As an adult, I have been diagnosed with ADHD!
- Thread starter Dreamwriter
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I seriously need to get an assessment. I got a referral from my doctor last July but I haven't done anything with it yet. Tempted to use Frida, which is an online diagnosis in Canada and would run be 1/3rd the cost. Not necessarily for the cost, but because it seems more achievable than having to research who to go to and how the process works.
I'm starting a new job as a tech lead and I'm going to have to monitor my behavior hard. Ahead of the job, I was researching what I wanted for a tech stack, and every little step along the way I'd wander. I'd jinto research about frontend, then full stack type safety, then backend, then REST vs. graphql. And then I'd set up my project, and get hung up for 2 hours about how to get a custom font working. And then I'd think "hey, I want to try that font in my IDE", and spend 2 hours tinkering with my IDE settings. I only realized after the fact what had happened, as 2 days had gone by and I hadn't done anything meaningful even though it felt like I was "working" the entire time.
Another bad thing is I use alcohol as a coping mechanism. It feels like it's the only thing that calms and focuses my mind, and that ain't healthy.
I'm starting a new job as a tech lead and I'm going to have to monitor my behavior hard. Ahead of the job, I was researching what I wanted for a tech stack, and every little step along the way I'd wander. I'd jinto research about frontend, then full stack type safety, then backend, then REST vs. graphql. And then I'd set up my project, and get hung up for 2 hours about how to get a custom font working. And then I'd think "hey, I want to try that font in my IDE", and spend 2 hours tinkering with my IDE settings. I only realized after the fact what had happened, as 2 days had gone by and I hadn't done anything meaningful even though it felt like I was "working" the entire time.
Another bad thing is I use alcohol as a coping mechanism. It feels like it's the only thing that calms and focuses my mind, and that ain't healthy.
It varies, but in my case it was a questionnaire followed by a test where you try to recall and remember things. According to my psychiatrist, I scored off the charts to the point where he asked why I didn't see him years ago.
God, I wish I had😖
Quoting myself from another thread where I talked about how I got assessed:
The first time I tried to get assessed, I went to a Kaiser Psychiatric department in person and got a walk-in appointment to see a behavioral therapist. For what it was worth, he felt convinced that I had ADHD, and gave me a self-assessment to fill out. A couple of weeks later, I called for the results and spoke to a doctor who sounded like she couldn't give less of a shit. She said I "must have completed the assessment wrong" so it was inconclusive, and that I "probably have depression or anxiety". Last year, I saw a guy on reddit mention a nearly identical story with his Kaiser assessment, so that convinced me to try again.
The first time I tried to get assessed, I went to a Kaiser Psychiatric department in person and got a walk-in appointment to see a behavioral therapist. For what it was worth, he felt convinced that I had ADHD, and gave me a self-assessment to fill out. A couple of weeks later, I called for the results and spoke to a doctor who sounded like she couldn't give less of a shit. She said I "must have completed the assessment wrong" so it was inconclusive, and that I "probably have depression or anxiety". Last year, I saw a guy on reddit mention a nearly identical story with his Kaiser assessment, so that convinced me to try again.
I had to go through a Therapist who referred me to a Psychiatrist and a psychologist. But I think on depending where you are, you can just go straight to the Psychiatrist. Maybe I coulda done that and skip the 8 months of Therapy first. I would start by googling Psychiatrists who believe in helping through medication. At least here in SoCal, a bunch of doctors (of all kinds) were all into New Age shit, or non medicinal cures and I'm like fuck that. Give me me the drugs not a helmet that shoots electrodes into me that cures my ADHD.
I saw my GP last year in September for a referral, and was finally able to book an appointment for a screening last December. The appointment is for September 2023. So that's a full year of waiting to maybe get diagnosed. It sucks because I'm 99% sure I have it and getting the diagnosis would explain so much, but I'm also afraid that I'm just bullshitting myself and I don't have ADHD — I'm simply lazy. September is still so far away, ughhh.
