From the article: Understanding Symptoms of Adult ADD
Hearing from others with ADHD and knowing you are not alone in your struggles can provide a great source of hope and strength. Life with ADHD can begin to feel better with proper diagnosis and treatment. Please reach out to others by sharing your own stories of hope in gaining better control over difficult ADHD symptoms, as well as any words of encouragement for those still struggling day to day. Share Your Experiences
Stressed
- I've been over doing it for the past two weeks. I feel so stressed out from work and kids. I work at a school and it can get very loud and overwhelming. I'm an assistant and when the teacher is not there and there is a sub, it gets really hard on me. I haven't been sleeping well. Today I just called in sick eventhough I wasn't really sick, I just feel so stressed out. I got into a fight with a friend co-worker the other day. I just lost it, because she wouldn't let something go, that I didn't even remember saying. I feel spent and I mean spent. I feel like I have no one to talk to. I am on meds and yes they have helped a lot to get more organized, but when I reach the boiling point, I don't know where to go with it. I also called in sick for tomorrow, so maybe I can get something done around my house. I feel like I'm neglecting my son, because I'm so tired on the weekends, all I can do is stay home, and try to catch up on housework. He's so important to me, and I want him to have fun.
- —Guest suzanne
Still Trying to Cope with ADD
- Reading what others with ADD are experiencing can be very helpful for me. Like, I'm sure, everyone else is needing some words that are very familiar and comforting. I, myself, still don't understand what has happened to me or when I am going to understand what is going on. I became familiar with all my faults through a rather stormy and really bumpy conversation with my spouse. I had no idea why he was making all these statements about my behavior or about me not having any kind of civil, fair, explanation as to what and why I am what I am. Is this how it is for all posting?
- —Guest msylvester227
My 'Aha!' Moment
- Hi all. I’m 23, an undiagnosed ADD adult. I always thought ADD/ADHD was some kid running in circles and not doing his/her homework. But last month I read up on it and I felt like they were talking about me! Reading everyone’s stories, I can relate to all of them so much! And looking back it seems so obvious. I did good in school because I loved reading/writing. But I barely got through the topics I hated - math. I get hyper focused on things and tear through them and then later (in the day/week) get bored and never finish. So many unfinished projects filling my apt. I always thought I was just genetically lazy. I used to have strange bursts of anger as a kid that would freak me out a little, weird crazy impulses. Luckily my friends liked my brand of weirdness because they’re still with me as an adult. My husband has ADHD and when I talked to him about my having it he just looked shocked. He said he felt stupid for not noticing until I said it. We both laugh at marrying someone with ADHD. We figure we get along...
- —Guest violet (1)
My 'Aha!' Moment (2)
- (continued from previous post)...better because of it. Fighting bores us quickly, sometimes even though I know it’s an important topic. But where he wants to buy everything and has no clue on how to track his money, I can keep track of it better, mostly. And when I forget/don’t have the focus or energy to do chores he gets up and does them, mostly. And our impulses trigger each other, which may or may not be good - because the urge to run off to the beach or go get ice cream instead of doing bills or homework may not be the best. Blind leading the blind I guess! He doesn’t take meds anymore, his choice. He said they made him feel funny. I’m not sure if I want to try them. I’ve heard scary things. Feels great to hear from others though, like we aren’t alone. I’m more aware of my and my husband’s actions, and more understanding.
- —Guest violet (2)
ALWAYS SIDE-TRACKED #1
- Hi there. I'm Karen aged 47 yrs. Diagnosed with ADHD about 7 years ago. I have 5 children ages varying from 21 years to 10 years. 3 of the 5 are diagnosed with ADHD and CONDUCT DISORDER, have learning difficulties & dyslexia, but won’t take their medication any more. The other 2, exhibit loads of ADHD symptoms and learning difficulties, but the doctor/clinic won’t diagnose them. I have great difficulties in many areas of my life because of ADHD. I no longer take medication for ADHD after 6 years, because I don't feel they have any effect on me anymore. I'm VERY easily side-tracked (distracted) and procrastinate my days away. I don't have the 'Get up and Go' that I need to finish the many started tasks that surround me! The mess is making me angry, yet I can't motivate myself! My house is half decorated, still after 10 years when I started it! My garden is halfway through its make-over, of a toy dumping ground after starting it 5 years ago...
- —Guest KarenneraK
ALWAYS SIDE-TRACKED #2
- Hey, you would think, there would be more than 50 characters for our comments. ADHD Peeps always have so much to say. LOL! Anyway, to conclude....Any Relationships are short-lived (I'm divorced), I suffer with Chronic Depression and take meds for that! I get angry and shout a lot more than I should, which doesn't help my high BP. My children cause me too much stress with the day to day grief that they give me and I feel like a complete failure! On the brighter side of ADHD, I am quite creative - Write Poetry, Draw, try to Paint, Really love macro digital Photography of nature and objects and scenes, that most people walk past. I wish, there was more we could do about helping teachers, doctors, cynics and the police force, to understand our disorder!
