[Wumpy]

In a nutshell...

I've been treated for depression since I was sixteen, and have had problems my whole life. In kindergarten, ADD was suspected but my parents didn't buy it. Looking back, I think it was the correct diagnosis.

I am extremely intelligent but got poor grades. I just couldn't ever focus enough to use my talents... and now, I'm almost 29 years old, with a college degree but stuck in a boring dead end job, and terrified that I will never get out of this rut. I've been diagnosed with chronic depression and have taken every antidepressant ever made at some point. Result? I could get out of bed, but not out of the rut. Nothing really worked. Now, I'm not taking anything. I'm not depressed. I'm just frustrated.

I wish so much that I could finish what I start. But I never can. I wish I could focus on whatever I'm working on long enough to make it my best work. But I can't. I just wind up stuck in jobs that don't challenge me because I can get by with less than my "best effort."
I am capable of so much more than I am ABLE to do, if that makes sense. I'm not a lazy person- if this was all a matter of "buckling down," I would have done it by now.

I truly believe that I have ADD and have all my life. I want to talk to a doctor and try medication for it. I just don't know where to start. Any advice?

Thanks!

Wumpy =0)

[Crazy_Charlie]

Hello

Ask your p-doc or your psychologist to do a test on you. They will diagnose you from the result of several tests, and the one thing that is always required is that it started before the age of 7, which I have the idea it did with you? I don't know the US system very good, so I'm not sure how they do it over there, but I think you should start with your p-doc. At least he will know where to continue on it.

Antidepressives are definately NOT the right thing if you have ADD, but ritalin might be. It will help you stay focused, and calm you down inside.

CC

[emwell]

I would start with learning everything you can about ADD. Then I would go see my primary doctor unless I know of a decent psychiatrist.

The most important thing is being knowledgeable on the subject before you see someone. That way you know what questions to ask and you know if the doctor knows what they are talking about.

I am on medication for both ADD and Depression. My depression sounds like yours. My Doctor says it is the type that does not respond well to many meds., if any.

[Joepesto]

Wumpy, you sound like my double, except I am nearly 20 years older. I too could never decide what to do. With most jobs I was challenged for awhile and then found them to be boring. Then, without thinking, to make them more stimulating, I would find myself in some sort of trouble. Never doing any harm. I too have a degree, in psychology no less. And I feel I am very intelligent too.

Depression has been an unwelcome companion for a very long time. I am on meds, now switching from Adderal and Welbutrin to Celexa and Dexidrine. When I was a psych student I was very interested in the connection between behavior and neural pathways. Somehow I was able to focus enough to learn that seritonin was an important neurochemical that would help with my illness. Even before I was in college I would take Tryptophan and Tyrosine both precursors to Seritonin. And they helped.

After going through a horrible divorce I found myself doing exactly what you are trying to do, start over. It has been and still is difficult. The symptoms of ADHD never go away and I still struggle with memory problems and getting along with my fellow students. What I find especially frustrating is that no matter how hard I study for written tests, I always do average and the get depressed for not being able to live up to my capablitlies.

If I were able to offer any sort of advice it would be to do as emwell stated above and read as much as possible about Adult ADD, ADHD. Then begin to look at your strengths. For me, it was my creativity. So, I am now pursuing a career as a chef. Although this fits for the creativity side of me, the frustrations of school, memory, and trying to understand what French Chefs are trying to say in broken english is difficult.

I have no idea where I am going to end up and that causes the same anxiety that I think your feeling. Hang in there your not alone. Take an art class, drawing really helped me as did photography. Good luck

Joe

[JPD5366]

I too was diagnosed with depression, which I probably have considering family history, but even anti-depressants didn't take care of everything that I knew wasn't normal behavior.

I was only diagnosed with ADD yesterday and just the research have done in 24 hours has answered SO many of my questions.

I started with my family doctor.

Good luck!

Jennifer