If you think you have it, don't delay and talk to your GP asap because from what I hear the waiting lists are just getting longer and longer.
If you think you have it, don't delay and talk to your GP asap because from what I hear the waiting lists are just getting longer and longer.
So I've alway felt I may have adhd and so I went to kaiser and they told me the same, that I'm depressed, and so I kinda just gave up and I stopped taking the antidepressants they gave me cos they REALLY fucked with me and put me in a bad spot constantly. I'm really tempted to go back and get reassessed especially since I dont have kaiser anymore
I just got diagnosed with mild symptoms today, starting on medication tomorrow, didn't take as long as I expected (still took months, but not as many appointments), but was lucky to have detailed doctor notes from childhood which made it easier
I've kind if learned that even setting myself those kind of tasks is an adhd thing to begin with - I'm constantly tinkering / building collections / curating things as I think it gives me a dopamine hit to start them. Yet for some reason my Spotify is a disorganised mess.
Just took my first dose (10mg) of Adderall XR. Was just recently diagnosed with ADHD as an adult (39) after struggling for so long. I really hope this helps.
Good luck!
I started with 10mg of Ritalin last week, and started taking an additional 10mg in the afternoon this week. I didn't feel great for the first two days, then felt more productive for a day or two after that, but since then I don't really notice any significant changes. I'm not tapping my fingers or bouncing my legs nearly as much, which is nice.
I also got diagnosed with ADD last year at the age of 24. Honestly regret that I did not done earlier even though I always knew I had. So many things in life could have been easier.
I started Vyvanse 2 months ago and it has absolutely changed my life. I got more done in my dissertation the last 2 months than I have in the past 6 months. My anxiety and depression is also almost eliminated because my executive functioning is basically repaired, alleviating a lot of stress and disorganization from my life.
My clinical psychologist helped me complete the official DSM-based Adult ADHD questionnaire below. The red is 6 months pre-Vyvanse 20 mg, the green is post 1 month of 20mg Vyvanse, and the blue is same as green but my husband's independent responses on what he's observed of me during the 1st month of treatment. You can see how many of my symptoms drifted toward the left after treating my ADHD with meds. It's amazing. If this questionnaire gives you any clue you might have ADHD as an adult, please tell your doctor. I showed these results to my psychiatrist and they were so elated they increased my dose to 40 mg.
Also one fun side effect at 40 mg now is that I last longer in bed lmao.
My clinical psychologist helped me complete the official DSM-based Adult ADHD questionnaire below. The red is 6 months pre-Vyvanse 20 mg, the green is post 1 month of 20mg Vyvanse, and the blue is same as green but my husband's independent responses on what he's observed of me during the 1st month of treatment. You can see how many of my symptoms drifted toward the left after treating my ADHD with meds. It's amazing. If this questionnaire gives you any clue you might have ADHD as an adult, please tell your doctor. I showed these results to my psychiatrist and they were so elated they increased my dose to 40 mg.
Also one fun side effect at 40 mg now is that I last longer in bed lmao.
A professional casually diagnosed me a few weeks back (I'm 38). My answer to almost all of those questions is very often. I should probably get this checked.............I started Vyvanse 2 months ago and it has absolutely changed my life. I got more done in my dissertation the last 2 months than I have in the past 6 months. My anxiety and depression is also almost eliminated because my executive functioning is basically repaired, alleviating a lot of stress and disorganization from my life.
My clinical psychologist helped me complete the official DSM-based Adult ADHD questionnaire below. The red is 6 months pre-Vyvanse 20 mg, the green is post 1 month of 20mg Vyvanse, and the blue is same as green but my husband's independent responses on what he's observed of me during the 1st month of treatment. You can see how many of my symptoms drifted toward the left after treating my ADHD with meds. It's amazing. If this questionnaire gives you any clue you might have ADHD as an adult, please tell your doctor. I showed these results to my psychiatrist and they were so elated they increased my dose to 40 mg.
Also one fun side effect at 40 mg now is that I last longer in bed lmao.