- —Guest KarenneraK
Struck by Lightning Part 1
- I received the following email from a co worker. Little did I know that it would turn out to be so biographical. A brief history of my life will help to set up the story.I am less than a month away from my 42 birthday. As it turns out, I had been diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety in my early 30's. Job history has been hit and miss for me as impulse control issues (one of the more fun symptoms) have taken care of that. Anyway, here is the email I got: Recently, I was diagnosed with A.A.A.D.D. - Age Activated Attention Deficit Disorder. This is how it manifests: I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose in the driveway, I look over at my car and decide it needs washing. As I start toward the garage, I notice mail on the porch table thatI brought up from the mail box earlier. I decide to go through the mail before I wash the car. I lay my car keys on the table, put the junk mail in the garbage can under the table and notice that the can is full...(continued)
- —Guest Paul
Struck by Lightning Part 2
- -cont So, I decide to put the bills back on the table and take out the garbage first. But then I think, since I'm going to be near the mailbox when I take out the garbage anyway, I may as well pay the bills first. I take my check book off the table, and see that there is only one check left. My extra checks are in my desk in the study, so I go inside the house to my desk where I find the can of Coke I'd been drinking. I'm going to look for my checks, but first I need to push the Coke aside so that I don't accidentally knock it over. The Coke is getting warm and I decide to put it in the refrigerator to keep it cold. As I head toward the kitchen with the Pepsi, a vase of flowers on the counter catches my eye - they need water. I put the Pepsi on the counter and discover my reading glasses that I've been searching for all morning. I decide I better put them back on my desk, but first I'm going to water the flowers. (continued)
- —Guest Paul
Struck by Lightning Part 3
- -cont I set the glasses back down on the counter, fill a container with water and suddenly spot the TV remote. Someone left it on the kitchen table. I realize that tonight when we go to watch TV, I'll be looking for the remote, but I won't remember that it's on the kitchen table, so I decide to put it back in the den where it belongs, but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the flowers, but quite a bit of it spills on the floor. So, I set the remote back on the table, get some towels and wipe up the spill. Then, I head down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do. At the end of the day: the car isn't washed the bills aren't paid there is a warm can of Coke sitting on the counter the flowers don't have enough water, there is still only 1 check in my check book, I can't find the remote, I can't find my glasses, and I don't remember what I did with the car keys. Then, when I try to figure out why nothing got done today...(continued)
- —Guest Paul
Struck by Lightning Part 4
- -cont I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired. My condition is ADHD, not AAADD, and for years I was treated for the symptoms, not the cause. Strattera was the first ray of light that I had ever experienced. The clarity of thought and increased focus was in such stark contrast to all that I could remember in my pre diagnosed life. Not to mention I rarely have the uncontrollable urge to throttle people that piss me off. The night sweats and sexual side effects were a bit much to deal with so I switched to Adderall. Adderall seems to be working a little better than Strattera and without the side effects. (so far)
- —Guest Paul
ADD sucks
- I have come to a point in my life where i am almost 100% definite i have ADD. I can't sleep if there is even a little noise, or study (I'm suppose to be studying right now). I cant sit in a lecture for 2hrs and concentrate I feel like jumping out of my chair. I've been told all my life that I'm lazy, messy, useless etc. I tried teaching but it was an absolute nightmare as i was overwhelmed by all the organization even though i was up till 1am every night trying to organize. i was told that i wasn't trying hard enough and this hurt like hell. I am scared of getting a desk job because i know i wont be able to sit for 8hrs without wanting to escape but most jobs are desk jobs at least the ones where the pay is reasonable.
- —Guest kate
...LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE
- CONTINUED...its a really crappy way to live after you were a fairly well put together person and now i'm scattered all over the place. I'm side tracked easier than a 6 yr old. i have this unending game of ... WHERE DID I LEAVE MY READERS THIS TIME..my wife has even found them in the freezer, i own at least 14 pr. and can't find one. Needless to say, the rest of my life is in constant turmoil. i unlock our front door when i get home in the evening and the mail man hands me the keys in the morning.. drugs help to a degree but they don't help me get the job done. all i can say is it is important to keep a sense of humor about things and it will help you and yours cope with ADHD easier.
- —B.LUCK
Struck by Lightning ...strikes twice
- hi paul, i hope you didn't mind but i printed your story out and gave it to my M.D as an exact copy of my life as i know it today. I'm 54 and been living with this mess ever since i died on dec. 29/09 of respiratory arrest and some bonehead saved me after. I'd been dead & without oxygen for approx. 7 mins. I've always been wound a bit tight most of my life anyway/most of the classic ADD symptoms and things didn't make much sense here and there but i managed. Something took place during the 4 days in i.c.u and now i can't work but i have lots of time and things to do (my wife makes sure of it) lol. At the end of the day my wife comes home from work and asks what i did all day and i explain I'm beat, i was going to go do this..and remembered i needed to ...but decided to go over and get.. but i ended up trying to fix and...well.. all said and done i didn't get a damn thing done all day!!! I don't care what anyone says....its not easy to chase your own tail all day long.
- —B.LUCK
To Paul
- I laughed so hard and loud at work (in a call center on a sat.) so it was super quiet just me laughing to tears... that's me, especially wondering why I'm so tired and nothing got done. I'm a mother of 4 so they all take a part of my brain already.
- —Guest Ishi
extremely interested...and often bored#2
- I could organize my bedroom without getting confused as to what should go where or telling myself “I just don't have the proper organizational materials. As soon as I make that trip to Staples, I am going to put EVERYTHING in its proper place." Problem was, when the meds didn’t handle everything, I was left feeling like a failure, that there must REALLY be something wrong with me because I couldn’t even get my act together with the drugs. It wasn’t until recently, at the age of 31, that I decided to do more research. And low and behold, there are aspects in ADD treatment that are probably essential, but that I never knew existed. Now, I am just trying to pick my self-esteem off the floor, find some faith and stop insisting that I am stupid, or not good enough, lazy, or insane!
- —Guest Leah
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