focus back on what I was talking about. It's a pain. But seriously, you may have ADD. My parents always said I don't have it, but JOKED that i did which made me wonder then. I've also been failing since 7th grade, plus in highschool they don't look for signs of ADD anymore since it's more common in young children. But, you might have it. I would take it into consideration. Do you ever get upset about it? Do you have a hard time planning?

Ive actually been failing since 6th grade =P and im tired of it really. I mean, i want to learn alot, ill buy new books, read a good page or 2 and then just stop or look away or do something. And its even something im intrested in. Planning, eh yea, im usually always in a rush and always cut things down to the last minute. I try to plan ahead. Like recently, i wanted to call off work for a week for medical. I knew about it a month before, i looked and said, eh its a month ill do it later, and completely forgot about it. But upset? Sometimes because I just dont know why it happpens. I want to be able to retain the information. I talked to my parents and they just say im lazy, and alot of the time i just sorta belived them. Till one day,. actually recently, i was talking to my friend about it and he said he was getting tested for it, so i decided to do some research about this and i ended up here. I want to get tested, but i thought id ask here first and see what other people say.

Ha! I'm 38 and was just diagnosed with ADD!!!

First off, if you think you have ADD then yes, get yourself to a counselor and tell your parents. Talk to the school counselor or a trusted teacher. There's no shame in ADD. Reaching out for help is the best thing you can do.

You both are old enough to be your best defender. I, OTOH, not only am coming to terms with my own dx but I'm having to navigate the elementary school realm for my 7 yr-old son.

Please tell your parents there's no need for guilt. One of my best friends has two children and a husband who are ADD. She really beat herself up in the beginning, thinking she was at fault. ADD isn't something that's caused by the environment (i.e. home life). It's in the brain.

I recommend the following books by Edward Hallowell and John Ratey: Driven to Distraction, Answers to Distraction, Delivered from Distraction. If money's an issue please pick up "Answers to Distraction" and get the other two from the library. These two doctors are ADD also so they know what it's like.

Please keep us posted! I'm completely fascinated by this subject now and we can all learn from each others experiences. Just know that ADD isn't a curse...it's actually pretty darn cool!

^^ Wow! 38 and just diaganosed! Wow.

Yes and talking does help alot. Helps you plan, keep focused and so much more. Seriously, even if your ADD isn't that bad still even talking helps alot.

38? Wow, thats crazy. But, my parents were really i dont really know what to call it actually. My mom said stuff like "No your fine, theres nothing wrong with your brain" and got a bit defensive about it. She really doesnt know much about it. But I am going to my docter on April 10th. Going to see if they can help me. Ive always wanted to get tested eariler but i got shunned away until i started doing research on my own. Im not fully sure if it is A.D.D But it could be so thats why im here. I will keep you posted, these little remarks have helped me.

When you both say "doctor" do you mean your regular doctor or a psychiatrist/psychologist?

In talking with my girlfriend (the one with an ADD husband and two children), she said to work with a psych doctor versus your general practitioner. If you both can somehow talk to your parents and tell them you want to see a counselor (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), that would be great.

To give an example, my counselor has his own practice. He's affiliated with two psychiatrists. LCSW's can diagnose ADD but they cannot prescribe meds.

Dragon, tell your mom it's okay. Your brain is fine; it's just wired differently. I want ensure you and Miss Jess don't go through some of the hell I've gone through to get where I am today. I take prozac and wellbutrin to keep the depression at bay. It's common for ADDers to be depressed if they aren't diagnosed properly. We also can self-medicate through drugs, alcohol, shopping, etc, to the point of self-destruction. My drug of choice is (okay, you're going to laugh. I can take it) make-up. Before I knew it I had 20+ lipsticks, glosses, and balms ranging from Bonne Bell to Chanel. Yet I'm drawn to lipsticks and cannot stop. I'd rather spend $5-15 a pop versus having to get drunk to feel better, KWIM?

Dang, that was all over the map, wasn't it?

OH!!! A famous children's author, Dav Pilkey, is ADHD and he's wicked successful. He writes the "Captain Underpants" books. The founder of Jet Blue airlines is ADHD also. We can be successful and happy!!!

