Do I have ADD?

[coopersmydog]

Ya, Ya, Ya, I know you're not doctors, but I'm asking anyway. I have a very short attention span, can't concentrate on anything, lazy, depressed, keep gaining weight, and can't remember anything. I talked to my doctor about this a while back and he just gave me some anti-depressants that did nothing but make me more tired than I already was.

So I come the infinate wisdom of OOT to tell me what I have. Is it ADD, depresssion, nothing, lose some weight fat ass, or something else.

okay before I diagnose you I need to know how old you are.

[coopersmydog]

[ QUOTE ]
okay before I diagnose you I need to know how old you are.

[/ QUOTE ]

26

[DarkForceRising]

It's called being gay, dude. Just accept who you are and be happy.

[Luzion]

One of my roommates in the dorms claimed he had ADD. I think you would know very early on if you had a case of ADD since you would have been doing poorly in school. If you are that concerned just go see another doctor to give you another opinion.

[ QUOTE ]
I have a very short attention span, can't concentrate on anything, lazy, depressed, keep gaining weight, and can't remember anything. I talked to my doctor about this a while back and he just gave me some anti-depressants .

[/ QUOTE ]

I think this is a clear case of adulthood. Your doctor is trying to numb the reality.

Don't fret, /images/graemlins/frown.gif You are perfectly normal. Go hit Thinman's bong and you'll feel a little better about yourself.

[CaptSensible]

There is an easy way to find out. Go to a psychiatrist. They will test you to find out if you're ADD or not.

There is also a book called "Driven To Distraction". A great text on ADD. There is also a self test in that book.
I wasn't diagnosed until very recently. I'm 40.
A lot of years might have been a lot different for me had I known earlier. I haven't started the treatment yet but I'm looking forward to seeing if it helps. I've talked to a number of people who's lives have been totally changed by getting treated for ADD.

Good luck to you and keep us updated!

[AEKDBet]

I just got tested last month (something I've been meaning to do) - I'm 23.

They started me on concerta. The improvement is quite noticable in terms of attention span / depth of concentration and so on. Do some googling and get yourself tested.

[coopersmydog]

I plan on getting tested, just one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if everyone feels like this.

Thanks

[imported_anacardo]

I don't even believe in ADD. Social construction.

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
I plan on getting tested, just one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if everyone feels like this.

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Take this Online Test (http://www.oneaddplace.com/addcheck.htm) and if it shows strong indications then go get properly diagnosed. That being said, I scored reasonably high on this but still haven't bothered seeing a doctor, largerly because I have no intention of taking drugs for it and prescribing drugs seems to be all they wanna do for this kinda thing.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

Try going to see an actual psychologist.

One easy way to rule out ADHD: Were symptoms of the disorder present prior to age 8? If the answer is "no," then whatever the problem is, it is not almost certainly not ADHD. Yes, ADHD often goes undiagnosed into adulthood, but looking back at historical data, ADHD manifests prior to age 8. This is not a disorder you can develop later in life. And please, no posts about how I am wrong about this unless you can cite an actual journal or study that supports your hypothesis.

CAVEAT: I AM NOT DIAGNOSING OR GIVING PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVICE, THIS POST PROVIDES INFORMATION ONLY. IF YOU NEED HELP, GO SEE A PSYCHOLOGIST.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't even believe in ADD. Social construction.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fortunately for me, I do believe in ignorance. Certainly ADHD has been overdiagnosed, and has become a convenient excuse for some, but there is no doubt that the disorder exists.

Please cite authority for your statement.

[BigBaitsim (milo)]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I plan on getting tested, just one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if everyone feels like this.

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Take this Online Test (http://www.oneaddplace.com/addcheck.htm) and if it shows strong indications then go get properly diagnosed. That being said, I scored reasonably high on this but still haven't bothered seeing a doctor, largerly because I have no intention of taking drugs for it and prescribing drugs seems to be all they wanna do for this kinda thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

MDs are trained to prescribe and that's generally all they do. Unfortunately, ADHD is best treated with meds, as therapy is of limited value for ADHD. There are some non-stimulant meds for ADHD, but they have a lower success rate. Like any other medication, you should weigh out which is worse, the disorder or the treatment. Although I applaud your decision to not just jump on meds, it would be a good idea to discuss this with a psychologist or psychiatrist.

[razor]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I plan on getting tested, just one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if everyone feels like this.

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Take this Online Test (http://www.oneaddplace.com/addcheck.htm) and if it shows strong indications then go get properly diagnosed. That being said, I scored reasonably high on this but still haven't bothered seeing a doctor, largerly because I have no intention of taking drugs for it and prescribing drugs seems to be all they wanna do for this kinda thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

MDs are trained to prescribe and that's generally all they do. Unfortunately, ADHD is best treated with meds, as therapy is of limited value for ADHD. There are some non-stimulant meds for ADHD, but they have a lower success rate. Like any other medication, you should weigh out which is worse, the disorder or the treatment. Although I applaud your decision to not just jump on meds, it would be a good idea to discuss this with a psychologist or psychiatrist.

