I always thought i had add, but none of my friends believe me. I want to get checked for it, but that would cost a few hundred dollars and im not sure i want to spend that money unless i am pretty sure i do in fact have this problem. does anyone know the typical symptoms of add? any advice/help would be appreciated.
Do I have ADD (attention deficit disorder)???
- Thread starter anonymouschris
- Start date
I think I may have a touch of it as well, I'm 22 now, and struggled through school, and always had trouble paying attention in class, etc. To this day I still have trouble focusing on things, but I get by. Doctors usually won't treat adults for ADD for some reason, or at least they won't prescribe Ritalin or Adderol to treat it. Talk to your doctor about it perhaps?
HardcoreRobot
Lifer
- Nov 7, 2000
- 16,403
- 3
- 81
Well I am not too certain about the symptoms, but I DO know that it is one of the most misdiagnosed disorders. My mom is an educational psychologist so she knows about all this shiznit. It seems everytime a kid has a problem paying attention or performing in school - due to laziness, lack of motivation, stupidity, or even a true disorder - they go to the doctor and and are prescribed some ADD/ADHD medication (usually ritalin). On the bright side, if you ARE truly a sufferer, the drugs are supposed to work wonders.
My little brother (10 years old) has ADD. He can't sit still, he doesn't listen to ANYBODY no matter how loud you yell, he always seems to be in his own little world. Sometimes he gets so pissed off for no reason that I actually have to restrain him to keep him from trashing the place. For instance last week somebody ripped one of his bookmarks on accident, and he TOTALLY freaked out, I had to actually pick him up and restrain him. He started breathing really loud and screaming and crying and just totally freaked out. Good thing is that he seems to only have his weekly "freak outs" if he forgets to take his pills. The pills he takes really mellows him out and he can act normal.
[seriously]I used to think I had ADD, but now I think its more like Aspergers Syndrome. Its like a very very mild Autism, but its symptoms fit me pretty well. You might wanna read about that 
[/seriously]
*wanders off*
[/seriously]*wanders off*
UglyCasanova
Lifer
- Mar 25, 2001
- 19,275
- 1,361
- 126
Do like they do in South Park. have someone read War and Peace to you in one sitting and if you can't tell what happens on page 55 then you have add.
i can never sit down and concentrate and do anything for more than 15 minutes. often times when i read, or try to study i daze off. the words go in but does not register (my mind is elsewhere). even when i am watchig tv or on the at forums...i have to do a few things at the same time. its really hard for me to do one thing and one thing only. i often have to be doing a few things at the same time for me to get anything done. when i write essays, after five mintutes, i have five browswer windows open. its just hard for me to concentrate and do anything. thats the basic jist of it i guess...
I can't concentrate while writting papers either, I always open browser windows - i have to wait until the last minute to pressure myself into doing it. I can't focus on reading boring stuff like Shakespeare. But I can read AT and the newspaper and magazines with no problem...oh yeah, I doze off if I'm too comfortable while studying..dont do that
I agree that ADD is overdiagnosed. Usually there is another diagnosis, or maybe the symptoms are not severe enough to qualify for ADD. For example, there might just be too many distractions around you, or maybe there is a lack of sleep/nutrition. I think most students have concentration problems, myself included. If they are so severe it impairs your ability to function, then you should see a psychiatrist.
If you want the diagnostic criteria, do a search on google for ADD/ADHD and DSM-IV.
Personally, i have it. I can't sit still for too long, and have hard time concentrating. If i'm talking to somebody face to face, i literally zone out after like 30 secs and have no idea what they're talking about... UNLESS the thigns i'm doing, person i'm talking to, etc are interesting. Then my concentration is complete and i actually concentrate/listen better than most people. That's why with the classes i like, i don't bother taking notes... even if i did, it's not like i would review them.
But lack of concentration isn't the only issue with ADD. It's inappropriate concentration. For instance, if i'm excited about something, such as working out, i'll completely devote all my time and energy to it. I will spend hours upon hours reading about it, looking through the websites, and even spending hundreds of dollars on gloves, straps, belts, mp3 players, etc. My interest in it causes me to neglect everything else. But this interest doesn't last long, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, and if i'm lucky, months. But when my interest wanes, i can feel it. I KNOW i'm losing interest, and i KNOW what's going to happen next; i'm going to lose all interest, all the time and money i've spent in it are going to be a waste, and i'm going to get obsessed with something else. It's like being high, and feeling great, but at the same time knowing that it's going to come crashing down around you.
The reason why it's difficult to assess children properly for ADD is because children are not as cognitive or expressive as adults are... so they can't express what they're going through. All you can go by are their observed behaviors.
I wished i was properly diagnosed when i was little... i was placed in a remedial class because of it. But a year later in the remedial class, i was placed back in my normal grade. A year in my normal grade, and i skipped a grade.
The first time i read up on ADD, it was probably one of the most profound experiences i had. Finally something that made sense to me, why i act the way i do, why i get so obsessed and excited over things, why i zone out when i talk to people face to face, etc.