Whoa... self-medication through stuff other than drugs? That's actually a new one to me... but it fits with my behavioral patters. My "drug" of choice would have to be the internet. XD

But Dragon, I know exactly how you feel!! I will do exactly the same things, though it's only recently gotten this bad. Do you ever feel as though you have "fuzz" around your brain that's blocking out the "guilt guilt anxiety I should be WORKING!" feeling? I dunno, that's the best way I can put things...

I find it kind of funny that the things your parents are telling you are exactly the sorts of things I tried and tried and TRIED to tell myself. I would much rather be "lazy" than have a "condition". Though I know there's nothing wrong with having ADD or anything else, I've had some very bad experiences with people who have more severe disorders... kind of gave me a negative bias, if you will.

Either way, HUUUUUGE good luck being sent your way, Dragon and Jess! I hope everything works out for you guys. And thanks for all the support, Bloo.

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muse said:

I find it kind of funny that the things your parents are telling you are exactly the sorts of things I tried and tried and TRIED to tell myself. I would much rather be "lazy" than have a "condition".

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I had the opposite reaction *grins!* I've only been diagnosed since February of this year. It came about because of mild depression and working with the school and LCSW about my 7 yr-old son possibly being ADD (he is and we're working with his teacher, school counselor, and LCSW to get him the proper treatment and 504 plan). Gary said, "Oh, I knew you were ADD." WTH? Ack!!! So
that's why I'm such a space cadet!!!

Honestly, it's a relief to know why I am the way I am. But when I was your age (holy crap, did I just type that?) ADD wasn't diagnosed nearly as frequently as it is now. So I can see why you're hesitant to move forward with an official dx, Muse.

(I almost bought more lip gloss at Target yesterday plus I drooled while passing the MAC counter)

You guys are awesome, you know that? *Mwah!*

Yea, see heres the problem. Today, i had to start a project (I do computer programming so yea we do alot) and i was to write code. I couldn't like, Sit down and do it. I had to like, talk to people, get up to stretch and for i think 25 minitues, (i counted) i just stared at a blank screen. That happens. I know i need the work done i just don't have that jumpstart or kick to do it. And if i do, it lasts a second and i loosed the focus. But also, My dad he just thinks im Lazy. My mom accepts it and says if you wanna get tested thats fine with me. But my dad just thinks im making up excuses because im doing horrible in school. I know im better and can do alot better in school, i try but i just cant do it. I cant sit there and learn it.
By doctor, i mean my normal physician. They said they could help and recommend me more or even tell me if i do or not. If theres any questions that could further help me know if i have it, like what you guys feel and what not, that would really help me out, I mean i feel better talking about it, im a pretty open guy.

Heres some things on how i feel
Its weird, if i picture like, just the peddling of a bicycle, going foward fast, i literally have to put my foot down to make it go backwards and then again to make it go forwards. I have random thoughts and dreams that make no sense to me. And if i try to focus on something, its like my mind gets flooded with other thoughts and other things. Say im taking a test, i look at the answer, think, then other thoughts come in and i loose the answer. My girlfriend notices i also get into "trance" like stages. Il just stop and stare. not at anything, just stare. Theres something important i was going to say but i lost it, ahhh. Oh i know what you mean by "self-medication" mine is music. No matter what music affected my mood, and it helps me do stuff. Like listing to music helped me focus a little more. Its weird.
But i do get annoyed easily, like if im in class and someone talks during a test, i just get like reallly mad. Or if someone repeats stuff to me, i get annoyed like all crazy, idk little stuff.

By the way, I thank you all for this help, this is great. I like answering questions, they help me alot.

Dragon, I have to have music playing all the time at work. I have an older boom box with the radio, an iPod speaker set-up, and a new pink Shuffle. I go nuts without music and if it's on the iPod, I skip around the songs. So from 7 AM to 3:30 PM it's on. Plus there's nothing better than blasting tunes while driving fast!!!