Could start by talking with your primary for a referral to a psychiatrist. Either that or look up psychs in your area and go to one directly.
I did the latter and after talking to her for about 20 minutes I finally mentioned I was there for an ADHD diagnosis and she replied with, "I mean, yeah it's pretty much obvious." Started Vyvanse shortly thereafter.
I'm also self-diagnosed autistic after talking things over with my current therapist, but that's not really relevant so not sure why I even brought it up >.>
Apologies for the double post, but yeah it might be a good idea. Most tests will want you to also interview someone that knew you as a child and a different someone that's known you well as an adult.
My mom was the former in my case and she answered honestly but didn't understand that ADHD can present as inattentive instead of hyperactive (or combined) so I've had to explain to her that yes, a lot of my behavior could've gotten me diagnosed as a kid if they'd taken me in. Makes me wonder how different things would be, but I'm glad I got diagnosed at all. Even if I was 36 when it happened.
Thing is I was brought to a psychiatrist as a child, and I am almost certain it was for this reason. I only ever went to one session and the mother doesn't remember anything about it.
I got tested when I was ~28 (7yrs ago), and the look the doctor gave me was shock. I was mid PhD at the time, and the guy looked at me like "I don't know how you graduated college let alone go to grad school." I was honestly too scared to ask for the specific results. I was unsure about taking the test at first, cause I felt like I was maybe forcing it (how could I be diagnosed as an adult!?), and during a section where he asked me to listen to a story I remember getting fixated on a power outlet in the room and missing like a whole paragraph of the story. Then I was like "oh ok, maybe this is for me."
I also managed to get my Master's despite how severe my ADHD is and to this day I'm fucking baffled at how I was able to do it.
Anecdotal, but my partner's dad has ADHD and he refused to answer my partner's questionnaire for a good long time. Luckily she was able to just get diagnosed even without it. ADHD very likely has a genetic component and if a parent has it (or suspects they have it) they may not want to confirm that they passed a disability like that down to their kids.
I assume the reason my mom didn't see anything "abnormal" with my behavior as a kid is because she probably has undiagnosed ADHD and doesn't necessarily want to admit it.
Not all versions of the diagnostic tests require childhood questions, so it may still be worth going to your primary and at least feeling it out.
You manage to finish your Ph.D.? I wasn't diagnosed until after I dropped out of mine. There's no way I could have completed a thesis unmedicated. I can handle classes and tests, but "Here's a problem. You have, I dunno, a year to solve it" demands too much executive function.
I got diagnosed with both ADHD and high functioning autism in my late 20's, and it helped me a lot. Just finding the right medication helped my organization and executive functioning a ton once I had more responsibilities and stuff to keep on top of/on track of. Haven't missed a bill or anything since.
ADHD is highly "comorbid" (I have problems with this word) with autism and they're both a form of neurodivergence so yeah it's relevant
My PhD research is starting to spread into these topics (I study the gut-microbiome-brain axis, particularly how the gut microbiome affects disease like neurological disease, and there's lots of new research tying the gut microbiome and its neurotransmitter production and response as having an effect on early neural development including ADHD and autism).
I felt the same as you, but the more I looked at symptoms of adults with ADHD, and talking with a licensed therapist who gave me my initial diagnosis, I realized I could live a life where I didn't have "make excuses" for myself anymore.
If your insurance covers it, you should look into getting evaluated or at least talk to a licensed professional about it.
Successful people with adult adhd are often very intelligent and studious because they have had to come up with their own accommodations for their own challenging behaviors and flaws when the world never acknowledged or accommodated their disability/divergence. For example, I make lots of careless mistakes during my work usually. My intelligence accommodated this by creating the habit of constantly overchecking my work during tests to catch mistakes, (which got me through assignments with good grades but tests…) which got me to second guess my intuition constantly, erroneously change answers, waste time during tests, and create testing anxiety that made school a nightmare for me. Yet, I'm a PhD student and I got diagnosed in my 3rd PhD year at 29. It's real. Lol.
