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Joe90
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22 Oct 2014, 2:59 pm

I've been researching a lot about ADHD in adults, and I have come across various sites about it and each site was obviously written differently and provided slightly different symptoms and facts than the next site, but literally every site I went on, no matter what it said, made me feel like it all describes me very well.

This is one of the many sites I have looked up about ADHD, and I have every symptom listed here.
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1638.html

It describes me exactly. I do feel I have ADHD. I know a lot of people say that ADHD don't exist and that it's just a bit of hyperactivity in children, but I know that ADHD is more than just ''a bit of hyperactivity in a child''. It can affect adults too, in all different ways. And hyperactivity doesn't necessarily mean extroverted and extremely chatty. I'm introverted and have social anxiety in some situations, but at the same time I am hyperactive, like I move quickly, like to get things done in a hurry, and I get bored easily but at the same time amused easily too.

I was just wondering how do I go about assessing myself further? Do I go to a doctor, then get referred to come sort of clinic? Has anyone else been diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood?


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btbnnyr
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22 Oct 2014, 4:25 pm

This list of ADHD symptoms is really bad, as it is just of list of super common traits of many regular people living their regular lives.


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Callista
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22 Oct 2014, 4:40 pm

Yeah, they are rather vague traits. Many people without ADHD have them, too.

That's some of the trouble with figuring out whether a person has ADHD. Typical people can be messy and disorganized; for people with ADHD, it interferes with their ability to get useful things done, and can impair health, school and work, and relationships. The difference is mostly one of degree. A typical person might have a messy room; the person with ADHD can't find their driver's license, leaves their purse behind at the store, brings the wrong textbook to the wrong class at the wrong time on a regular basis, forgets appointments... etc.

An adult evaluation for ADHD is usually something you'd look for from a psychologist or neuropsychiatrist. You should go to your primary care doc first for a referral, or if you have a psychologist, ask them for an evaluation.

For more precise criteria, look up the ADHD definition in the various diagnostic manuals, and remember that the traits, taken together, should cause significant impairment--just having them isn't enough; they have to actually get in the way for a diagnosis to be worthwhile.

ADHD symptoms can just be a part of being on the autism spectrum. Some people don't get an ADHD diagnosis because they're already diagnosed autistic and it's hard to tell which traits come from where. That's okay if their autism diagnosis gets them whatever help they need for the ADHD traits as well.


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DevilKisses
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22 Oct 2014, 7:07 pm

Callista wrote:
For more precise criteria, look up the ADHD definition in the various diagnostic manuals, and remember that the traits, taken together, should cause significant impairment--just having them isn't enough; they have to actually get in the way for a diagnosis to be worthwhile.

ADHD symptoms can just be a part of being on the autism spectrum. Some people don't get an ADHD diagnosis because they're already diagnosed autistic and it's hard to tell which traits come from where. That's okay if their autism diagnosis gets them whatever help they need for the ADHD traits as well.

I'm not the OP, but I think that my "autistic traits" are caused by ADHD and OCD. My executive dysfunction and trouble focusing has caused way more problems than my social issues. I researched ADHD social problems and they fit me to a T.


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Joe90
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25 Oct 2014, 8:50 am

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The difference is mostly one of degree. A typical person might have a messy room; the person with ADHD can't find their driver's license, leaves their purse behind at the store, brings the wrong textbook to the wrong class at the wrong time on a regular basis, forgets appointments... etc.


I'm sure I would be diagnosed with early stages of Dementia if I was like that.

But I do often go out shopping and forgetting to put money into my purse. Also I forget to brush my hair before going out, even though I like looking presentable. It's not that I'm lazy or a very busy mother with small kids. It just goes out of my head. Also I often forget birthdays, and I have to always have appointments and phone numbers written down - in places where I can see them. If I put reminders on piece of paper away in a drawer or something, I will forget where I have put them. When I come in the front door I dump my bag and shoes down right by the door so that I know where they are for when I next go out. But my mum comes along and puts my bag on the back of a chair or in a cupboard, and she puts the shoes away too. Then the next time I'm about to go out I'm hunting madly for my shoes and my bag - and then I miss the bus. So if everything I need is just by the front door, I will be more organised. And don't say that I should allow myself time, because no matter what I do, it always goes so quick because of too many distractions, then it ends up being the very last minute.


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26 Oct 2014, 7:22 am

Joe90 wrote:
I've been researching a lot about ADHD in adults, and I have come across various sites about it and each site was obviously written differently and provided slightly different symptoms and facts than the next site, but literally every site I went on, no matter what it said, made me feel like it all describes me very well.

This is one of the many sites I have looked up about ADHD, and I have every symptom listed here.
http://www.additudemag.com/adhd/article/1638.html

It describes me exactly. I do feel I have ADHD. I know a lot of people say that ADHD don't exist and that it's just a bit of hyperactivity in children, but I know that ADHD is more than just ''a bit of hyperactivity in a child''. It can affect adults too, in all different ways. And hyperactivity doesn't necessarily mean extroverted and extremely chatty. I'm introverted and have social anxiety in some situations, but at the same time I am hyperactive, like I move quickly, like to get things done in a hurry, and I get bored easily but at the same time amused easily too.

I was just wondering how do I go about assessing myself further? Do I go to a doctor, then get referred to come sort of clinic? Has anyone else been diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood?


If your CCG have the money, suggest you get referred here: https://www.national.slam.nhs.uk/servic ... adultadhd/

I am awaiting an appointment this Wednesday, and have had to undertake two scales tests - ie were you like x or y as a child, were you like x or y now as an adult, they also sent me the AQ test (the one they may have got you to do before your AS assessment)

You'll have to get your GP to agree that it's clinically worth you pursuing that - all depends on how chilled your GP is on such conditions.