Does anyone in here have Attention Defecit Disorder?

[Subjugation]

I'm pretty embarassed to talk about this, and I'm not exactly sure why. I think it's probably a societal issue with men not being allowed to discuss their weaknesses, but I am kind of at a point where I don't really feel I have many other options.

Just curious if anyone in here has been diagnosed with ADD. I have an appointment this Monday with my doctor for a screening, and basically want some advice on what to expect.

My main worry is since my doctor is kinda old-school, he might be philosophically against it. I have this concern that he might take the "just pull yourself up by your bootstraps and get over it" mentality, and this would be pretty fucking upsetting for me since my school semester is pretty much falling apart from expectations, and I really feel my options are pretty limited.

I'm not sure if this makes sense. Anyway, moving on...if you have any experience with this, your council would be appreciated. If you aren't comfortable, then feel free to PM.

[DoTheFandango]

I have it, and it was a long fucking ordeal.

Because of being a soon to be SAT-taking student, I had to get a whole set of testings, physchological analysii, and then a fucking 2 month long test detirmining my IQ, and how motor skills are being effected.

It was alot of shit to make me have 45 more mins. on the SATs, which DIDN'T EVEN GET ACCEPTED YOU STUPID PARENTS.

The End.

[Capital Knockers]

First thing you gotta do is relax and not worry about it at all. I have ADHD (Hyperactive in there too!) and it's nothing horrible. Having ADD, or ADHD, won't mean anythings wrong with you, and in fact, alot of people use it as a scapegoat.

I find I get distracted way too easily, anything is easier to do than what your suppose to be doing. It's not all the time, if your motivated your still able to concentrate. If you want them to think you have ADD, just give them the same lines they always hear - I can't sit still, I figet, I always get distracted, I don't know why, I sometimes have a hard time sleeping cause I'm always thinking.

As for school, just work at it. Whether you get on ritalin or something doesn't matter, because even with ritalin or dexidrine, or concerta (I've tried them all) you still need to put the effort in yourself, and they can be slightly addictive.

[Ilya]

dothefandango, you are an angry youth.

[Subjugation]

I can't sit still, I figet, I always get distracted, I don't know why, I sometimes have a hard time sleeping cause I'm always thinking.

no, yes, yes, yes, and very very very yes.

i'm concerned that the doctor will think what you mentioned---that I'm trying to use it as a way to get meds, or that I'm just making shit up to avoid responsibility.

[Torn Wing]

DoTheFandango is a Street Tough.

[genocidal]

I am not ADD or ADHD but have some close friends that are and have been on adderall for a few years now.

At first it really boosted their grades and such because they were essentially speeding every day and were able to accomplish a lot. By now though, they're pretty much addicted to it and its effects are pale in comparison to what they originally were. All of them preach that nobody should ever get a prescription to adderall because they believe it fucked up a lot of things to do with their life. Probably best judged on a case-by-case basis, though, since a lot of people have had success with it. Ritalin/Concerta in much the same way.

Personally, I would strongly urge anyone not to take drugs unless they absolutely must for real medical reasons. But perhaps that is just me.

[Krusnik]

Wtf I all those symptoms..........., and my psyciatrist is more convinced that I'm depressed than anything else. Maybe it's the prozac................

[Bioture]

There are a lot of different types of ADD out there. I forgot the statistic, but it was greater than 1 out of every 2 people has a form of ADD - whether it's misspelling a word, or forgetting certain words, or etc.

I think I did this test for psych class and found out that my ADD is in retaining read information. Being a english double major, the news kinda hurt but my professor told me that it wasn't too big of a deal because the ADD was very minor (I think the test showed that I was about 15% off the mark) and that my information retention for reading the document a second time is on the mark.

Interesting stuff, but I don't think it's bad at all - I guess when your doc says "suck it up" it might be for your own good. I personally believe that these tests are kind've silly, and that ADD is just something doctors came up with to explain people who aren't good at a common task. I think they should be more worried about the fact that I can't swim (i've really tried learning... really really tried) because it could kill me. Scoring 100 pts less on the SATs verbal section on the other hand, I don't mind as much.

[Fit of Rage]

Swimming is a bit like riding a bike. It's much easier to stay afloat if you're moving. I don't mean flailing--actually moving through the water. The backstroke is probably the easiest stroke to learn since you can breathe freely while doing it. Try it out in a shallow pool.

[Bioture]

Fit, I've tried that already.

Emphasis on the "really" part.

I've taken lessons at the YMCA, my dad has tried to teach me like a thousand times, my little cousins tried to teach me, I tried to learn how to swim on my own, from a friend on the swim team... i really really tried.

[Fit of Rage]

In that case...

[Bioture]

don't laugh but I used those arm things and I still can't swim. And the last time I used them I was 20 years old.

[Evasive]

Fear of drowning perhaps?

[Jason]

i clicked reply but in the time it took for the page to load i forgot what the thread was about