Posted by Stacy on January 19, 2000, at 10:30:06
In reply to A.D.D, posted by Sandi on January 19, 2000, at 6:30:17
> suffering from add since i was a child Now 22 yrs of age and Just finding out about having might Have Attention Deficit Disorder > How my family and friends don't understand ? help Sandi
Hi Sandi!
I was diagnosed with ADHD about 5 (going on 6) years ago at the age of 41, by a psychologist in my area who specialzed in ADD/ADHD. I always knew that something was wrong, but thought I had a character flaw, or was just a "bad seed." It wasn't until observing the same characteristics in my son for many years (he was diagnosed at a very young age), that I realized I had the same problem.When I was a child, little was known about the disorder; so I was mis-diagnosed & given a high dose of tranquilizers - about the worst thing that can be done! I became much worse, in fact. Finally, one of the younger doctors had the common sense to see that something wasn't right, & weaned me off of them at age 18. I managed to graduate from high school, & was able to compensate & hyper-focus well enough to get through jr. college & transfer on to get a bachelor's degree after 5 long years! Unfortunately, because my parents had been told by a guidance counselor that I wasn't "college material," I had never received adequate preparational counseling with regard to occupation. After graduating college I substitute taught a little bit, & was always underemployed because I had chosen the wrong field of study in which to get my degree. Since my parents had never saved for my education, I sort of worked my way through & aquired student loans. Therefore, becoming a professional student,& going back to school to persue something else was not practical for me. So that's my story!
I believe that medication is very important, because this is essentially a physical problem. After you are diagnosed, your family physician can prescribe what is best for you. Since I had an allergic reaction to the stimulant medications prescribed for my ADHD (this happens very rarely), I began experimenting with natural supplements. However, this does not work for everyone. Have you been ofically diagnosed yet? If not, I would inquire about a psychologist (PHd), or social worker (M.S. degree), who has knowledge about ADD/ADHD (they can also do your follow-up counseling, if they think it is necessary). Do you have a family physician? He or she might be able to help you choose someone. Also, there is a national organization/support group called C.H.A.D.D., for children & adults with ADD/ADHD. If there is one in your area, they can be of great help. There are also many resources online that you can check out (just type "A.D.D." into your search engine.) I have encountered several terrific people on this message board who are in the same boat as you & I, & their advice & support has been an enormous help. There are many good books regarding ADD/ADHD; those written by Dr. Ned Hallowell have been of great assistance to me.
Last, but not least, try to keep in mind that this is a medical problem & not a defect in your character. I think many of us have baggage & damaged self esteem that comes from not being correctly diagnosed soon enough(or not diagnosed at all.) As much as we love our families & friends, many people don't understand what it is like to have ADD or ADHD (I was fortunate enough to have family members who eventually gained knowledge & awareness about it, but it was rough for the first 40 years!) I would encourage you to seek out others who, themselves, have the disorder for support. I, also, will be here if you need help.
Good luck, Sandi, & keep me posted on how things work out for you. Take care!
Stacy
poster:Stacy
thread:19199
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000112/msgs/19207.html