How can i identity that i have ADH disorder? Is inconsistency in work comes in the cricle of ADHD?

[Deel311]

I m confused about ADHD... I think i don't have AdHD but i have disorder of depression or anxiety because sometimes i feel restlessness and feel like i m out of control animal... Someone can guide me what is this?

[STEM_Dad]

Welcome to the forum. I hope that we can help you with the questions you're posing.

Inconsistency at work is common with ADHD. But it's important to get an accurate diagnosis, so that the best treatment to help you.

ADHD often comes with comorbidities of anxiety, depression, or both. But anxiety or depression can also cause inconsistency at work, which an look much like ADHD.

ADHD is a lifelong condition, so the diagnostic criteria (at least in the US) includes a stipulation that says: "Several inattentive or hyperactive-impulsive symptoms were present before age 12 years." (Diagnosis doesn't have to be done by age 12. Diagnosis can be done at any age.)

• Anxiety &/or depression can also be a lifelong recurring condition.

My own experience was that I did experience multiple Inattentive ADHD symptoms starting at a young age (6 years old). Yet, because I generally did well enough in school, I wasn't assessed for ADHD as a kid. But after decades of struggles with Inattentive traits, and anxiety making them much worse, I finally got diagnosed at 45 years old.

ADHD did affect my work, both consistently in some ways, and inconsistently in other ways. It also affected my college education similarly. It also affected my family life consistently.

So, thick of ways that you have experienced similar things in more areas of life than just work, and going back before your present struggles. Has it been a recurring struggle through you life?

Regardless of whether the ADHD-like struggles you are having at work are specifically due to ADHD, anxiety, depression, or a combination... you ought to be able to get some help.

[Mamamichl]

The name of adhd is a bad one. It’s like we are trying to have attention to all of the things at once and have trouble deciding what is important to have attention to in the moment. Basically if you feel like an animal trying to crawl out of your skin and you can’t just sit and breathe and be in the moment, you may have adhd. Anxiety comes a lot of times with adhd because you are processing so many things at once and adding emotion to the mix.

[Deel311 in reply to Mamamichl]

So what should i do now? I can work properly for a month with full attention but not much more than a month.. One other thing that i can work with full attention under pressure like when there is a deadline of a assignment and before night that deadline i work properly with full attention...

Now what will you say about this condition? Is it adhd too?

[Mamamichl in reply to Deel311]

People with adhd hyper focus on things that give dopamine. New jobs having the honeymoon phase so to speak. We also get dopamine from pressure and making things work under a deadline. It’s like a light switch. We either go full energy or are not able to do it at all. There is no in-between for people with adhd.

[Deel311 in reply to Mamamichl]

What should i do ? Should i use medicines or something other?

[Mamamichl in reply to Deel311]

I say try some meds. Some the side effects are to harsh for some people. You can get a gene site test that will tell you the adhd meds that have the least adverse side effects. Some people just do therapy or naturopathic, but I say a mix of the 3 are the best results. Talk to your doctor and get a referral to psychiatry that can handle the meds part with the best explanation and understanding.

[Oncos]

Having an accurate diagnosis will help you in a the long run. I came to realize that my ADHD could be overlapped by Bipolar type 2. These 2 (ADHD/bipolar 2) are so similar you need proper knowledge to differenciate the two. Bipolar Type 2 is when you experience bouts of Highs/euphoria (hypomania) followed by a crush. Where you go through longer bouts of depression

[LifeIsLearning]

If you are a female PMDD (PreMenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is also thing to look into if there's intermittent mood drops, feeling out of control, hopeless. Track your cycle and if the "low" times are right before and during the beginning of your period, talk to your doctor and bring your tracking records. PMDD is sometimes misdiagnosed at Bipolar, depression, or a mood disorder.