ADHD/Adult ADHD

[Rip Rokken]

I'm taking this very seriously because I refuse to let myself fail at a chance at a career instead of a job because I was too proud or scared to ask about this ADHD thing... It's actually a relief to learn about some of this and the fact that I can do something about it.

Take heart, bro. I'm work in the field you are studying for and I have ADHD so it definitely can be done. I've had every challenge you mentioned, and was just contemplating this past weekend why I've never been a better guitar player for someone who started playing at 14 and played consistently for about 2/3 of the time since then. I thought really hard about that and believe it's because my mind is slightly out of synch with my hands, like it's racing ahead a few steps or something, so timing and accuracy is a challenge. And I damn sure never could learn a lick of theory that stuck in my noodle past the tests I had to take.

ADHD seems like a curse, but people that have it also have gifts too. Anyway, PM me if you are interested and I'll let you know what I do and maybe it will help.

[S2M]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

[bluejeangirl76]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

Ok, but there are many-

Uh. Wait, I forgo- Whuuut?

[T-Bone]

Both my ex and my eldest have ADHD. My ex could not remember anything for longer than a minuite, his mind would focus on something else entirely. Kinda like watching 15 channels of TV and bouncing interest back and forth. He could never arrive on time to save his life, and we would have a common joke, "15 minutes" to Enio meant 2 hours.

My son had it worse. Far worse. It destroyed his adolescence, as none of his classmates could understand why Alex was so damn hyper. That in turn affected his current adulthood interactions -- he never really learned. Alex will also blurt out things without 'thinking' them through -- the impulsivity kicks in.

As a mom and wife of ADHDs, I had to learn to communicate with them without going gray before my time. (lotta good that did). I didn't understand initially why Alex couldn't just sit down and do his homework or why my ex couldn't sit through a 1/2 hour television show. I could read for hours, got straight As... so why was my kid different. I ended up working for a psychologist who specialized in kids with learning disabilities and ADHD (cause HE was ADHD, as were his kids). Learned an incredible amount.

It's not something that you grow out of. Ever. You might learn to adapt, but you will always be affected by it. The hyper part seems to be the one thing that can calm down, but the lack of attention holding.... forever.

ADHDs learn better by TACTILE/Visual -- like video games. Audio only... buh bye. Reading only... buh bye. Hands on... they do better, hands on while watching... even better.

I learned that Alex would consistently fail if I told him "Clean up your room, take out the trash, then set the table for dinner". He'd hear the last one only. I had to give short concise directions -- then he always succeeded. Anything multiple tiered, and he'd pick one of them, that is until something else grabbed his attention.

Both my ex and my son are in physical jobs, meaning they use their bodies (Dance instructors). Better than if they had to work numbers (head) or do 'office' work.

We tried the "ritalin" route with Alex early on. Epic fail. It only made him sleepy, and during class that didn't work at all. We had to have him go to the nurse each day to take his meds, which of course, FAILED, Cause he could never remember to go. That was over 15 years ago, so maybe it's better now. Alex hasn't bothered with meds as an adult -- unless someone were to give them to him, he'd never remember to take them.

Bottom line, you aren't alone if you have ADHD, and it really does require some retraining on how to handle certain things if you are severely affected like my son. He still struggles, and even other family members have a hard time dealing with him because it's so severe. I got nuthin' but love for him. (and I blame his DAD!.and that always works for me..lol.. it is genetic btw....)

Best of luck.

I've always done better and learned better by DOING instead of just reading. When I was in high school, I pretty much failed to do much of any homework because I either lost interest in it or it meant I had to read something. On the positive note, I could follow along in class and watch the teacher closely and listen and end up passing the tests with flying colors, which is also the only reason i'd pass classes too. If they graded me on homework alone, I'd still be in 6th grade.

I never had the bouncing off the walls naughtiness like the other kids. I just had extra energy which either made my legs bounce, usually drumming to a tune playing in my head, or I'd get up and walk somewhere for no reason. I also would go and eat something for no other reason than I was bored.

When me and my younger brother (who's now 32) talked, we realized both of us flew under the radar because we weren't scooting accross the ceiling and bouncing like superballs like our youngest brother was, which is why he was diagnosed early. Matt was placed on the concerta at age 12 and it did wonders for him and his grades.

Tim was placed in adderall at age 30 and his comprehension, focus and concentration improved tenfold and his college grades improved considerably as well as his regular personality.

