You may have ADD and not even know it. Take these tests

[Lorien]

to find out: http://amenclinics.com/ac/tests/

My aunt has limbic ADD and a book by Daniel Amen has really helped her with it. Since she's never been hyper, she never considered that she may have ADD. She sent me this test, and I scored "highly probable" for five of the six types of ADD. The Alpha-stim helps with the depression end of it, but not for the core ADD symptoms. I've gotten Amen's book and i'm trying to find a better treatment for my limbic-type ADD now too.

[EFerrari]

1. Thanks, Lorien. I'm going to share this with my mom.

I didn't test out for ADD but a better she probably would. My brother is ADD and two of his three girls seem to be.

:)

[shrike]

2. I'm ADD

The inattentive type -- females tend to go undiagnosed because we're more likely NOT to be hyper.

I was diagnosed after my niece was -- Sis contacted me and told me how much Niece and I had in common. Did some reading, went to see a doctor (although my GP was skeptical; a whole other story there) and that was that.

I went on Strattera at first and it did nothing for me. (As a matter of fact, I'm on an antidepressant as well, and I would recommend you NOT take both drugs simultaneously. Lots of side effects, a "weird" feeling that something is wrong.) The doc now has me on Concerta, and while I'm a little hyped in the morning, when it starts to kick in, it's been very positive. I'm with a very good doc (shrink) now, the best I've ever had, and feel rather positive about the future. There's also a whole shelf of literature out there about adult ADD -- I read through them and recognized myself constantly. It was actually a relief to find out what makes me so different.
Although, do you know, ADD is covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? It's rather humbling to know I have a "disability."

[Lorien]

3. I didn't know that it was covered by the ADA

though it sure feels like a disability!

[shrike]

4. That's what I've read

in several sources. Wish I'd known earlier in life -- I'm self-employed now, but I had a few employers who alternately ran me ragged and crapped on me, all the while ridiculing or dissing my "forgetfulness" or strangeness.

[LizMoonstar]

5. this book rules.

I finally was diagnosed and given ritalin to try out a few weeks ago. this book helped me be ready for it, and made me realise that a lot of the weird things i do are 'not my fault'.

of course it didn't hurt that my therapist suggested that i was tested and retested so many times for gifted programs and honors classes when they supposedly lost my records because they just didn't believe scores that high could come from a talky little 8 year old.... i love it when people tell me i'm smart, as i know intellectually that i am but emotionally i'm very insecure about it.


anyway, this book is awesome. and the ritalin is helping a lot added to my prozac and xanax routine, but i think i may need something with a longer body lifespan (i am getting free/discounted community health care, and so they prescribe whatever form comes in the cheapest generic, to start off with). doesn't help that the instructions say 'take one in the morning and one at noon" and your 'morning' *is* noon, but i'm asking about that tomorrow.


sorry, i'm sure you can tell it hasn't kicked in yet! i don't expect you guys to care about all of my babble, but again, i also recommend the book. it will help make you feel better about your brain and personality, even if you don't need treatment. it's a great resource on how the brain works.


oh, and it'd be nice if i could use it as an ada-protected reason so that i stop losing jobs because i don't understand getting to work on time...
(i promise, i'm a good worker and team player - i can do more high-quality work in less time than a normal punctual person, and will still work more hours than them, but an employer needs to be able to overlook the fact that work starting at 8am probably means I'll be there at 8:10 every morning instead of 7:50 like everyone else. so that doesn't happen very often.)

[shrike]

6. I can so relate to that

I've always been able to out-work, out-produce everyone, and take less time to do it. I used to get very fidgety at work, ask for new things to do because I'd already completed my tasks -- believe it or not, it pissed them off because I wanted to work harder!

I, too, can never be punctual: that's one of the nice things about being self-employed (for over a decade, long before I knew I was ADD.) I start, and finish, when I want to.

BTW, you may want to check out the ADA rules on ADHD. My sister says that my ADD niece is on a special program at school because ADHD is considered a disability. Her classes are as academically rigorous as the next child, but they are structured to accommodate her ADD, so that she has a safety net: for example, she needs structure, has trouble remembering instructions on the blackboard, etc. She's pulling an A-minus average right now, her teachers are wonderful with her, and her confidence is zoomed. She's hoping she can get off her medication one day, and since some ADDers experience a lessening of symptoms as they age, I'm hoping it happens for her.
If I were still in the "regular" work world, I'd be looking for a similar safety net myself. Hell, if it is indeed a disability and you are protected, go for it.

[undergroundpanther]

7. Har..

I got "Highly probable" on all the types listed except a "not likely" on the combined and a maybe on the cingular type ..Go figure.

[Blue_Roses]

8. I was diagnosed with ADD about

12 years ago and I sat on the floor of my apartment and cried like a baby. It wasn't because I had been diagnosed with this strange "disorder" but there was finally, FINALLY an answer to why I acted the way I did--and still do without my medication.

I have been on Strattera also and find that it does nothing but depress me. With the help of some on this forum I find there is great support,especially since there is no adult support group here where I live. I had one where I previously lived and it was awesome! Support goes along way to helping me feel normal and sane.