Anyway, it sounds like you need to get into a regular exercise routine to burn off excess energy. I find sometimes I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin at work. Here's a typical example:

Oo, email! Wonder if it's Melissa? Oh, it's Carlos. Let me bang out an email to Leslie. Okay Bloo, you need to focus. Do about 5 database entries. Oo, what's the latest gossip? Let's go to Pink is the New Blog. Oh, Trent hasn't updated. Wonder if I missed an email from Tory? Focus, darn it! Do 5 more entries. Any "Heroes" spoilers posted? Oo! Nathan Petrelli is HAWT!!! Why is France so far away? Get up and pee, refill water bottle...lather rinse repeat.

That day I was so freakin' antsy I couldn't stand myself. I burned off an hour on the elliptical plus a full circuit of weight training while listening to Fergie and Akon. And once I got home I vacuumed my bedroom. Whoa! But I felt so much better once I exercised. Sure, it makes me feel physically good but it also helps clean out mental clutter. But when I exercise I have to listen to music AND read a magazine or book.

Funny I just realised last week why I hate manicures. I love a pedicure since I can read. Manicures? I have to sit there doing nothing but listening to the rubber balls in my head.

Im like that too! haha i feel like im understood. For me to do something i have to be doing 5 other things. Like durning a lecture ill have music on, while reading a book, and hearing a lecture. That semi-helps. Also today, since ive been talking about with my parents lately, My dad belives im making this whole thing up, while my mom is starting to notice these things. That when i was little i DID ask for help and showd signs now that she read into them more. So, hm this is all very intresting to me.
oh about that excersice thing, somedays i just feel like, annoyed and frustrated for no reason. I just feel all weird inside that i just wanna go outside and be let loose. I feel like im comfined. And like every little thing will annoy me. Dunno.

Edit:
I ment to add that i work very fast and im always in like a rush. 90% of the time im the first one doen with a test like 10 min before anyone else. I forget to add little things like this in the process. And when i want to like go or stop something, i get aggravated when i dont, like if im on the phone and i say bye but the person keeps talking, i get snappy. But my mind works like super fast. Like if its something slow to accomplish something, i wont slow down to fix it, i just bam get it done and forget alot of little things.

Dragon, if you want to share this exchange we're having with your parents you're more than welcome to do so. What you're experiencing isn't going to go away. Instead of blowing it off your parents need to love and support you. You're reaching out for help and getting rebuffed (and frankly, it pisses me off).

When I told my mom about Mac and me getting diagnosed, she was skeptical at first. She's a retired school employee and has seen her share of children with all sorts of learning disabilities. She doesn't want Mac to be "labeled" with ADD. We had a long heart-to-heart via long distance (she's in CA, I'm in VA) and she's coming around. In reading some posts here (Ally Kamikaze, where'd you go?) Mom said one example sounded like HER father!

Here's another point to ponder...according to Hallowell and Ratey (I mentioned their books upthread) and other sources, ADD is inheritable. That's not to say your children 20 years from now have a 110% guarantee of being ADD. But I'm willing to bet either your mother or father are ADD and don't want to admit they have a "problem" or "disability."

The misperception that ADDers are troublemakers, can't be productive members of society, is a bunch of BS. We don't have a disability. We aren't intentional troublemakers. We tend to suffer from "foot-in-mouth" disease, where we blurt out our thoughts without thinking first. It's like our internal emergency brake is faulty. We can be humorous, witty, fun-loving, and childlike. When given the right tools and opportunities we florish. But when we're misunderstood or brushed aside, we're getting the short end of the stick.

Let me scarf down some lunch and let you have a chance to ponder the latest. This is fascinating for me because I'm learning how to deal with my son as he gets older.

I was just diagnosed about....1 month ago probably. But I would be so upset. I always wanted to be like A student since I was when I was in Kindergarden (but it's kindergarden duh!) But I always wanted to be A students and so did my parents. They always pushed me, if I got a C it would be grounded. Then after time I always got them so they got used to it. Then it was F's then they hated it. I would always be grounded. I couldn't concentrate studying or anything. I would get so down on myself which led to SI-ing and all that stuff (my dad doesn't know about it, my mom does and they aren't seperated either) I told my mom I wanted help this year after a few years of that pain, then my counsellor told me I had ADD just from her talking to me and how I described all the things I went though.

I don't know what my non-drug medication would be. Clothing and shopping I love. Too bad I don't have a job anymore But hmm.... that's also why I have no job right now. I was too conserned about things around me. Grrr.