Knowing that meds helped both of my brothers in such a positive way has inspired me to try as well, even though I hate taking any kinds of meds for any reason. My desire to make something more of myself and get myself a career far exceeds the fact that I don't want to have to take meds

[stevew2]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

With all due respect, you are retarded, it does exist I know alot of people that have it

[T-Bone]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

Having known many people before and after ADHD diagnosis' and seeing what getting on meds has done for them, I truly think they are a godsend for those people. On the down side, there are morons who abuse these drugs as well which make the people who really do need them for legit reasons look bad.

I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it...

[bluejeangirl76]

I've always done better and learned better by DOING instead of just reading. When I was in high school, I pretty much failed to do much of any homework because I either lost interest in it or it meant I had to read something.

Exactly! I am very happy to read, but only things I want to read. Putting shit in front of me and making me read has never worked.

Those books they make you read in high school - you get 3-4 per year assigned... in four years I completed ONE voluntarily and I completed the ones that were read as groups IN class (because I had no choice). All the others I just did not read and used Cliff's Notes on the tests. Could NOT focus on them no matter what.

Learn by doing - that's about the ONLY way I can learn. I don't look up and read how to do things unless I honestly can't figure it out, but looking it up by myself is part of my "learn by doing". Like on the job training.... lectures and explanations don't work. I have to say "move over, let me do it" or I will never learn it.

[S2M]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

Having known many people before and after ADHD diagnosis' and seeing what getting on meds has done for them, I truly think they are a godsend for those people. On the down side, there are morons who abuse these drugs as well which make the people who really do need them for legit reasons look bad.

I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it...

If you want to treat the symptoms instead of the cause, sure......medicate yourself. Whatever works, dude....

However, imagine what the world would be like if we still followed Ptolemy's celestial model of the universe. Which was pretty much the standard until Copernicus came along.....my bet is on finding out that it is something else entirely.

-1 on the {I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it}, though....I knew that response was coming sooner than later.

[stevew2]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

Having known many people before and after ADHD diagnosis' and seeing what getting on meds has done for them, I truly think they are a godsend for those people. On the down side, there are morons who abuse these drugs as well which make the people who really do need them for legit reasons look bad.

I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it...

If you want to treat the symptoms instead of the cause, sure......medicate yourself. Whatever works, dude....

However, imagine what the world would be like if we still followed Ptolemy's celestial model of the universe. Which was pretty much the standard until Copernicus came along.....my bet is on finding out that it is something else entirely.

-1 on the {I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it}, though....I knew that response was coming sooner than later.

Is that a young Spock in your avatar?

[T-Bone]

-1 on the {I'll stick to what the experts and doctors say about it}, though....I knew that response was coming sooner than later.

Heard that a lot huh?

[bluejeangirl76]

If you want to treat the symptoms instead of the cause, sure......medicate yourself. Whatever works, dude.....

Preface: I don't know alot about the research on this, as to whether a cause is known or suspected, but...

If you don't know the cause, you still have to treat the symtoms until a cause is determined, no?
That doesn't mean the situation doesn't exist.

I don't know what causes my allergic reactions... I only know that 3 doctors have told me that the fact that I appear to be allergic to Benedryl doesn't make sense and they look at me like I'm nuts when they try to prescribe it and I tell them no. Yeah, I KNOW it doesn't make sense, but I guaran-damn-tee, I can NOT take it. Nor can they figure out what causes the other reactions. All they can do is pump me full of prednisone to stop the reaction or treat the signs of an oncoming reaction - and until they can figure it out, I have be insanely careful of what meds I take, what foods I eat and what skin products I use because I've had awful reactions in all three categories.

I figure the add symtoms are the same for a lot of people - no idea why it happens, but it screws things up and if there's a way to treat it in the meantime, it's probably the preferred option.

[S2M]

No, you misunderstand me.....by all means treat the symptom(s). But please don't blanket diagnose.

Did you ever think that the kid is just BORED to DEATH? Perhaps the kid's really high functioning, like myself.... (however, I've never bounced off walls). I was content with reading anything and everything with a table of contents, and a glossary.

Perhaps if you can't concentrate on reading....perhaps you weren't meant to read. I can't read music, or play an instrument, but I'm not running to the doctors wanting explanations and medication over that fact.

If your kid is hyperactive use it to your advantage.....build a huge wheel, strap the kid in.....and voila! Free electricity. In these tough economic times it pays to be creative....