I have an appointment in March( yes, it takes that long to get in with my doctor) and I hope he can prescribe something better. My daughter was recently diagnosed with ADD and she take Focalin. I tried it a couple of times and I like it, so I am going to suggest this to my doc and see what he says.

My spouse also has ADHD so things get quite interesting sometimes...

[shrike]

10. I can relate, Blue Roses

Finally, there's an answer.

If Strattera isn't working for you, try another drug. You have to be your advocate in this game, which sucks, but that's the way it is.

And don't forget, we ADDers are special in ways that others aren't -- we're more creative, more innovative, more willing to take risks, think outside the box. And we've got more guts, or at least that's been my experience.

[Lorien]

11. Do you know what type you have?

knowing your ADD type will really help to narrow down the drug choices.

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

9. Yup, I'm ADD..

ADD Combined Type: May be possible
ADD Inattentive Type: Not Probable
Cingulate System Hyperactivity: Highly Probable
Limbic System Hyperactivity: Highly Probable
Basal Ganglia Hyperactivity: Highly Probable
Temporal Lobe System: Highly Probable


Now if only my Adderall would start working again...

[sam sarrha]

12. check out this.LINK>.read up on Aspergers Syndrome..might apply might not

it did for me.. it explaned a lot of my life.

http://www.wrongplanet.net

actually ADD might be an element in a syndrome and not a 'stand alone' problem

[MrMonk]

13. I'm not sure that I trust these tests.

ADD Combined Type Not Probable
ADD Inattentive Type Highly Probable
Cingulate System Hyperactivity Not Probable
Limbic System Hyperactivity Highly Probable
Basal Ganglia Hyperactivity Highly Probable
Temporal Lobe System Not Probable

Most of the traits that I checked as 2 or above are also associated with depression, which I do suffer.

The explanatory information, if correct, gives me some ideas that I think I'll discuss with my doctor. Also gives me an idea as to why I responded so well to a certain medication in the past.

[Random_Australian]

14. Tested Positive. Again.

Not to be overly skeptical, but this is about the eighth website to tell me I've some psych illness.
Anyway, if you're wanting good psych info then here is the best one I've found thus far for depression. Depression has become very problematic amongst teens here, so they created this Federal Gov(ernment) initiative:

http://www.beyondblue.org.au

If you want it that is I mean it can't be too much trouble to check out cos' it's pretty good but if I'm done something socially inept just PM me and I'll remove it O.K.
See yas round.
R_A.

[Tab]

15. Well, the cool thing is

that if you have all these places stating you have a particular issue to deal with, you now know what you specifically need to address and can find people and resources to help with that. It's a lot better than going around thinking there's something wrong but not knowing what.

You can choose to act on it or not, but just identifying it is half the battle. Many people aren't so lucky as to recognize a problem exists, much less identify it.

Good luck to you!

[Random_Australian]

16. Luck to YOU, dear Tab.

:hug: :hug: :hug:

They were for all different psych illnesses anyway.

I'm almost fine now. Through a long series of luck, and an *ahem*load of hard work, I have all but one syptom under control. I can't drink (alcohol) though: I've wired massive social inhibitions to the danger areas, and alcohol destroys those inhibitions.

Wait, I need to explain 'wired'.... which means I'll have to tell my little tale ;) hope you don't mind.

Note: I doubt this'll be as bad as many a story I've seen here, and don't worry, it all turns out good in the end.

The only prefactor I can think in this that is really important (aside from having mental illness on both sides of the family) is that, due to a psychologist screwing up my mother's family, I could never see a psychiatrist with my mothers knowledge, and given I was in a small country area, it was impossible. So I couldn't.

Part two: From about 14-ish my mind did aplenty of strange things, paranoia, delusions, *stuff* I don't care to mention, compulsive behaviours, loss of emotion, and to cap it all off, my ability to interpret faces screwed up.... still to this day cannot recognise faces beyond about 6-8 metres.

Anyway, there was also an incredibly bad stigma attached back home. Basically, there was so much potsmoking with marijauna far more potent than the natural, the No.1 reason for ambulance callouts was to youth suicide attempts. Good thing I never tried the stuff, most of my friends had by 14.

Part three: I had always been introspective, and and a keen scientist (I mean Einstein and Bohr by year 9), a hit and miss method with ways of thinkng and controlling got the first round under control.... tenatively. 14-17 has been very, very lonely. Worse was still to come: With only a crude reactive ability to control, things got worse, firstly, I think, because in teaching myself to feel emotions again (see the 'Have you lived or worked with a sociopath'thread in the lounge), my mind, which in analagy was bieng told and told to feel emotion (end analagy) and couldn't see it on the faces of others, severely overcompensated when I finally could tell what others were feeling (It's something we all do, when we know what another feels we feel the emotions that we think they do), and this happened whilst I was reading all about abnormal psychology. Cue many, many problems. The worst, however, (though how long it had been going on, I don't know)was still to come.

Part four: Invented memory. This is from schizophrenia on my mother's side. First picked it up when I finally worked out how the mind perceives dreams... led to my first discovery. I picked it because the heights of the people invovled were different, they were what my mind expected. Tenative questioning of my friends meant I was right.

