Finding out if I have ADHD, plz help.

[kerrikilljoy420]

Hi everyone, I'm new here, my name is Kerri, I'm 23. I have been researching this illness and I am 100% sure that I have it, or something very similar to it. I was diagnosed with bipolar but that's mostly because I walked into the drs office and told the woman I had it, she just didn't question me. All these years later, and I'm looking up ADHD and sure enough I experience EVERY. SINGLE. SYMPTOM. And its like, omg finally there's a way I can overcome this. And not with some bullshit thirty days in a rehab, REAL therapy and help, because this is stopping me from living my life. Any advice? Whats the best medication to ask for, or is it different with everyone? How did you guys feel when you first found out and what are some of the things you've learned to improve your memory? Because mine is AWFUL. Anyone, plz help, I feel so lost.

[PNWMom]

Hello,

I had a hunch I had ADHD about a year ago after my daughter was diagnosed with it. I went to my Dr. and she had me fill out a checklist and some other forms, then the in-house psychiatrist reviewed my file. They agreed I had ADHD, and we went over the options for treatment.

I would say your first step is to see your doctor or psychiatrist. They will take you through the steps and get you started. I remember being in tears when my Dr. told me that I had it, because I was so tired of not remembering simple things and falling behind -it was a relief to know I have an actual condition.

As far as medication, there are many kinds, and you might have to try more than one before you get the one that works. I have been taking Adderall, which seems to help quite a bit.

For memory, I set a lot of reminders on my phone, and at work I set them on my Outlook email to pop up before things are due. I also use sticky notes for general things I need to remember, such as "Garbage day is Tuesdays" and put it in a place like my mirror or my computer screen so I see it all the time. Also I put my keys and phone in the same place every single day when I get home. And I forget to once in awhile, and I lose them, but I have learned not to be too hard on myself, as it only makes it worse.

Exercise seems to really help also. I try to work out 2-3 times per week for at least an hour. Yoga is really wonderful, as well as running and some weight lifting too. If you can find a good workout class that keeps your attention, those are great, because they become a routine and you get to know the people in the class.

Good luck to you, and let us know what you find out from your Dr.

[Eclecticentric77]

Which of the 3 subtypes of ADHD do you believe you have? I got diagnosed in my mid 20s, because I and my folks had no idea there was such thing as Inattentive ADHD which is what I have. People with Intattentive ADHD are not hyperactive, are usually very introspective, introverted, and can get easily irritated and bothered. If this sounds like you, click on my pic and it'll take you to my profile where you can find link in my bio to a series of youtube vids I made explaining the problems people with Inattentive ADHD face throughout the lifespan.

[HadEnuf]

Glad you're finding answers, though I'd caution against using the word “illness”, as that implies an inherently wrong condition for which there can be a cure.

While there are treatments that can ease functioning, there is no cure for ADHD (unless you count death); and its strong heredity and high frequency may imply it's no more than a primitive adaptation to conditions very different from those now prevalent—it's “wrongness” could be entirely situational.

What we do know is that ADHD is highly impairing in a world that demands ranking of importance based mostly on social expectation rather than situational novelty and a subconscious disregard for much we can't fail to notice; and that some medications and atypical organization strategies seem to ease living with it.