Hi, I am new to this web site and I have been trying to figure out if I do have ADD. I have taken many different online assessments to see if it is possible and I score very high with the odds favoring that I do have ADD. I am struggling to hold on to my relationships with friends, family, and dating.

My relationship just ended with someone that I could have spent my life with and it was partially due to the fact that I wouldn’t pay attention, I was over thinking every situation. When they tried to talk to me I was just not there, everything she was saying was just not sinking in and I got bored and would play with a pen or some other object. I have never been able to explain my feelings well and when they would look for a reply I would constantly repeat myself to the point that it stopped making sense.

I daydream during conversations with people and I just don’t seem to be there. I have to ask directions more than once because I can’t seem to focus on what they are saying the first or even the second time. I found that I can not read books because I find that they may be interesting to start but I find my self very frustrated with them because I read the same page 6 or 7 times and find that I don’t understand any of it and I get bored with it to quickly.

My head is like a radio or TV that switches channels constantly and it is never ending. I can never stop thinking which leads to my over thinking. I get so frustrated with little things to the point that it really upsets me and puts me in a bad mood. I can’t let it go it just sticks with me.

Is it possible that it is ADD or something else?

Blamason, it does sound I lot like ADHD. I had the same symtoms for years, I used to think that I just get bored, frustrated/irritated more than the average person, but it affects your whole day. It’s so frustating to not be able to process directions quickly. My common sense isn’t the “typical” common sense. Most things I take literal and it seems silly, but I can’t remember/process directions if I’m not told exact specifications. For example, my mother gives directions to Target as, “Go straight, turn left after 3 lights, and make a right at the next corner.” I get lost every time! But, if she tell me to make a left on Elm street, then a right on Oak St, I will remember, not actively though. I can remember to turn when I see the name of the street but if someone were to ask me repeat the directions while driving I would say that I don’t remember. My son is the same way. In 5th grade, his teacher explains the procedures for pre-algebra in a way to relate to mult/division & add/subtraction, I call it baby directions (step by step by…). Since, I have the same issue, I help him with his homework and explain the math formula such as a college professor would (assumption of basic knowledge), and he says “Oh! Now, I get it!” and completes without any questions. So, maybe it’s that we process information differently, can’t remember a lot of information a time, or a combination of both. A good tip is to have written directions instead relying on memory or someone to give you their version of directions. My family thinks they’re helping me by giving me the cliff note version of things, but I usually won’t understand/get what they’re talking about and after asking to repeat it twice, I’ll pretend that I got it and look up information on the internet. I’ve only been diagnosed since last year, take adderall, but since I’ve been able to pay bills & appointments on time and talk less about random topics. My family doctor, who also treats my son for ADHD diagnosed me. My son had been seeing him monthly for about a year, then I sought treatment for weight loss. So, after seeing me monthly for 3 months & noticing my reaction to Adiphex, and constant repetive questions the doctor came to the conclusion that I had ADHD also. Funny thing is I thought it was just a “kid” illness, and although my son and I have the same tendencies and irritations, I would have never came to the conclusion on my own because my memory was so foggy and I had some me thoughts that come and go before I can recall them that I didn’t even notice! So to answer your questions, you should consider ADHD/medication, it’s better than the alternative of frustration.

Also, I have a question of my own. Did anyone ever experience or heard of not being able to feel/notice the effect of stimulants/drugs, such as alcohol,  etc? Whenever I drink, I never feel drunk. That’s not my intention, but 1st notice was my friends sipped 1-2 drinks, I had already drunk 4-5 drinks (like Kool-aid) and then stop because I got embrassed because they thought I was an alcoholic or something because it didn’t affect me, sometimes sleepy but that might’ve had something to do with the time of night. I don’t drink regularly, usually a special occasion/holiday - no more 1-4/year because I feel that I could easily become an addict or damage my body.  So I as a teenager, I decided not to abuse alcohol/drugs. Most medications have the same effect - either no effect or I don’t notice. I’ve been taking Adderall 30mg 2/day for more than 6 months and never experienced/noticed any of the side effects that I read about on forums. I’ve only noticing that I don’t have a negative bank account anymore and remember to schedule appointments, so it guess it’s working. Also, one other symtom I have is periodic sensitivity to sounds. Usually, it’s any sound that stands out from other sounds that irritates me to the point that it sounds like my ears have a internal buzzing sound and hurt. Could be loud, repetive, or a sigular sound that others have to “try” to hear before noticing what’s irritating me but unnoticable to most people. The worst is crickets and central A/C. I wish I knew how to tune out these sounds   Anyone else? Views/opinions?

I would like to get a summary in point form, about the features and symptoms of ADHD inattentive type.

Hi, all..I’m Elise..and the grandmother of a high energy 7 yo. in first grade. His parents and I have been brainstorming for years about his uniqueness and thought maybe I could get some questions answered. K has been high energy since birth. I couldn’t understand his speech until this past year in kindergarten when his dad insisted at school that he receive a speech evaluation. K has always been sensitive to sounds, and never could wait in line as a preschooler, and couldn’t just walk through a store. He is extremely curious, overly outgoing to the nth degree. We tried to teach him not to talk to strangers (at age 4) and he would go up to people and ask ‘are you a stranger?’  He goes through phases with objects…lining up his cars in certain ways, having his pillows and blankets certain ways, etc.
He passed all the screenings in pre-school, and passed all screenings going into kindergarten which was really frustrating to his parents. But he does extremely well in one-to-one interactions so its not surprising.
ADHD has been mentioned, so his parents took him to a neurologist who stated that he had global developmental delay…ie delayed speech and delayed social skills with hyperkinesis ie. high energy level. No medical doctor will give him a diagnosis, because he does so well one on one. The school tries to work with him…(he does terribly transtioning from one activity to another as well as many other issues). In the beginning of kindergarten his eye started to float (another neurological sign) and sure enough he had extreme farsightedness so he is now wearing correct lenses and hopefully will start vision therapy in another year. All the professionals say he does NOT have Asperger’s. Yes, he is a little clumsy but not enough for OT and it could be a result of his vision issues.
Is there a definitive way to diagnosis ADHD or is it just a group of behavioral symptoms. Is treatment always trial and error?
This past summer, he had a psychological done and came out average and on target for achieving educational goals..No interventions were recommended based on observation and testing in that setting.