Part five: By this time I was beginning to work out many a stratagem, but it was getting too complex.
Then I learnt how I could create invented memory myself.... what does a smart bastard (my one recompense) do when given this opportunity? He works and works and works at it. I even neglected play and schoolwork for it. Yeah, I know that sounds obsessive, and it was. But this was after I'd figured out how to trigger obsessive behaviour. It was lucky that I did have some measure of control, as by now the 'people I could see that others couldn't' were telling me to kill myself.

Part six: To cut a very long story, replete with details, short, I ended up with what I have now: A 28-barrier mental defense system (called that for 'historical' reasons) Which still has 26 components like they were meant to... (hallucination/delusion/paranoia finders) like the 22nd barrier, which will move the eyes to check the change of focus- what is real, and what the mind presumes, are two different things.

At this point, I have wieghed up immodesty vs. truth, and will tell the truth. My apologies for bieng immodest.

The intelligence involved was such that, even with school neglected, I still got more than 100% in my final exams. How this was done is enough to identify me by name, but if you doubt my story, PM me. I won't mind; I just don't like writing personal details on the open slather (No, not just Tab, any of you can PM me)

Anyway, so I've moved to uni. I've made friends. I might even get a girlfriend ;) :D. A novel experience. Almost my entire mind is absolutely fine. However, there is that one part that visualises self doing 'socially non-conformative' things... though nothing illegal, don't worry.

I'm far away from family too, another plus.
And I'm not lonely here. Living successfully in a flat with 4 other people!

[Random_Australian]

17. Extra details: (Stuff forgot whilst writing)

The mental health bad stigma was from the suicide attempts. To be closefriends with anyone who kills themselves is devastating and everyone knew it. No-one would be the friend of someone with *those* issues, too dangerous.

The other two systems in the 28th barrier are the 'first'.... which is now huge, and complex. It controls my ability to understand my own mind, and formulates new ways to keep everything in check.

The 28th is the one that alcahol can destroy: If, for reasons unknown, all the other systems fail to remove/prevent an attack of delusion/paranoia et cetera, it makes it so I look like normal, on the outside. Can also be used to prevent me acting out compulsive behaviours.

[marions ghost]

19. congratulations

you will be stronger than you ever thought possible :)

[Random_Australian]

20. Thankyou! There was a thread about "how do you keep going when

crushed in the Lounge" the other day. My response: "Something once cost me more than anything else ever could. Now I am unstoppable."

I have to keep watch, keep working on it, I can never drink, but I just don't care. Freedom is something I'd pay a lot more to have. (And once did)

[marions ghost]

21. you seem to have

the intelligence and discipline necessary to get beyond your issues, and at a young age. If you can make a decision to avoid alcohol & other substances, even with all the social drinking that goes on, and not feel pressured or embarrassed or whatever, that is admirable. You are well on the right path, it seems to me. Stay tuned to your body and always be kind to yourself. Don't swerve from that, no matter what. Seems you have the generosity to be a resource to others, too. You might want to write more about your experience. Truly, others have been there. My own Dad has had a somewhat similar experience but has overcome like you and is living life to the fullest. For all those going through a dark time, there is help and there is a way out. It can be done. All best on your journey:)

[Random_Australian]

22. Thankyou! Thankyou, very nice words, kind & thoughtful too.

Living life to the fullest is what I'm doing now, alright. Back before I moved to uni, it was hell. Powerful stigma vs. mental health, but the worst thing was the amount of alcahol & marijauna. As in, the world's highest concentration of marijauna, and people would get utterly blind drunk from 14 or so. Nasty. Now, I'm living somewhere much better.

Life is good now, and certainly treating me well, I'm a lot fitter too, and my social life actually exists now. Who knows? In a few weeks I may even have a girlfriend. Ok, probably quite a few weeks. I'm not lonely anymore. I've just returned with more good news - my speed and skill in physics won me a book!

But in the end, what I want most, is for others to be this happy. I probably won't write a book about my experiences, but I know so well how the mind works that I will try to make the more general population get along, if I write. I'll do more with my physics - there is so much to be improved & so much damage to be undone... of course, in my spare time, I go to places like here to help out in any way I can.

This chat was lovely.

Hope you have a nice day!
And week!
And year!

:yourock:

[Deja Q]

18. " Need others to organize you in order to be success". My results follow:

ADD test:

Your results indicate that you may have ADD.

You may wish to take the Amen Brain System ADD Subtype Test © to evaluate your ADD subtype tendencies.


Brain system test:

ADD Combined Type
May be possible more info

ADD Inattentive Type
Not Probable more info

Cingulate System Hyperactivity
Highly Probable more info

Limbic System Hyperactivity
May be possible more info

Basal Ganglia Hyperactivity
May be possible more info

Temporal Lobe System
Probable more info

I do have a slight B12 deficiency. That came up in some of the results.

I am also diagosed with Asperger's Syndome.

ADD combined type is interesting. Those medications NEVER worked on me or worked in reverse. (again, Asperger's is the root cause.)