Personally, i have it. I can't sit still for too long, and have hard time concentrating. If i'm talking to somebody face to face, i literally zone out after like 30 secs and have no idea what they're talking about... UNLESS the thigns i'm doing, person i'm talking to, etc are interesting. Then my concentration is complete and i actually concentrate/listen better than most people. That's why with the classes i like, i don't bother taking notes... even if i did, it's not like i would review them.
But lack of concentration isn't the only issue with ADD. It's inappropriate concentration. For instance, if i'm excited about something, such as working out, i'll completely devote all my time and energy to it. I will spend hours upon hours reading about it, looking through the websites, and even spending hundreds of dollars on gloves, straps, belts, mp3 players, etc. My interest in it causes me to neglect everything else. But this interest doesn't last long, sometimes days, sometimes weeks, and if i'm lucky, months. But when my interest wanes, i can feel it. I KNOW i'm losing interest, and i KNOW what's going to happen next; i'm going to lose all interest, all the time and money i've spent in it are going to be a waste, and i'm going to get obsessed with something else. It's like being high, and feeling great, but at the same time knowing that it's going to come crashing down around you.
The reason why it's difficult to assess children properly for ADD is because children are not as cognitive or expressive as adults are... so they can't express what they're going through. All you can go by are their observed behaviors.
I wished i was properly diagnosed when i was little... i was placed in a remedial class because of it. But a year later in the remedial class, i was placed back in my normal grade. A year in my normal grade, and i skipped a grade.
The first time i read up on ADD, it was probably one of the most profound experiences i had. Finally something that made sense to me, why i act the way i do, why i get so obsessed and excited over things, why i zone out when i talk to people face to face, etc.
Bignate603
Lifer
- Sep 5, 2000
- 13,897
- 1
- 0
I've been diagnosed with ADD, so has my brother. We both preform well above grade level, which really isn't rare for kids with add. They can't stay focused on something they aren't interested in but often when they are they do amazing things. You might try to learn in a little different way, I'm trying to look at colleges that give me more hands on stuff because that's what keeps me interested and where I do my best. I would say figure out how you need to do things (there's nothing wrong without being able to not concentrate on a textbook) and see if you can give it a go without the drugs. My bro was on ritalin for a while, worked decent but he decided that he didn't like relying on it so he's off it and doing ok.
Scarpozzi
Lifer
- Jun 13, 2000
- 26,391
- 1,780
- 126
I think ADD is a bunch of hooey. I also tend to wander in my thoughts. But you see, that doesn't mean that you necessarily have a disorder. People who have a lot going on in their minds can also mean that your mind is just active. There are mind exercises you can practice to lengthen your attention span. I don't know of any, but I'm sure if you search for some you might find something. It just takes dedication to change. If you ever work a 40hr/week job, you'll quickly learn how to concentrate because your boss will make you.
PliotronX
Diamond Member
- Oct 17, 1999
- 8,883
- 107
- 106
One of the most important aspects of diagnosing for ADD is if you've shown symptoms of it through your childhood. If you were fine in elementary/junior high, and all of the sudden can't concentrate, you may have clinical depression or some other disorder. Many different mental health issues can cause the inability to concentrate. Keep in mind that many young adults/teenagers are apathetic, and stuck in clinical depression. The only way to get a proper diagnosis is to see a professional, but I'd suggest also getting a second (or third) opinion, because of a lot of head doctors are in it for the money these days. Only submit yourself to help through psychotropic drugs when it's the last resort.
well, all my elementary school teachers have always complained about me having concentratrion problems in class... i really dont know if i have add, but i just think so.
I think ADD is a bunch of hooey. I also tend to wander in my thoughts. But you see, that doesn't mean that you necessarily have a disorder.
I have the occasional headaches... does that make migraines 'hooey's too?
People who have a lot going on in their minds can also mean that your mind is just active.
The problem isn't just having concentration problem if you're trying to study, but your gf just gave you devastating news, so you can't. It's a problem that is so severe it becomes MALADAPTIVE.
There are mind exercises you can practice to lengthen your attention span. I don't know of any, but I'm sure if you search for some you might find something.
In my 4 years in psych, and countless books, articles, and websites on ADD and strategies to control it, i've never heard of of exercises to lengthen attention spans. Care to share some with us?
you ever work a 40hr/week job, you'll quickly learn how to concentrate because your boss will make you.
No, that's the difference between somebody with ADD and somebody who is just lazy or doesn't want to concentrate. The person with ADD won't be 'made' to do anything. If grounding a child, punishing him, having teachers and other classmates ridiculing him is not incentive enough to 'smarten' up and concentrate... what makes you think a boss can do it?
Anybody that has ADD and has taken something like ritalin or amphetamines like coke, will tell you it's a life changing experience. First time i did coke, i didn't get the high that others did. I didn't feel giddy and happy, but my concentration just zeroed into whatever i wanted to do. While everybody else was partying, i sat on a couch reading... and of all things, philosophy.