Just don't rely on meds to 'get through'....unless you want to live in a 'Prozac Nation', or 'Ritalin Nation' as it were......

[Jana]

No, you misunderstand me.....by all means treat the symptom(s). But please don't blanket diagnose.

Did you ever think that the kid is just BORED to DEATH? Perhaps the kid's really high functioning, like myself.... (however, I've never bounced off walls). I was content with reading anything and everything with a table of contents, and a glossary.

Perhaps if you can't concentrate on reading....perhaps you weren't meant to read. I can't read music, or play an instrument, but I'm not running to the doctors wanting explanations and medication over that fact.

If your kid is hyperactive use it to your advantage.....build a huge wheel, strap the kid in.....and voila! Free electricity. In these tough economic times it pays to be creative....

Just don't rely on meds to 'get through'....unless you want to live in a 'Prozac Nation', or 'Ritalin Nation' as it were......

Many meds are a miracle for a lot of children, but you're right, it's an epidemic in overprescribing. In Atlanta when I lived there, in East Cobb County there was a big deal that the teachers were recommending it for too many children to help keep their classrooms until better control and too many parents were getting that diagnosis for hyper kids to make it easier to raise them. Definitely Ritalin being used on kids was and is way overprescribed. One lady refused and the school was demanding it b/c the teacher was having a hard time b/c of his hyperactivity, but the mother said the side effects weren't good on him and were hard to watch, and she had to take the case higher to fight it.

[Voyager]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists...

Have you been hanging around Tom Cruise's church again?

[T-Bone]

Perhaps if you can't concentrate on reading....perhaps you weren't meant to read. I can't read music, or play an instrument, but I'm not running to the doctors wanting explanations and medication over that fact.

Comparing apples to oranges unless you grew up not learning how to read or write. If that were the case, I'd be blaming your parents. I can't read music either, but I also never took the time to try and learn it because I never had an interest. People spend their entire lives with words around them either spoken or written somewhere. They learn subconsciously. People learn music because they hear it and listen to the words, but very few ever take in any further and look at the musical notes on paper somewhere.

So comparing reading/writing to music notes is a bunk comparison

[Jana]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists...

Have you been hanging around Tom Cruise's church again?

Tom just wants to help everyone. He cares, as he always says. He judged Brooke on taking antidepressant for post-partum depression, and he had the gall to say, when they said she looked happy using the medicine, he said: Look at her career. Is she really Happy? What a jerk. What, is he so prefect? Is he God? Why didn't he go into marriage counseling to save his marriage and help his own messed up life? Oh, wait, he doesn't believe in psychotherapy/marriage counseling. As far as I'm concerned, he was so hepped up on so many vitamin concoctions back then when he was on the talk show circuit he looked like he was on Ritalin.

[S2M]

Perhaps if you can't concentrate on reading....perhaps you weren't meant to read. I can't read music, or play an instrument, but I'm not running to the doctors wanting explanations and medication over that fact.

Comparing apples to oranges unless you grew up not learning how to read or write. If that were the case, I'd be blaming your parents. I can't read music either, but I also never took the time to try and learn it because I never had an interest. People spend their entire lives with words around them either spoken or written somewhere. They learn subconsciously. People learn music because they hear it and listen to the words, but very few ever take in any further and look at the musical notes on paper somewhere.

So comparing reading/writing to music notes is a bunk comparison

Well, if you are as gifted as your avatar implies....why bother reading at all?

I'm sure the ladies don't mind....

[stevew2]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists...

Have you been hanging around Tom Cruise's church again?

Tom just wants to help everyone. He cares, as he always says. He judged Brooke on taking antidepressant for post-partum depression, and he had the gall to say, when they said she looked happy using the medicine, he said: Look at her career. Is she really Happy? What a jerk. What, is he so prefect? Is he God? Why didn't he go into marriage counseling to save his marriage and help his own messed up life? Oh, wait, he doesn't believe in psychotherapy/marriage counseling. As far as I'm concerned, he was so hepped up on so many vitamin concoctions back then when he was on the talk show circuit he looked like he was on Ritalin.

the best part of Tom Cruise ran down the crack of his mommas ass

[Ehwmatt]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

With all due respect, you are retarded, it does exist I know alot of people that have it

It exists but I think it's MAJORLY over-diagnosed.

[Behshad]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists...

Have you been hanging around Tom Cruise's church again?