I've had thoughts about potentially getting checked for ADHD (and maybe Autism, I don't know)... but the sheer thought of having to climb the proverbial Mount Everest that is doing anything mental health-related on the NHS is just terrifying to me. I do have some money saved up to the point I could maybe look into doing it privately but, if I did, that would put me back from finally living independently even further.
Of course there's the doubts as well. I'm the type of person who finds it almost impossible to ever answer "Strongly Agree," or "Strongly Disagree," in surveys, cause I'm terrible at judging my own behaviour. So I might just be making stuff up from nowhere.
Just wish things were easier :(
Of course there's the doubts as well. I'm the type of person who finds it almost impossible to ever answer "Strongly Agree," or "Strongly Disagree," in surveys, cause I'm terrible at judging my own behaviour. So I might just be making stuff up from nowhere.
Just wish things were easier :(
I've always ended up marking those kinds of tests almost entirely down the middle because every answer is "well......it depends" and there are so many clarifying questions that could and should be addressed
Thanks for the encouragement but I'm comfortable so to speak, I have my own coping systems that I rely on, and while it's probably not the healthiest it's a known situation. I don't like unknown situations, I don't like unpredictability. A professional diagnosis and moreover the situation after that is wholly unpredictable.
This in and of itself can be considered part of a diagnosis. The more clarifying questions you ask, the more they may point to an underlying neurodivergency. Obviously it's not the only criteria, but combined with other patterns of behaviour it'd be one more box to tick for a psychiatrist.
Pretty sure my Dad, my siblings and myself all have it. My sister actually got diagnosed and takes Vyvanse for it.
My biggest issue is easy distractions. I could start an email at work and then divert my attention to something else then something else ect, leaving a dozen half finished tasks in my wake.
My biggest issue is easy distractions. I could start an email at work and then divert my attention to something else then something else ect, leaving a dozen half finished tasks in my wake.
I call this "task parkour", and sometimes that makes me feel better about it.
Heh, the worst is when you think something is finished. Like the email example. I'll see someone else respond, but not see my response in the email chain, then I see that my email is still in draft mode and I never hit send.
That's fair and I can definitely relate. A lot of adults with undiagnosed ADHD end up in your situation; they've already developed coping mechanisms or patterns of behavior that mitigate their issues. If it's working for you then it's working for you. No reason to upset your balance.
I tried asking my GP about getting tested for ADD/ADHD, but she seemed very suspicious of me and gave me what seems like an obstacle course specifically designed to make people with ADD give up just to get seen for an evaluation.
That was 2 years ago and I still haven't been evaluated.
Congratulations, though! Must be a weight off your shoulders.
That was 2 years ago and I still haven't been evaluated.
Congratulations, though! Must be a weight off your shoulders.
I was diagnosed with ADD almost a year ago, at 29. My psychiatrist prescribed me Elvanse and not only did I not notice any improvement (I was on them for a little over two weeks) but my head felt too foggy and my heart was racing.
The problem? I have been procrastinating all this time about my next visit to the psychiatrist, with no improvement in my symptoms and the great burden of conscience that this entails.
The problem? I have been procrastinating all this time about my next visit to the psychiatrist, with no improvement in my symptoms and the great burden of conscience that this entails.
99% I have ADHD based on [gestures vaguely at my head] all of this. Plus, my two younger brothers were diagnosed as children. For whatever reason I never got that, despite suffering from the exact same stuff.
I manage with exercise, meditation, and a lot of help from my medical cannabis card. (I live in Oklahoma)
My goal this year is to get some therapy, I think it will help me. Anxious about it, because I'm always anxious.
I manage with exercise, meditation, and a lot of help from my medical cannabis card. (I live in Oklahoma)
My goal this year is to get some therapy, I think it will help me. Anxious about it, because I'm always anxious.
Just so you're aware…cannabis makes ADHD symptoms worse by worsening executive functioning, working memory, short term and long term memory, focus and attention. It's also addictive at high doses long term. Be careful. I can share the research with you if you're interested but I see an addiction psychiatrist that helped me get off cannabis to improve my adhd symptoms. It's highly possible your anxiety is masked and worsened by the cannabis.
