ADHD in adults

[Owlie]

People who have seen our son on and off his meds totally "get" that his diagnosis is in no way faked or exaggerated. I think it's harder for females and adults, though, since there's frequently less of the physical hyperactivity component. .

Indeed. I seem to remember reading something somewhere that girls with ADD (and maybe ADHD as well) tend not to get diagnosed because it tends to manifest as inattentiveness, whereas boys "act out" more often.

A friend of mine used to drive me nuts--he did have ADHD but would only pull out the meds around exam time. He'd also frequently say "Well, I have a paper due tomorrow that I haven't started, but I don't feel like doing it, so I'll just tell the professor that I have ADHD and I can get an extension!" I get that it does interfere with the ability to get work done (I know I have difficulties focusing), but using it as an excuse just because you'd rather be playing WoW?

[zoom-zoom]

Indeed. I seem to remember reading something somewhere that girls with ADD (and maybe ADHD as well) tend not to get diagnosed because it tends to manifest as inattentiveness, whereas boys "act out" more often.

A friend of mine used to drive me nuts--he did have ADHD but would only pull out the meds around exam time. He'd also frequently say "Well, I have a paper due tomorrow that I haven't started, but I don't feel like doing it, so I'll just tell the professor that I have ADHD and I can get an extension!" I get that it does interfere with the ability to get work done (I know I have difficulties focusing), but using it as an excuse just because you'd rather be playing WoW?

Yeah, that's bad news. And it really is upsetting that there are people who will misuse the diagnosis and/or the meds. All that does is add to the negative stereotypes and encourage the stigmatization (kind of reminds me of ill-behaved cyclists who make things difficult for the rest of us by painting us all in a negative light).

I am reasonably certain that I'm ADD (it's highly genetic...my kid inherited it from somebody...and my brother has been diagnosed. My sister is even more symptomatic than I am, but hasn't been diagnosed). I don't think I've ever been overactive beyond the range of "normal," but focus and organization have ALWAYS been an issue for me. I'm frequently a babbling idiot () and can come off as a total space cadet, even though I'm very well-aware of my limitations and frequently say or do things that make me want to slap myself, because they come off so wrong (I'm always putting my foot in my mouth). I get easily flustered and can't stay organized to save my life. The only time I came close to being focused and organized was in college, since I was in school full-time and worked part-time...I would have been a disaster without my day planner, though. To this day, if I don't have a written agenda I won't get stuff done. I do best when I am so overextended that I am forced to hyper-focus...but that's a very stressful way to live and tends to lead to chronic insomnia, which is worse than being a perpetual airhead.

Sometimes I think I should be assessed. I wonder what it would be like to not be so prone to procrastination, disorganization, and living with so much clutter. I read stories of people who are diagnosed, treated, and suddenly find that they have no issues being focused, organized, and motivated...but would I still be "me" if I turned over that many new leafs. When my son is on his meds he is overly cautious and quiet. He gets his work done, but he's almost like a Stepford kid. Sometimes I think I prefer the loud, active, spirited, fearless version of him more, even though it's not conducive to him being in the school setting or other places that require more calm.

[Crankin]

WR, don't go to a "big box" pharmacy. I have gone to a local "independent" pharmacy for years. When I moved, I continued to go this pharmacy, until they happened to buy the other independent pharmacy in the area, that is a bit closer to where I live now. They really are great on customer service and something like you describe would never happen. It is not the pharmacist's job to comment on your medication! I got my son's prescriptions for years without one incident like you describe.
Please!

[Owlie]

Yeah, that's bad news. And it really is upsetting that there are people who will misuse the diagnosis and/or the meds. All that does is add to the negative stereotypes and encourage the stigmatization (kind of reminds me of ill-behaved cyclists who make things difficult for the rest of us by painting us all in a negative light).

I am reasonably certain that I'm ADD (it's highly genetic...my kid inherited it from somebody...and my brother has been diagnosed. My sister is even more symptomatic than I am, but hasn't been diagnosed). I don't think I've ever been overactive beyond the range of "normal," but focus and organization have ALWAYS been an issue for me. I'm frequently a babbling idiot () and can come off as a total space cadet, even though I'm very well-aware of my limitations and frequently say or do things that make me want to slap myself, because they come off so wrong (I'm always putting my foot in my mouth). I get easily flustered and can't stay organized to save my life. The only time I came close to being focused and organized was in college, since I was in school full-time and worked part-time...I would have been a disaster without my day planner, though. To this day, if I don't have a written agenda I won't get stuff done. I do best when I am so overextended that I am forced to hyper-focus...but that's a very stressful way to live and tends to lead to chronic insomnia, which is worse than being a perpetual airhead.

Sometimes I think I should be assessed. I wonder what it would be like to not be so prone to procrastination, disorganization, and living with so much clutter. I read stories of people who are diagnosed, treated, and suddenly find that they have no issues being focused, organized, and motivated...but would I still be "me" if I turned over that many new leafs. When my son is on his meds he is overly cautious and quiet. He gets his work done, but he's almost like a Stepford kid. Sometimes I think I prefer the loud, active, spirited, fearless version of him more, even though it's not conducive to him being in the school setting or other places that require more calm.