Tom just wants to help everyone. He cares, as he always says. He judged Brooke on taking antidepressant for post-partum depression, and he had the gall to say, when they said she looked happy using the medicine, he said: Look at her career. Is she really Happy? What a jerk. What, is he so prefect? Is he God? Why didn't he go into marriage counseling to save his marriage and help his own messed up life? Oh, wait, he doesn't believe in psychotherapy/marriage counseling. As far as I'm concerned, he was so hepped up on so many vitamin concoctions back then when he was on the talk show circuit he looked like he was on Ritalin.

the best part of Tom Cruise ran down the crack of his mommas ass

which turned out to be YOU ?

[S2M]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists....I think it is a blanket diagnosis when medical types can't explain things. Then they try and treat the bogus diagnosis with drugs - thus exacerbating the problem.

With all due respect, you are retarded, it does exist I know alot of people that have it

I'm talking about persons walking upright....Ned Beatty doesn't count.

[stevew2]

With all due respect, i don't think ADHD exists...

Have you been hanging around Tom Cruise's church again?

Tom just wants to help everyone. He cares, as he always says. He judged Brooke on taking antidepressant for post-partum depression, and he had the gall to say, when they said she looked happy using the medicine, he said: Look at her career. Is she really Happy? What a jerk. What, is he so prefect? Is he God? Why didn't he go into marriage counseling to save his marriage and help his own messed up life? Oh, wait, he doesn't believe in psychotherapy/marriage counseling. As far as I'm concerned, he was so hepped up on so many vitamin concoctions back then when he was on the talk show circuit he looked like he was on Ritalin.

the best part of Tom Cruise ran down the crack of his mommas ass

which turned out to be YOU ?

the perfect seed, blowhard

[bluejeangirl76]

the best part of Tom Cruise ran down the crack of his mommas ass

which turned out to be YOU ?

BWAAAHAAAAHAAA HAAAAA! ^5
You'd think by now he'd have learned not to leave those kinds of doors open when you are seen lurking.

[StevePerryHair]

the best part of Tom Cruise ran down the crack of his mommas ass

which turned out to be YOU ?

BWAAAHAAAAHAAA HAAAAA! ^5
You'd think by now he'd have learned not to leave those kinds of doors open when you are seen lurking.

[T-Bone]

How about getting back on track eh?

[Behshad]

How about getting back on track eh?

cant,,,,we all have ADHD

[*Laura]

Thanks everyone for all the input. Such an enlightening thread. I recognize myself in some of the descriptions and my daughter may have it too. Not severe, but she displays some of the symptoms. I'm looking into getting a diagnosis.
Not sure what form of ADHD I have or how advanced it is, but I always knew I had it. Never got treatment because it never affected my life too badly. My memory is amazing and I memorize anything written (words) because I'm visual (photographic). However, there are 3 things that my brain fails to remember...Numbers (especially phone numbers), names and faces. The funny thing is that although I instantly memorize written stuff I cannot remember phone numbers even if they were written down. Does that make any sense?lol
I never was and never will be able to work with numbers, only with words. No math, give me anything that involves arts.

I was known to be the Girl-Who-Lost-Her-Umbrella. Always forgot my umbrella behind and never remembered where. I went to losing 4 umbrellas in two weeks. Oh and the number of things that I always forget in hotel rooms is unbelievable.
Also, not sure if it's ADHD related or it is just because I'm somekind of a dyslexic lefty, but when a door sign says "Pull" I push and viceversa. Same thing when I drive. "Make a left" is "make a right" for my brain.

I can't learn by explanations. I have to do it in order to remember how it works. Don't give me the tech booklet of a new cell phone, just give me the phone and I'll know how it works from A to Z in about 10 minutes. Same with any other complicated tool/machine/whatever, including computers. Learn by touch, I guess.

I didn't realize there were so many ADHDs on MR, though. That would explain many things...including the fact that I have adhd.LOL

Good luck to you, T-Bone. I hope your condition will improve.

[StevePerryHair]

How about getting back on track eh?

cant,,,,we all have ADHD

THAT'S why we all go off topic all the time!!! T-bone has gone and diagnosed all of us! Is being addicted to an internet site also a symptom

[bluejeangirl76]

How about getting back on track eh?

cant,,,,we all have ADHD

Sorry, T... but you set yourself up for that.

Ok, sorry, I'll go back on topic now.

Wait, what's that over there...?

[T-Bone]

I'm buying this shirt...