[/ QUOTE ]

Aside for my distain for drugs, taking this approach implies that ADD is a disorder and something that needs to be cured. I am not convinced that ADD is a disorder, in and of itself, so trying to 'cure' it doesn't make sense. That being said, one has to live in this world, which is often not really aware of or prepared to deal with people whose brains work differently and one does have to take some measures to 'fit in'.

[TomCollins]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I plan on getting tested, just one of those things that I keep forgetting to do. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't wasting my time if everyone feels like this.

Thanks

[/ QUOTE ]

Take this Online Test (http://www.oneaddplace.com/addcheck.htm) and if it shows strong indications then go get properly diagnosed. That being said, I scored reasonably high on this but still haven't bothered seeing a doctor, largerly because I have no intention of taking drugs for it and prescribing drugs seems to be all they wanna do for this kinda thing.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was taking the test, but got bored and stopped. Does that mean anything?

[Cosimo]

[ QUOTE ]
I don't even believe in ADD. Social construction.

[/ QUOTE ]

I used to not believe in ADD, thinking that it was just an excuse for lazy parents and lazy people. And then I met someone with ADD.

It's for real, yo. And he is very obviously easily distracted. It's not that he feels at times that he's easily distracted; it's a pain in the ass talking to him. He'll lose the thread of the conversation in like ten seconds. No joke.

Medication helps. Just being a bit lazy, impulsive, or distracted isn't ADD.

Apparently the drugs are good for multi-tabling, tho, so make sure you study up so you can impress the psychologist.

[smokingrobot]

Hey Cooper:

The thing about ADD/ADHD is that the symptoms are things everyone experiences, however where the line is drawn is to what extent and the inability to control certain impulses.

i wasnt diagnosed till h.s. and promptly went on tons of medication.

things like easily distracted, or forgetting things happens to everyone at some point. not enough sleep or a poor diet can be a factor for this. However to a person with ADD/ADHD, it becomes not just a nuisance, but a controlling force where every sound every movement ANY distraction becomes wholly fascinating. In a sense, it is similar to tourette's where a person loses the ability to discern what to say and when, or when not, to say it. THey have an uncontrollable desire to say things and so they do (or do things etc). With ADD/ADHD, its similar except that the unctrollable things are external and not internal.

It got to a point where i was getting by through early childhood, but finally i just wasnt able to cut it anymore.

as for a diagnosis, many different people can diagnose you, however if you are looking for medication, you will need to see a neurologist or MD.

As for the medication, it helped a lot through school and in college. however on it, i felt like a different person. i didnt feel as connected to things as i did before and i also didnt like feeling like an automaton.

i would become utterly obsessive compulsive sometimes on the medicine. I wouldnt be able to eat. I think i lost about 20 pounds my first month on the medicine because i couldnt eat anything, and you get cottonmouth like a mofo.

besides the eating problems are the sleeping problems. i already have had trouble sleeping my whole life because of the add/adhd, but with the amphetimines, it made that all worse. so i was prescribed sleeping pills.

in the morning i'd pop my apmphetimine (it works on your body just like an amphetimine, but has an opposite effect with the chemicals in your brain), and at night i'd pop my sleeping pill. i never felt reseted. i always felt like my sleep was fake or induced or just not real.

all in all i eventually kicked everything. i do have to say the medication can become addictive.

also, when i took a piss test for a job once it shows up as copious amounts of cocaine. i.e. i eat sleep drink talk cocain 24/7, but a simple prescription letter took care of that.

there are other things out there to help you deal with it besides medication. neuro feed back for instance, which i did.

i thought this helped somewhat, but not a whole lot.

all in all, the medicine truly does "fix" the problems you may have at school or at work. and even now i think about going back on it for work purposes, but in terms of your regular life, it sucked.

not everyone may have the same experiences though.

and as for people who just want to spout some bs about "oh add is fake" blah blah blah, when you become a [censored] neurologist and have your article in the scientific journal, i'll contest to your opinion, until then stfu. you're like a table coach, and im sure you hate the table coach as much as i do.

EDIT:

i'd copy and past bigbait's disclaimer, but you get the idea. i can only offer information based upon my own experiences with it. if you have any questions feel free to ask me or PM or whatever. and having said this im not a doctor nor do i pretend to be etc etc.

[Sponger15SB]

[ QUOTE ]
I was taking the test, but got bored and stopped. Does that mean anything?

[/ QUOTE ]

It means you are mentally retarded.