Do I have ADD/ADHD?

Question

I'm 15 years old.
I'm going to make this short since I have to go eat dinner so if you have any questions just ask and I will add details later.
Could I be diagnosed with ADD/ADHD at this age?
Symptoms:
*can't concintrate for long
*don't remember anything i studied for [example: last night studied for 3.5 hours for my english test today....when i got the test i blanked EVERYTHING...this happens in every test]
*lately having trouble falling asleep because I always have to move around
* always twitching/restless legs
* always have to have things moving fast

What can these mean???

Also my mom and I talked about getting tested for ADD/ADHD....what do they do when they test you?
And she is also afraid the medicine will cause harm to my body...ist this true??

ANSWERS PLEASE? thanks!!!!!

I also exercise almost every day [cheerleading is my main sport in fall and winter, softball in spring, and swimming year round a couple times a week]

I rarely drink soda.
I don't eat that much sugar in a day
I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables [im a vegiterian]
I dont think that the food has to do with it but if it does please let me know

I also untill last year had pretty good grades [B+ average] but this year my grades are as of right now...A-,B+,C-,C+,D,A- [in mostly exerlerated classes]

Answer 1

It is possible but it could also be something else such as anxiety, learning disability, etc. If you have it you have always had it an you could be the inattentive type of the combined type where you are very restless and hyper. Definitely not being able to follow conversations, being super impatient, restless and fidgety could all be signs. Not being able to finish tasks could be as well. You wont know for sure unless you get tested and even then there is really no way to be 100 percent certain. Tests could be a Doctor talking to you such as a child psychiatrist and them talking to your family and looking over things such as your report cards. A psychologist might do some testing on the computer or other things like that to test your attention span.

If you do have it, it is not the end of the world. There are medications you can try, they may help, they may not. There is no cure for ADHD. Everyone reacts differently but most are helped by medication.

I have ADD, I chose not to take medication because I didnt like the way it made me feel. But, you have to do what is correct for you, maybe it will help you focus.

The thing is not to use it as an excuse, I went to university and got a good job. It is hard sometimes to not be able to pay attention, but find a career and lifestyle to play on your strenghts. For me, I avoid things with tons of attention to detail.

Good luck, if you do have it, ADD people are often creative and good at alot of things. Life is what you make it, with or without it.

Answer 2

You can get tested for ADHD at ANY age. Though symptoms do have to be present before or after the age of six, I'm pretty sure.

I was diagnosed with ADD when I was seven, I don't remember much of what the test entailed, though I do remember having to wear these horrible shoes for a while, to test my balance, as well as these awful glasses as well. There's a lot more to it, and it's a long process, I suggest you look it up. It's easily found on Google, I'm sure.

As for getting tested, I suggest you look up ADHD experts in your area, and then book an appointment to get tested. I think it's quite expensive, though.


With the medication for ADHD/ADD, they DO have side-effects, and it's not effective for everyone. For instance, I was on Ritalin for a time when I was a child, and it didn't do anything for me. When I was in High School my shrink switched me to Concerta, a slow release dosage, and it worked wonders. BUT, it gave me depression and suicidal thoughts. It also gave me insomnia, made me dehydrated and just messed me up. I stopped taking it when I was 15/16 years old.

Medication is also quite expensive and it's closely monitored because it's a stimulant drug. I had to have blood tests all the time, and when I switched to an adult shrink, he got me to take a drug test. That wasn't fun, believe me.

If you give a "normal" person Concerta, it'll get them High as a kite.

As for whether you have ADD/ADHD or not, the only way to find out is to go see a qualified doctor and get tested

Answer 3

Well, it sounds like you have ADHD which is Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder which causes you to not be able to concentrate on stuff like school work and can cause you short term memory loss. Having ADHD or first getting diagnosed with it can also make you very fidgety and hyper which makes it very hard to fall asleep so yes I would say it is possible that you have ADHD because of your symptoms. Unfortunately, I don't know what they do when they test you or how they test you but my brother has it and he takes stimulant called Ritalin and it definitely helps him concentrate and act better in school. It also helps him fall asleep easier without fidgeting all night but i have noticed that a side affect is that it makes your appetite to eat diminish causing you to not have a good diet.

Answer 4

It's possible that you're just very stressed out. How are you sleeping at night?
They won't be doing blood tests or anything similar to determine whether you have ADD if you're worried about that. He'll likely ask you a few questions, and observe you. You could also just be an average 15 year old, it depends on how bad these symptons are and how frequent. The medicine is not likely to cause any serious long term health problems, but you should talk to your doctor about this.

Answer 5

My therapist says there is no such thing. Sounds like you are very stressed out and what teenager isn't these days. Get more rest, the leg twitches used to be called growing pains, be sure you are eating right, drinking enough water, not pop or juice, if you use caffiene cut it out. Join a Yoga, Quigong or Tai Chi class for relaxation and inner control. Learn to meditate. Be really careful about junk food before exams. I have had a brainfart blackout during a test when I ate junk food while studying. If you think you are depressed or have a lot of anxiety have your mom help you find a therapist you can work with. Good luck, be good to yourself and don't worry-take action.

Answer 6

Lots of people get stressed out ahead of exams and this might be causing you short term problems, including restless nights. Perhaps cycling or swimming would help your legs to feel fitter? I'm not sure what you mean by "having things moving fast", perhaps you should adopt a passive hobby to help you relax?

If the exams ahead require you to learn a lot of quotations or definitions, try recording some of those onto a cassette and playing it to yourself in periods prior to the exam, for instance instead of listening to music or using the web. If the problems or pain persist after the exams have finished, you might want to raise them with a doctor or nurse.

Answer 7

Hmmmm...... you might want to google this before asking random people, but the possibilities are a good chance that you might have ADD or ADHD. I think this ADD isn't always serious. But you should take the test. And if it does not work out, I suggest you got to google, and find out how to stop it. But you won't die, because its not that serious. Well, are you walking around while eating? Are you going to the doctors often? Well, the most you can do for now is instead of going to a random place, go to the doctor. Tell your mom " mom,I think need to go to the doctors because of my maybe so ADD. And then you google!!

Answer 8

It's possible that you could be adhd and a diagnoses in the teens is not uncommon. I was 15 when I was officially diagnosed. With regards to the meds, just personal opinion, but would stay away from them. They can be mood altering and not worth taking unless you want to be a totally different person from what you are now.

Answer 9

I have similar problems and i believe that you have adhd because it stands for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. your legs twitching is a sign of the hyperactivity. it can be calmed by wither therapy or medicine. I recommend you see a docter and the doctor will just listen to you and that is it and he/she will diagnose you and advise you in certain subjects like reactions. the medicine has caused some bad side effects, some mild, some not so mild but i always say that if you can not handle ADHD by yourself then you can consult your docter to see if you can get medicine. there are theripists that can help you stand still and calm down but it didnt work for me. i am currently taking 150mg of zoloft and i have calmed down a lot but it does not always help. I have not seen the side effects.

Answer 10

Tip for the restless legs: put a bar of soap under the bed sheet (not Ivory). For reasons even physicians can't figure out it seems to calm restless legs. As for the other parts of your question, others better qualified can answer.