Any medicated adult with adhd out there still having messiness problems?

Question

I've suffer this conditionfor most of my life and even when medicated I still a messy person.Embarrasing .Is this normal ?

Answer 1

The previous answer is a good one. My husband has adult ADD and has been on medication for a long time. The medication had no effect on his messiness -- just on his ability to focus on one thing at a time, especially at work. To deal with the messiness issue, you need to take some classes or workshops or otherwise practice some "coping mechanisms" as they are called, to learn techniques for getting and staying organized. Making lists and prioritizing lists is one of the first steps. Fighting procrastination is a constant battle. The medication might help you focus on dealing with the procrastination too. Remember, you're dealing with a lifetime of habits that can't be changed overnight. Read books on the subject, look at ADD sites on the Internet, and talk with other adults with ADD who have managed to get better organized, and find out what worked for them.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I've just been diagnosed in the last three months, and have been medicated since diagnosis. However, I've done a lot of reading and research on the matter. It seems to me that the best combo for "treatment" is medication and cognitive therapy. The problem is you need to get both adjusted, e.g. a therapist you're comfortable with seeing, getting the right dosage of medication, etc.

I've heard though that even when these things seem to be at their best, you will still have ADD and it will still manifest itself (hopefully in smaller ways than pre-diagnosis). For me, I've found that I am still very much ADD, but I'm much more aware of it, the meds help me focus, and the therapy teaches me coping mechanisms to make things better.

I would recommend the book "Driven to Distraction" by Edward Hallowell. Good Luck!