Zoom-zoom, I've often wondered if I have a mild case--I certainly have/had some of the symptoms, especially when I was younger. Inability to focus except when the deadline rolls around (or with caffeine or a bit of extra adrenaline!), disorganized (well, I know where my stuff is, but it certainly isn't neat!), hyperfocusing on my interests, inattentiveness in class... It got better when I was in college (I feel old saying that!), but not a whole lot. My parents got a lot of "she's smart, but what on earth is wrong with her grades?!" I have a pretty good memory and test well, though, so I don't know that it was ever picked up on.

[zoom-zoom]

My parents got a lot of "she's smart, but what on earth is wrong with her grades?!"

Ha, my very favorite principal was the guy I had in HS. At one point he flagged-down my folks at a school event, shaking his head. He had seen my standardized test scores and couldn't for the life of him figure out why I was not among the top of the class (aside from Math--I have never done well with that). It used to drive my folks batty...how could such a bright kid do so poorly in school? My sister was even worse. She would frequently do work and forget to turn it in or lose it in her locker.

[Crankin]

My DH was accused of having someone take the SATs for him, when he scored 1400 . Why else would such a non-achiever get that score? Every single person in his family (dad and 3 sibs) have ADHD, both types, but in the good old days, no one knew this stuff. I saw one of his reports cards, maybe from 2nd grade and the teacher wrote "There is something wrong with Steven. What, I don't know, but something is wrong." While I never in my life would have made a comment like that when I was teaching, in a sense, she was correct. He was not hyperactive, more like a girl would present, so he just slid by. It wasn't until after we got married, he went back to finish college and graduated with a 3.9 average.
If you feel you have the symptoms, even mild, get evaluated. ADHD wrecks marriages, relationships, and is implicated in quite a bit of job loss. Never mind the loss of self esteem when you know you are smart, but not achieving. Over 30% of the incarcerated population has it, which is a huge drain on our resources. If these people had help, they might be in a very different situation.

[zoom-zoom]

Over 30% of the incarcerated population has it, which is a huge drain on our resources. If these people had help, they might be in a very different situation.

I have heard this. Our pediatrician also told us that illicit drug use is very common in many non-treated individuals, since they self-medicate to make themselves feel more "right." I think my brother and I learned a lot of coping mechanisms (he actually graduated 2nd in his HS class and went to Northwestern--he was REALLY good at the hyper-focusing ADD trait). My sister drinks a lot. She doesn't sit at home alone drinking, but always seems to find people to drink with. Well, I should correct that...she was like that until fairly recently. Maybe a month or two before she hit 30 she got tired of being obese and has really done well with exercise and better diet. I think she's drinking less, too. Wanting to be healthier and slimmer has been good for her in more ways than one. I think the exercise has helped her to be better focused, too.

I'm currently unemployed...partly by choice, mostly by circumstance (living in BFE MI jobs are non-existent. I'm not willing to commute an hour and DS attends a charter school a half hour away, so not being employed enables me to get him to-and-from school and allows me to do my workouts during the day, that way DH is free to get out when he gets home--saves us on having to find childcare). If/when I end up re-entering the workforce I would likely consider having some assessments done. I've given thought to going for my Master's degree, too...I'm certain having more control over my focus and organization would be a real asset.

[Owlie]

Ha, my very favorite principal was the guy I had in HS. At one point he flagged-down my folks at a school event, shaking his head. He had seen my standardized test scores and couldn't for the life of him figure out why I was not among the top of the class (aside from Math--I have never done well with that). It used to drive my folks batty...how could such a bright kid do so poorly in school? My sister was even worse. She would frequently do work and forget to turn it in or lose it in her locker.

In my case, my grades weren't spectacularly bad, except in math--mostly B/C, but I got D's in math in junior high and one quarter my first year of high school. My grades in biology and history (subjects I liked!) were A's. They noticed a mismatch between who I was and how I was doing, but it wasn't bad enough, except in math. The other thing was from middle school on, they streamed students, and while I was in "gifted" classes, I was in the "smart, but not quite smart enough" group, which is why I think they let it slide.

Oh, and I did the "lose homework in the locker" thing in middle school. More times than I care to admit.

[zoom-zoom]

while I was in "gifted" classes, I was in the "smart, but not quite smart enough" group, which is why I think they let it slide.

Are we related?! I was also in gifted classes...but the rest of the kids in the classes were all straight A students...I pulled a lot of Cs (Ds in Math and Chem). I always felt very uncomfortable in those classes, since I knew that I didn't *belong* there with my grades...and so did the other kids in the classes. Plus a lot of the things we would work on were very Math-focused. It was not a lot of fun...

[Crankin]

OK, so when DS #1 was in 10th grade, a lovely girl set the auditorium on fire. During the spring vacation, which was about 2 days later, they had all of the kids come to clean out their lockers, so they could de-fumigate the building. My son came out with a giant sized green Hefty garbage bag, full of all of the papers he never turned in, notes and permission slips I sent to school, books, etc. It was mortifying. He came out carrying a sack and the other kids had a few papers in their hands!