Please help! I think I have ADD?

Question

I am currently in grad schools and am having a very hard time focusing on studies. I cannot read a chapter without constant distractions, find myself half listening to people, very anxious all the time, feel sleepy and tired all day, very disorganized, depressed etc.

This is affecting my life very badly. What should I do??

Answer 1

You shoulg get help, you know there are some really good medicines that can help with your ADD, also visit a counselor, I´m sure there´s one in your school. He can help you go through this and maybe he can give you some tips on how to manage the ADD.

Answer 2

Have you always had some difficulties with school? This starts much earlier in life. I never understood why people have to be "diagnosed" to know something is wrong. I always knew I was different from the other kids in school. I just could never keep up in some subjects, and yet. excelled in others. Please read "Driven to Distraction" by Edward M. Hallowell and John Ratey, who also happen to have ADD. Excellent book, and if you have ADD, you'll see yourself right away in the pages of that book. I knew something was up long before all this mass hysteria came up about ADD.
You can probably find the book used at Amazon.com or Ebay for cheap.

Answer 3

ADD is usually diagnosed long before grad school. Do you work as well? Are you just maybe over extended?

It sounds like you may to get some sleep, step back get organized, get a little recreation. Work on a schedule so that you can get your studying done, but also some recreation and some sleep.

I know it is often difficult, but notd giving yourself a break may actually make you less productive which compounds the problem.

Answer 4

Well, if you've been like this for most of your life, you might have ADD.

But, if it's a newer thing, you might just be having a stronger version of that common high-school disease, senioritis.

Fortunately, senioritis is treated similarly to ADD. Get extra exercise, be sure to eat enough fruits and veggies, get adequate sleep. Maybe check out the classes at your local craft store, and take up a goofy new hobby. Schedule some time every week to goof off, go to the movies, play video games, whatever you like. Learn to carry "fidgeting" toys with you, such as wikki stix (available at craft stores and teaching stores), silly putty, a cheap ring you can twirl (cheap, so if you drop and lose it, it's okay).. things like that. Get some good quality headphones that help cut out distractions around you. Hook them up to your music player. If music helps (classical often does), turn it on. If music distracts you further, leave it off, but enjoy the fact that they block some noise, and tend to ward off people who would otherwise interrupt or distract. (For cheap headphones, the Sennheiser 201 model has some pretty good reviews out there, but go to a store and try some on. Music/guitar stores tend to carry that brand, and many others.)

Make an extra point to cover your nearby books and computer with a notebook or whatever, and make eye contact with people when they speak. Learn to say, "wait, I blanked out, could you repeat?" when you need to. And simplify your organization. If you can't seem to get organized enough to use folders anymore, for example, try a nice big document file where you can at least jam similar subjects together in less-messy piles. Things like that often help disorganized people, using boxes to loosely group things, instead of being obsessive.

If it really doesn't get better, and it's getting to affect your life too much, don't be afraid to ask a doctor or counselor for some help. There are medicines on the market that can act as a crutch, and help you hobble along until you get yourself back together. And surely, there are many other suggestions to help you cope; there are as many ways of coping as there are people on the planet. Talking to a professional may be the best way for you to find things that work for your unique situation.

Answer 5

Well, I have ADD as well. What works really well for studying is to listen to music with no words while studying. It calms you down and still allows the "unfocused" side to have fun. Or have a movie or a controlable distraction in the background. This works well for me, so I hope you find it helpful.

Answer 6

Go to a doctor- they can get you on focalin, adderol, strattera, or something like that. I'm on focalin- and it works great!

As for feeling anxious and depressed: You definately need Zoloft! Zoloft changed my life. No more need to suffer... get in the docs, they'll hook ya up. Good luck sweetheart!

Answer 7

honestly, my younger brother had the same problem and it sounds crazy but he fixed it by doing his homework while listening to hemi-sync cd's. its a bunch of monks humming and such. i swear after two seconds you don't even notice them anymore and it really works. he was getting d's in third grade b/c of lack of attention span and he started getting straight a's. probably doesn't work for everyone but soemtimes drugs aren't always the answer.

Answer 8

at least you can focus on one thing at a time when you are stressing i mean how did you decide that you have add i think you have anxiety more so than add. I think you are just needing psychoanalysis professional./

Answer 9

ADD is dificult to manage. I know.. I have ADHD...So does my wife...I don't know if you are on medications but we manage without...

http://www.helpguide.org/mental/adhd_add_adult_strategies.htm

you have to modify your behavior and learning...try the website There is no cure all...just what works for you..

Answer 10

YOU ARE LACKING B- VIT'S AND YOU ARE DRINKING SODA AND SUDAR PRODUCTS, THAT'S NOT HELPING AND IT IS MAKING IT WORST FOR YOU. START EATING RIGHT, FRUIT AND VEG'S AND TAKE B- VIT'S, THAT WILL HELP YOU FOCUS ON TEST AND GIVE YOU ENERGY TO GO THROUGH THE DAY. I KNOW OF NATURAL PRODUCTS THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF ALL YOUR SYMPTOMS.
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