How do you know if you have adult ADD??

Question

What are the symptoms, and what can one do without taking medication??

Answer 1

It's very hard to list the symptoms of Adult ADD because everyone has experienced them to some varying level of frequency but I often explain it like this...

I get so focused on whatever it is i'm looking at / thinking about, I will often not even hear someone calling my name. When was the last time you were so tuned out that you didn't even hear someone saying your name?

I have such a hard time "getting started" because I can't control where my focus goes - although whatever it is on is absolute, 100% everything that is one my mind - such a hard time... I've had entire WEEKS go by where I didn't do ANYTHING at work except piddle away my time because I just couldn't "lock on" long enough to get anything done.

I've been so easily distractable in the past that while a girlfriend was sitting me down to tell me some rather important news and I got distracted by a bright flash from the television in the next room. I was so instantly fascinated that the only thing I could think about was, in my head, going through every single commerical I had ever seen and comparing it to the bright flash I had just seen. When I realized she was just talking about some kind of get together, I asked..."will there be food?" She was telling me her father had just died and when they wake would be...

As for non-medicated coping strategies, I've just learned to accept it. I found a career that judges my productivity by the project and not by the hour which gives me a little freedom between my "good days" and "bad days". I found a wife that understands that she has to make sure she has my attention before she attempts to communicate with me and has the patience to reel me in if I get that "ohh shiney" look in my eyes.

And most of all, I learned that the particular quirk in my head that prevents me from getting stuck on one thing too long also prevents me from holding a grudge or staying upset for any length of time.

Answer 2

Uh, you have a hard time paying attention and focusing on a task.

Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc supplements are said to help improve attention span.

Free advice:

1) maybe you are just different. don't be in a hurry to medicate yourself to act like 'everyone else'

2) DO NOT take the prescription drugs. They do long-term damage to your brain and heart.
http://www.newstarget.com/020321.html

Answer 3

You are not able to stay on task, complete tasks, are messy, procrastinate.

Make yourself a schedule every day of what you are going to accomplish and when and stick to it like glue!

Answer 4

You might want to take this quiz here:

http://psychcentral.com/addquiz.htm


you can read about treatment for adult ADD here:

http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/adult_adhd_treatment.htm

Answer 5

GET ONLINE AND TAKE THE TEST. THERE ARE LOTS OF BEHAVIORAL METHODS TO ASSIST WITH ADD PLUS MEDS THO ARE YOUR BEST BET IF IT'S VERY BAD.

Answer 6

think about this...do people keep saying to you "look at me", or "did you hear me", or " try to pay attention", or "open your eyes"....all that indicates ADD.

Lot has to do with mind over matter if you don't want to take meds to correct it, that is IF you have it.

Answer 7

If you say dee-dee-dee while licking the wall!