I got my first D in 3rd grade and my first F in 4th grade, and was used as an example by 5th grade teacher as a lazy day dreamer that was a waist of his time. As an under achiever, I was an imbarrassment to my parents. I became socially awkward, so I walked to school instead of riding the bus. I was tutored and held back a year in highschool, and sent to a private school.
As an adult, I could not keep jobs, so I had many. My first job was for a doctor, who was wonderful, and he came in to the office one night after doing surgery and he was concerned at how hard I was trying, since the job was over at 4:00,pm, and it was 8:30 pm. I had never reported over hours, because of fear that I would lose my job. He sent me to get tested for dyslexia, and that became my diagnosis. The job later became to exhaustive for me. I continued to lose jobs, so I switched to doing home care, and tried to take college courses to fix me.
In 1999, the college sent me to Voch Rehab, and I was diagnosed with cognitive disabilities, possibly because of being a premature baby. They tried to retrain me, but I still kept losing jobs because of short term memory loss, and my inability to work faster. My husband tried to cheer me up, by bringing me home and letting me retire early and some private art classes. The art changed my life, and gave me something that totally absorbed me, but even then, I fought anxiety and depression because of my past failures, and fear of letting people get too close.
I was tested a couple weeks ago, and was diagnosed with moderate to severe ADD. I have recently had an EEG, EKG and an ultrasound of my heart. Everything came back clean, and we are waiting to get approval by our insurance. All of a sudden, all my past finally makes sense, and for the first time I am starting to hold my head a little higher.
Are there any other members that are being treated that are in their silver to golden years? I would love to meet others like me, and hear their stories. It would be nice to not feel so alone.
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ClayArtGrandma
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Yeah there is, I’m not one of them, but I’m real sorry about everything you went through. And I understand feeling insecure, odd, and wondering what is wrong with you. Welcome to the group, and continue being confident.😊😊😊
Welcome to your new World of ADDers! I was diagnosed with ADD/Dyslexia at 69. I did not know I was so awesome until then. We are special, think of all the things that we do better than most people: I.e. creative and artistic , clever, funny, etc. It is wonderful list, embrace all your gifts and manage the ADD. I have a schedule obviously not following it Tonight, but when I do I get rewards and I am very proud of myself. Day by Day, I try to follow my schedule. In a way knowing my ADD issues is a relief and they can be managed. Take heart, we are awesome! Hugs 🤗
Yes there’s quite a few silver to golden year meme bees here. Not everyone always sees the posts, we do all have ADHD 😂, but you’re exactly where you should be regardless of age. Your story is the all too familiar to MANY of us. There are plenty of people here that you will be able to relate to. Even the young ones. Your experience and coping mechanisms that you’ve acquired over the years could really help someone. And you’ll likely hear all kinds of things that could help you too. Welcome to the club.
Ten years of cognitive T work, meds, self-education of self and others. Not a small thing to have an answer. You've already been through the tough stuff, congratulations. Your experience btw maps to mine and many other adult ADHDrs. Blessings, you came to the right place.
Hello there and welcome. I am 54 and was just diagnosed a couple months ago. I think it was feeling like a failure that was hardest for me, but like you all of the pieces fit and I don’t brow beat myself anymore. I am happy for you that you know now. 😀
Yes me. I am 70 and was diagnosed when I was about 62. I'd thought I had it sooner , in my late 50s but couldn't get my counselors (and I always had counselors as an adult) or psychiatrist to be bothered when I mentioned it. Ironnically I learned about it on the job, attending a conference for the school system I worked in , on the topic. It was me, me, me. For a variety of reasons it seems I did better than you along the way. I had some abilities that I pushed on, and I was driven . In spite of math difficulties and failures , troubled family, poverty , I scraped and clawed my way through college, I knew school was my only chance. It was. It wasn't till I was finally able to retire to Florida at 68 did I stumble on a psychiatrist who finally did her job, gave me a test, and prescribed meds I needed in addition to the anti depressents I took since I was about 40. She gave me ritilin for focus and it is a huge help. But admittedly it's come too late in life. I have no partner, no children, no family. But I'm ok. I have friends and I try to write. Your art world reminds me of what my poor mother went through. ADHD runs in families . I'm pretty sure I got it from at least her side. Unfortunately she died with diabetes and dementia around the time I learned this was real. But she took incredible refuge in her art. It's all over my place. Her life was very sad. I'm trying to write about it.
Enjoy your life. At least you know. Get the meds you need. Get counseling, good counseling. Try to do good and help others. We're alive. It's been a great privalege. \
Thank you for sharing💕I too thought that I had it sooner. The good thing now, is that the tide is changing, and help is getting easier to find. We just have to do our own searching. I wish that I had kept digging years ago when the doctors tried me on the Straterra. When I didn’t respond to it, I should have kept pushing.
Yes you have to be very assertive and proactive, do a lot of digging on your own because health system, and especially mental health system is far from perfect. Hang in there and best of luck to you.
Well I was diagnosed two years ago at 41, still quite late and with lost of life under my belt. I definitely understand. I have had zero luck with medications and nothing has really gotten better in the last two years. It’s been really hard for me. I think I’ve been going about it the wrong way or, I’m not sure.
I think that joining this community is definitely a step in the right direction.I too was looking at my life and seeing the carnage left behind, but Rollimg Thunder said something in a reply to my first post that changed the way look at things. She told me to embrace all the gifts that ADD has given me.I look at my art, my pottery and sculpture, and she is right, it is my ability to hyper focus that enables me to enter into my creativeness. Instead of looking back on all my failures, I have decided to embrace my disability and become one with it. Even if the medication that the doctor is putting me on doesn’t work, it’s ok.
There is a awesome network here, and everybody is pulling together. Don’t give up, hang in there! There are wonderful people here with great advice from experience. I’m sure that there is someone here that can come along side and steer you in the right direction.
Congratulations, Grandma, on finally being diagnosed, and good luck with the meds! I'll bet your grandchildren think you're charming and funny, as well as creative! You are lucky to find an activity that keeps you occupied and that you enjoy. Just keep in mind that there are a lot more good things about you than shortcomings--learn to appreciate what you can do and don't beat yourself up for losing your keys or whatever else we ADD-ers do on a constant basis! We are who we are--and sometimes it's better to laugh at it than cry! I am almost 76 and on no medication--but I DO laugh a lot! Welcome to the group!!! 👍🤗
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