ADD and Me

OK... So we are talking about ADD. First let me give out the list of characteristics that define ADHD-I or ADHD predominantly inattentive.

1. easily distracted.
2. has difficulty sustaining attention span for most tasks in play, school, or work
3. has trouble listening when others are talking
4. has difficulty following through (procrastination) on task or instructions
5. has difficulty keeping an organized area (room, desk, book bag, filing cabinet, locker, etc.)
6. has trouble with time, for example, is frequently late or hurried, tasks take longer than expected, projects or homework are "last-minute" or turned in late
7. has a tendency to lose things
8. makes careless mistakes, poor attention to detail
9. is forgetful
10. daydreams excessively
11. complains of being bored
12. appears apathetic or unmotivated
13. is tired, sluggish, or slow moving
14. is spacey or seems preoccupied

For those of you who know me very well, you can see alot of that in me. And now that I know about it, so can I.

I first went to the Psychologist because I was having some trouble understanding why I was doing (or not doing certain things). After talking for a while he asked me if it had ever been suggested that I had ADD. I told him no , then he handed me the same list that I just typed out. And... Holy Crap!! Did I see myself. After a few sessions of testing he informed me that I was extremely intelligent (of course, who didn't know that) and if it weren't for the ADD he would be surprised that I didn't have a Masters Degree (boy, I can feel my hat getting tighter). But where my ADD lies is in my organizational and logistical areas. This comes as no surprise to some. After my initial diagnosis I was only instructed to start working on my organizational skills, the biggest example is making lists. Then following up on them. I can focus on something like this for about a week, then I just stop. The next time I went in he said he wanted to try me on meds. He has currently suggested four for my Family Physician to chose from; Vyvanse, Adderall, Concerta, and Focalin.

The question now is my doctor. Apparently a lot of doctors, especially older ones, see ADD as a myth or a crutch. Where others see it as a true disorder. Which way will my doctor see it? Only time will tell.

I could write on and on about this and what is going through my head, or sometimes the blankness in my mind. If anyone has any questions please leave it in the comments and I will answer them to the best of my ability.