Ignorance and comments like that is not going to help people with ADD. They estimate something like 70% of incarcerated criminals have ADD... and from my experience, that sounds very reasonable. How about actually helping the children that have it, understanding what makes them the way they are, and not ridicule them by saying they're lazy or just not trying hard enough. Despite what you may believe, ridiculing or criticizing children is not a very effective way to raise or educate them.
I have the occasional headaches... does that make migraines 'hooey's too?
People who have a lot going on in their minds can also mean that your mind is just active.
The problem isn't just having concentration problem if you're trying to study, but your gf just gave you devastating news, so you can't. It's a problem that is so severe it becomes MALADAPTIVE.
There are mind exercises you can practice to lengthen your attention span. I don't know of any, but I'm sure if you search for some you might find something.
In my 4 years in psych, and countless books, articles, and websites on ADD and strategies to control it, i've never heard of of exercises to lengthen attention spans. Care to share some with us?
you ever work a 40hr/week job, you'll quickly learn how to concentrate because your boss will make you.
No, that's the difference between somebody with ADD and somebody who is just lazy or doesn't want to concentrate. The person with ADD won't be 'made' to do anything. If grounding a child, punishing him, having teachers and other classmates ridiculing him is not incentive enough to 'smarten' up and concentrate... what makes you think a boss can do it?
Anybody that has ADD and has taken something like ritalin or amphetamines like coke, will tell you it's a life changing experience. First time i did coke, i didn't get the high that others did. I didn't feel giddy and happy, but my concentration just zeroed into whatever i wanted to do. While everybody else was partying, i sat on a couch reading... and of all things, philosophy.
Ignorance and comments like that is not going to help people with ADD. They estimate something like 70% of incarcerated criminals have ADD... and from my experience, that sounds very reasonable. How about actually helping the children that have it, understanding what makes them the way they are, and not ridicule them by saying they're lazy or just not trying hard enough. Despite what you may believe, ridiculing or criticizing children is not a very effective way to raise or educate them.
ADD is probably one of the most misunderstood disorders. the name is misleading. if you have ADD, you DO NOT have a lack of attention. just because you can't concentrate doesn't mean you have ADD. people who have ADD in fact focus TOO much on every little thing. they will give their full attention to any little thing that pops up and thus shifting away from the task at hand. there are other symptoms that you can check on webmd.com but don't rule in ADD just yet. if you find yourself uncontrollably stopping your study and staring at the wall because you saw a bug, then maybe you should be worried.
I'm not educated at all in ADD stuff so basically everything is say is just noticing what i see and my opinion.
I'm sure there are people with ADD, so i'm not saying it's not a real problem, but for the most part i think it is mainly BS. Half the kids in my high school are diagnosed with ADD, but come on, most of them are just stupid or lazy people. I'm dead lazy but i do what i know i have to do. Some people just don't give a sh!t and blame it on that desease that the docter says the have. My brother isn't what the call the brightest person in the world, and people has said he has ADD. bullsh!t, he is just a lazy bum and don't care to do his homework, pay attention in class or study for tests. He just doesn't give a flip. If he put his mind to it he could be a very smart person. My brother knows he doesn't have ADD even though everyone says he does. And a lot of people in school will admit they just don't care. ok, i'm done ranting. Again this is all my opinion, i really have no fvcking clue about all the ADD stuff. just saying what i've notice and think.
peace
sean
I'm sure there are people with ADD, so i'm not saying it's not a real problem, but for the most part i think it is mainly BS. Half the kids in my high school are diagnosed with ADD, but come on, most of them are just stupid or lazy people. I'm dead lazy but i do what i know i have to do. Some people just don't give a sh!t and blame it on that desease that the docter says the have. My brother isn't what the call the brightest person in the world, and people has said he has ADD. bullsh!t, he is just a lazy bum and don't care to do his homework, pay attention in class or study for tests. He just doesn't give a flip. If he put his mind to it he could be a very smart person. My brother knows he doesn't have ADD even though everyone says he does. And a lot of people in school will admit they just don't care. ok, i'm done ranting. Again this is all my opinion, i really have no fvcking clue about all the ADD stuff. just saying what i've notice and think.
peace
sean
<< ADD is probably one of the most misunderstood disorders. the name is misleading. if you have ADD, you DO NOT have a lack of attention. just because you can't concentrate doesn't mean you have ADD. people who have ADD in fact focus TOO much on every little thing. they will give their full attention to any little thing that pops up and thus shifting away from the task at hand. there are other symptoms that you can check on webmd.com but don't rule in ADD just yet. if you find yourself uncontrollably stopping your study and staring at the wall because you saw a bug, then maybe you should be worried. >>
Actually it does involve a deficit in attention, just like the name states. In the DSM-IV it is listed under ADHD (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder) and one of the criterion for diagnosis is difficulty sustaining attention in tasks.
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