Please see a therapist and psychiatrist soon for real ADHD treatment.
As others have similarly said. I feel like I have it. And I want to see a specialist about it. At 37, I feel like this is way too late for me to be officially diagnosed or not. But better late than never, and like to think if I do indeed have it. I can take steps to learn how to deal with it.
My wife keeps telling me to get tests and that I show many symptoms. I really need to do that.
Glad for you OP that you are diagnosed and are on the path of maintaining it!
Glad for you OP that you are diagnosed and are on the path of maintaining it!
I read an article about someone being diagnosed at 50 and it really resonated with me.
And so I reached out to my GP.
Still on the waiting list so I went private.
Costs me an arm and a leg.
There was some test I got to do where I'm supposed to press space when there's like two consecutive blinks or something. I thought I did well ya know playing video games. I was in the 99% percentile of bad at it lol.
However medication has changed my life.
It's just like glasses.
Sure if you don't wear glasses for a while you may see better. But you need to strain.
I didn't realise how much effort I put into paying attention to people or tasks.
That just became easier. Time management is still bad but now I can actually will myself into doing things and actually continue.
Your dose may be too high. I was started on 30mg the adult dose and I felt similar.
Dropped down to the "kids" dose of 20mg.
And things were much better.
You need to build a sense of what the medication does to your body and also what's the effectiveness curve is like for you.
Whether it's effective all day or for a shorter amount of time.
Also what your cutoff for taking it so you can get to sleep.
The other thing I learned is that exercise and sleep hygiene become really important and have a multiplier effect.
It's hard.
But making a habit to wake up at the same time every day. (Even weekends)
Take an elvance, have breakfast, then go for a morning walk or run.
Got myself a Garmin Forerunner watch and that gives sleep scores out of 100 and step goals so the gamification helps as well.
People with ADHD need small frequent rewards/achievements which is why games can be addicting so use that for useful things.
Also I recommend buying a diary. ADHD people have poor time perception.
Finding some time every day to write down a few details of my day has helped me not just waste days.
And so I reached out to my GP.
Still on the waiting list so I went private.
Costs me an arm and a leg.
There was some test I got to do where I'm supposed to press space when there's like two consecutive blinks or something. I thought I did well ya know playing video games. I was in the 99% percentile of bad at it lol.
However medication has changed my life.
It's just like glasses.
Sure if you don't wear glasses for a while you may see better. But you need to strain.
I didn't realise how much effort I put into paying attention to people or tasks.
That just became easier. Time management is still bad but now I can actually will myself into doing things and actually continue.
Your dose may be too high. I was started on 30mg the adult dose and I felt similar.
Dropped down to the "kids" dose of 20mg.
And things were much better.
You need to build a sense of what the medication does to your body and also what's the effectiveness curve is like for you.
Whether it's effective all day or for a shorter amount of time.
Also what your cutoff for taking it so you can get to sleep.
The other thing I learned is that exercise and sleep hygiene become really important and have a multiplier effect.
It's hard.
But making a habit to wake up at the same time every day. (Even weekends)
Take an elvance, have breakfast, then go for a morning walk or run.
Got myself a Garmin Forerunner watch and that gives sleep scores out of 100 and step goals so the gamification helps as well.
People with ADHD need small frequent rewards/achievements which is why games can be addicting so use that for useful things.
Also I recommend buying a diary. ADHD people have poor time perception.
Finding some time every day to write down a few details of my day has helped me not just waste days.
I am pretty sure I need to get checked for it, I check most boxes. Also when I am hyper focused in something I feel like I was in the spectrum; I can't be bothered or I get pissy. My wife sometimes gets the other end of it and I feel awful because she broke my concentration and I just reply back so disinterested in whatever it is and wanting to come back to my thing. The entire world just goes black while I am focused on something which does wonders for my job (software) but it's not the best trait. My memory sucks, I forget stuff that I was told a minute before, I daydream a lot and start fidgeting and shit, etc
Certainly, you have to be careful with everything. Moderation is key. On a day to day basis, it helps me manage my symptoms. And it cuts into my will to drink alcohol. But I appreciate you looking out, will look into that.
