How did you guys know you had ADHD?

I'm a sophomore in high school, and I've recently noticed that my behaviour is different to that of many other people???? Sometimes I can play violin or do homework for 4 hours straight or more, and sometimes I can't manage 5 minutes of work without having to get water, or tidy, or talk a friend, or do SOMETHING else - also there's this thing where sometimes I just keep talking, and I'm not so great at thinking before I speak or act - it's gotten me into a few situations where I've said something I didn't mean and just not been able to explain why 😂. I did some googling, and these symptoms came up for ADHD, as well as attempting to multitask all the time and avoiding tasks that involve concentration (which sometimes includes talking to my parents, oops...). I don't wanna disrespect you guys or anything, and I don't even know if it is ADHD - I was just hoping for some advice for maybe finding a diagnosis (or discovering that there isn't one and I'm just being a drama queen), or anything thats helpful for when I need to do a task and my brain's just refusing. Thanks

[Hidden]

Sometimes its not even a difficult task, its just like "I need to put things in my schoolbag" and I just CAN'T and I end up sitting and staring at it while something random like the French national anthem plays in my head

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Or just not being able to sit still, needing to walk around or climb the stairs or do something ELSE, no matter what that may be

[dubstepMaul]

hiya, welcome to the community. I see you haven't gotten any replies so I thought I'd comment.

I'm a mom of an adhd son who is now an adult, having raised a highly adhd child I would say yeah it does seem like what you describe is adhd. The periods of time that you have good attention sound like hyper-focusing which adhd-ers can do when something is novel or interesting or enjoyable. Anything routine, dull, or requiring lots of attention is where the adhd brain struggles. It is the prefrontal cortex that is responsible for executive functioning -- organization, impulse control, time management -- these are the problem areas.

Check out Jessica McCabe's YouTube channel "How To ADHD" -- really good stuff there and great coping suggestions as well.

For a diagnosis, you will need an appointment with a psychiatrist, this is necessary in order to be prescribed any meds, if you feel you may need them. Also the official diagnosis is required if in the future you need any accommodations in school or in college.

Good luck to you, God bless.

[Hidden in reply to dubstepMaul]

Thankyou so much for replying! I looked at her channel and I sort of got sucked into the youtube abyss - Ive been sat in this spot for like 90 mins watching loads of them 😂😂

Her video about ADHD in girls really resonated with me - (I'm a girl, just realised thats not written anywhere) especially a moment when she talked about all school reports saying "she's smart, she just needs to TRY harder 🙄🙄"... Thats what theyve all said ever since I can remember 😳

Again, thankyou for responding, it really helped me out. God bless x

[Nick1913]

Hi WL

Yeah it’s to long for me to thumb type,

I was diagnosed with ADD sounds like a possibility that you have it also, so I suggest you talk with your parents and see about getting diagnosed. Going through life without a diagnosis and no treatment is not fun at least it wasn’t for me. Also I feel knowing is half the battle.

Good Luck

[Hidden in reply to Nick1913]

Ahhhhhhhhhh I tried to talk to my mother abt it and she completely shuttered off and ignored me until I moved the conversation onto a "safe" topic that had nothing to do with anything "abnormal"... Im planning on talking to the school counsellor though, they have really cool anonymous drop-in sessions

Thanks for responding, it really helped me out (even if it was just seeing that one course of action wasnt the right one), and good luck to you too

[happy_kitty]

First of all I must say, I love your username. I’m a big Harry Potter fan myself.

Second, welcome to the group! It definitely sounds like you have ADHD. I would agree with dubst3pM4UL in suggesting getting a diagnosis as well as checking out YouTube and “How to ADHD” in particular.

There may ve many disadvantages to having ADHD, but there are some perks. Hyper focus is cool, it sounds like you’ve already discovered that. ADHDers also tend to be more creative and we tend to be good problem solvers especially under pressure. So don’t let anyone tell you that ADHD is a bad thing, cause really it just means you work a little different.

Good luck finding your way forward. And again, welcome to the group.

[Hidden in reply to happy_kitty]

Omg I love your username too!! And the cute profile pic its so sweet... We Harry Potter fans have to stick together 😂

Like I said to dubst3pM4UL, I checked our her videos and found them sooo interesting and engaging - I really love the way its edited so there arent any slow moments, it made it easier to focus, and the advice is really cool (The glitter bottles were so mesmerising, I kept rewinding to watch the patterns move).

Oddly enough, I'm not that creative, but I am good under pressure. I am far too good at procrastinating for my own good, but I CAN do a maths homework in 15 mins flat 😂 . Thankyou for the reassurance, it really means a lot. And also for responding, I wasnt sure anyone would.

[happy_kitty in reply to Hidden]

No problem! I know I was really excited when I got my first reply. Heck, I still get excited when I get a reply. 😁

PS. The profile pic is the result of a lucky google images search. I take no credit for it. But someday I might draw my own.

[dgs2018]

It didn't take too long in my case since it was diagnosed in elementary school and then prescribed Ritalin to remedy or lesson the symptoms. I think it was such a high level ADHD that it was obvious to everyone around me that I couldn't front or disguise the symptoms. Depending on the person, the condition may be harder to diagnose or easier. At any rate, it always means you approach life differently and have different problem-solving skills. I don't think it's a tragedy by any means.

[Hidden in reply to dgs2018]

Yh I hope its not a tragedy, its my brain and I've got it for the rest of my life 😂, but thanks for the advice - and I believe you. I think for me it may be harder to diagnose bc Ive gotten good at "covering up" - like if I need to move, I can squeeze my thumb under the table, and I getting distracted all the time is socially acceptable if the distraction is caused by a conversation happening. Also Ive gotten good at looking like Im listening when Im not. Even when Im trying really hard to zone back in.

I hope I dont need medication, because it just seems really scary. Im glad it works for you though - you seem like youre doing well.

Thanks for responding!

[IcyBlue]

Please ask your parents to take you to a health professional asap. Maybe your pediatrician first, then a psychologist and psychiatrist. Get several opinions. You may suspect you have ADHD, but confirmed diagnosis should come from a psychiatrist.

[Hidden in reply to IcyBlue]

Ahhhh not so sure about talking to my parents, they shut me down immediately so I guess theyre just not gonna take me seriously... I reckon the school nurse would know who to refer me to??

[Lovinit]

I didn’t know, my doctor told me when I was 22 I went to see him and had a total melt down spilling out everything I didn’t know what was wrong with me. I had a brake down. I couldnt deal any more. I grew up hiding anything wrong with me because I didn’t want to look stupid or week I could keep upanymore with life’s expectations

[Hidden in reply to Lovinit]

I'm really sorry that you had to go through that. I'm sure you're not stupid or weak, and I think everyone here agrees that life's expectations suck, especially if they come from other people and not what YOU choose to do... I hope you are feeling a little better, and good luck moving forward!

[Colorlove]

Hey, you should check this book out it’s called ‘Driven to distraction’. I’ve been diagnosed with Attention deficit disorder and what you just said reminded me of me 😂. Sometimes I say things I don’t mean and I always just from different topic to another within one sentence sometimes lol! But I think you should definitely check in with your doctor for a referral for evaluation. Also look google CHADD for more resource.

[Hidden]

Thanks for the reply and the recommendation! I will definitely carry on googling, theres some useful information out there... And the sentence hopping, omg meeeeeeee - if I tell my friends a story, they know about 5 by the time I've finished 😂😂