Dragon: just wanted to say I'm rooting for ya!! To me (and a lot of others, I'm sure!), what you're doing is EXTREMELY brave--it's never easy to stand up to your parents when you're getting told there's "nothing wrong". Fact is, if you know in your gut that something needs to change, GO FOR IT!! The fact that you want to change this will make change possible for you.

And don't let your dad get you down. He's probably having as hard of a time dealing with this as you are, simply because he feels responsible to some extent. I'd just give him time, and hope he comes around.

GOOD LUCK!!

Eh, Well my dad, he has his own problems to be honest, me and him dont really click. Well as for me, im just glad im getting this tested, my Grandma i was talking to her today, she was like "If you thought you had this you shoulda told me and i would of taken you!" See. thats what i needed, some re assurence. They think Punsihing me and grounding me helps. It doesnt. Ive told them that countless times. They said they dont know what to do but now my mom is finally listening. Im glad though, because i get annoyed with it. I wanna learn, i wanna be able to sit down and read a book and learn. Ive started so many things that ive always wanted to do. But i never can sit down and do it. And if i read a book, i always just skip ahead like paragraphs, then i get so annoyed that i cant do it so i just stop. Its just aggravating. aahh -_-

Same here. Me and my dad are ehhhhh weird with things. When it comes to me being upset or depressed it's ehhhh and me and concentrating he just gets annoyed.

Lucky for my case my bad grades due to ADD (which i didnt know i had at the time) led to depression which had my mom to get me to see a counsellor just because of "self esteem" problems.

And the worst part about it was my parents JOKED about me having ADD before the doctor said i had it. I bet my dad feels bad now.

When I read books I look at the first 3 words then look around me, start shaking my leg, or stare off somewhere else in deep thought of nothing. Grrr. And I have english class now and I can't read the stories or poems!

Hey everyone! Sorry i havent bee naround but id like to take this time to say Thank You all alot. You all have helped me very much and gave me that little push. Well, on the update side, My mother did read this and she understands now what ADD is. I went to the docter Just a few days ago and i have a Attention Disorder. (Hey wasnt really excat on what i had) I was perscribed to a patch. Its called Daytrana. It has a dose of 10mg. I tried that for about 2 days and it left my skin irritated =\ But now im percribed to Adderal XR 20mg and im seeing if this helps. Today is my first day on it and it actually is a help. I dont have school for awhile so i wont know for sure. But thank you all very much for your help and concern. I also found out the only reason i wasnt tested eariler as a kid was because my mom didnt know what add was. She now sees all the signs that i had and she was actually a little upset that she didnt do this eariler. But all in all im happy i got all this over with.

Once again Thank you all =D

Dragon, that's wonderful!!! Tell your mom not to beat herself up. What matters is she's helping you get the treatment you need.

I hope the adderal works for you. I'm not familiar with the different drug therapies available but I do know that if one doesn't work for you another might.

Hi,
There is also some great info at www.connectwithkids.com
for you to check out. Have your mom take a look. It helped me.

Hey, you guys sound alot like me. I'm 16 and I have ADHD along with another asortment of issuses. I struggle mostly with depression and axinety. Sometimes I sit in class and I get depressed and I don't know what to do. I just have nothing on my mind. I hear voices but they mean nothing and I felt numb. I just get so moppy. I have REALLY bad depression and even worse Anxiety. Like I'll tell you the fire bel at my school scares me ALOT. I cry sometimes because I can hear it in my head. I sit in class sometimes with may hands over my ears just waiting for it to go off. I sit and I hold back tears just thinking about that stupid thing.

MY depression is mostly why I can not get anything done. I have absolutly no motivation. I have a research paper I have to get done and I CAN NOT move myself to do it. I just CAN'T. It is the worst feeling in the world. Like I wanna curl up in a ball and go to sleep forever. Sleeping is my escape from Anxiety and depression. Sometimes I get so depressed it PUTS me to sleep.

You realise that ADD and ADHD are differnt right? You might have depression as well because most people with ADd or ADHD have depression. If you need help you can contact me.

I was diognosed with ADHD in the thrid grade because I almost had to stay back! It must be hard cooping with something so new! It's nothing new to me but it still affects me alot