[Parsley78]

Hi,

I don't know if I'm just being very cliche or whether I actually am learning a little something about myself... I am doing an online course about ADHD and Autism and wouldn't you just know it - I'm recognising a lot of ADHD characteristics in me. I laughed it off and decided to do the self-diagnosis screening tests to discount it, aaaaaand yep, it looks like a could have ADHD.

So what does this mean...?
A: I need to get a proper diagnisos to know for sure.
B: I need to look at suggestions for living with it (I don't think treatment is necessary, but what do I know!)
C: It explains why I've spent the last hour looking into this rather than getting on with the course!

So back to studying, and I'll post again soon I guess!

[Skeezyks]

Hello Parsley78: If you had a fourth choice here: D. All of the above... that's the one the Skeezyks would choose.

I recall, quite a few years ago, reading a book titled: Lost in the Mirror. It's a book about Borderline Personality Disorder. Reading it, I became convinced I could have been diagnosed with it when I was younger. I've been told BPD tends to burn itself out as a person ages. And, at this point, I doubt I'd be diagnosed with it. But I imagine that perhaps at one time I could have been. It's just speculation on my part, of course.

There's certainly nothing wrong with self-diagnosis. I think we all do it to one extent or another. But I do also think there is some value in having one's concerns checked out with a mental health professional. Anyway... good luck with your studies!

[highnrg1]

I was diagnosed as an adult (when I was 33 years old) shortly after my son was diagnosed (both of us by his pediatrician, who was a family friend). I had really been struggling for a very long time and was getting less than 4 hours sleep at that point in my life. I attributed it to parenthood, stress etc. and really was initially surprised to realize I had ADHD.
But truth be told, societally, I think many people that complete those questionnaires would come up as having the potential to have ADHD because we all live so frenetically these days. We are being programmed to have short attention spans and we are eating so may things that are deteriorating our brain chemistry and accelerating inattention as well.

I think you have to look at the extent to which it could be affecting your life if you do have ADHD and then what you think might help you make a plan to make things better.
My son and I briefly tried some Cognitive Behavior Therapy and other behavioral modifications, but in the end, we both needed medication to be successful. I have been successfully medicated for 17 years (under the care of a psychiatrist) and am so much more productive with it. But I am still not medicated for about 10 hours a day and sleep mostly between 5-6 hours a night (sometimes 7 if I am sick or just exhausted).

The important thing is if you feel you DO have ADHD and if it is impacting your life in a significant and negative ways, identify the areas where you need help. Meet with a physician and discuss making a plan to address those problematic issues and develop a plan together. Self-diagnosis can be fine, but if you feel you need treatment, I would go see a doctor. Remember if you do have ADHD, it is often a journey to find the right strategies, medicines and coping mechanisms to address your personal challenges. Also, it helps to realize that medicine, alone, is never a complete answer. But for me, it has been a gift, because with medicine, I can focus to do the work and follow through with my plans to address my challenges and make improvements in my life.

Good luck on your journey.