Ha found out I was diagnosed as a kid by a specialist for ADHD at the time, struggling really hard at a new job with work bringing me up on performance issues that very much relate to ADHD problems, so decided to talk to my mum that I was looking to get tested.
Turns out parents tried me on medication but didn't like how it effected me so they stopped, didn't want to label me or thought me knowing might effect my view on myself. So for my whole life I had no idea and have been struggling with anxiety going to therapy wondering why it wasn't working and always having fog brain, struggling with tasks, thinking there was something more.
Got my first appointment next friday to see how the fuck is the best way to now manage this new knowledge and possibly medication, the knowledge would have been great...many years ago but least for once in my life since a long time I feel...hope?
Turns out parents tried me on medication but didn't like how it effected me so they stopped, didn't want to label me or thought me knowing might effect my view on myself. So for my whole life I had no idea and have been struggling with anxiety going to therapy wondering why it wasn't working and always having fog brain, struggling with tasks, thinking there was something more.
Got my first appointment next friday to see how the fuck is the best way to now manage this new knowledge and possibly medication, the knowledge would have been great...many years ago but least for once in my life since a long time I feel...hope?
I won't turn this thread into a journal, but my bump earlier today prompted some additional discussion (is there on OT?) so I figured I'd at least follow up on my first day.
- Took 10mg around 8am this morning.
- By 8:30am, I thought I was feeling different, but couldn't be sure if I was just being hypervigilant of my own behavior.
- By 9am, after walking the dog, I could definitely tell I was feeling different, but couldn't quite put my finger on it.
- I had an hour of Zoom calls, and between those, I just felt very...focused? Almost spaced out? But the meetings went fine.
- Middle of the morning I finally realized what was different. My head just felt...less noisy. My thoughts were more singular in nature and not just an unending tumble of thoughts crashing over each other like waves. Just less noise. I'd have a thought and that was it...it'd just be the one thought.
- I started realizing that I was having thoughts and then immediately acting on the thought. Like starting a task. Writing an email. Getting up to refill my water bottle. I'd just think it, and then do it. Not every time, and not RIGHT away, but definitely way less of a...lag between the thought and then the action. Way less thinking about thinking about thinking about...and more just doing it.
- I got distracted several times as is usual with my job, but I found that returning back to the task I was doing came easier.
- After my last meeting ended at 2pm (five total meetings, about 2.5 hours worth, with some gaps between a few), I realized that normally after half a day like that, I'd normally have a serious "crash" both mentally and kind of physically. Like I'm just ready to already be done with my work day. That did not happen today. It took me a bit to get back on task, but I was more aware of the struggle and it just took me a bit to refocus.
- The evening has been pretty good. I worked out a bit but stopped early because my arms felt extra fatigued today. I got distracted when my wife got home and talked to her about how my first day went, which caused me to end my work day like an hour late, but it didn't bother me too much. Sometimes a disruption like that really just puts me on the wrong foot the whole evening.
- Overall I'd describe the feeling as "lightly stoned" but also "less noisy in my head"; it's a very weird combination and my hope is the physical sensations lessen with time
- I was just as if not slightly more fidgety than I normally am. But again, I was probably being hypervigilant all day and just a bit more worked up than normal.
- My heart rate seemed elevated all day, about 10-12bpm over normal (I use a Fitbit), and my pulse felt "stronger" or just...more noticeable. Moving from my desk (like to the kitchen) would cause at times a notable jump in heart rate.
- Curious to see how day 2, 3, 4, etc go. I'll be interested to see how I feel on a day I don't take it. Doctor said a lot of ADHD patients don't take meds on the weekend to give themselves a break/conserve medication given the national shortage.