Do I have ADD? What should I do?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I don’t remember ever having a problem before, so if I have ADD it is just setting in. I’ll be 30 in June.

I have had a lot of trouble lately in school, focusing on the lectures, doing homework on time, and even remembering I HAVE homework. This has been going on for about 6 months, and it is starting to get worse. I get these weird “jittery” feeling in my arms and legs, like they are going to start jiggling by themselves or that they need to be stretched. I have never felt anything like it before. It isn’t painful, but it only happens when I am trying to concentrate on homework or a lecture and it is distracting.

I can’t even play most games I once loved anymore. I get bored and lose attention in things I used to like. I can watch movies still, but only if it isn’t slow. (I love dramas and movies that make me think, but lately it is like I don’t have the patience for it). I get distracted by little things when I am on the phone with my friends or girlfriends, and my mind drifts constantly. Even when people are talking to me and looking me in the eye, I have to concentrate just to focus on what they are saying.

I have been getting good sleep, more than usual in fact, but I am pretty stressed out with bills, work and school. I spend a lot of time on the internet, but sites and games that I used to like no longer have any appeal (initially they do, but I get bored and lose interest quick).

I wonder if it is stress related, but I have had stress before and this hasn’t ever happened. It is possible the internet has fostered this habit, since it seems much of the internet is geared towards little “soundbytes” of information.

At any rate, I am tired of this problem of mine. I don’t know if it is ADD, cause I don’t know of anybody that has had onset of it in adulthood. Is it possible? Do I have ADD or something else perhaps? Can I fix it? I tried just concentrating harder, setting schedules, writing things down on my calender (DO THIS, etc), but sometimes I even forget about that and studying takes three times as long with distractions. Everything is a distraction, even shadows, birds outside, my breathing, etc.

Should I go to a doctor and get a prescription, will exercise alleviate this? What are these weird jittery feelings in my arms and legs?

*I know the long post seems to bely my condition, and I am amazed I can sit and write something this long. Who knew?

2

You really need to see a physician. AD/HD is a condition people are born with. If you have had an injury to your head bad enough to damage the frontal lobe of your brain, that could give you the same symptoms but nobody ‘develops’ AD/HD otherwise.

Really, see a doctor and do it soon. If you think you might forget some symptoms to tell him, print out your post here and take it with you.

3

By all means go see a doctor. I have a feeling it’s stress related, sometimes even though you are used to stress, these things kind of sneak up on you. If the doctor says nothing is wrong with you, I would suggest you take up some form of meditation. It will be beneficial to you even if you don’t have problems. And don’t forget midday naps are good for you both mentally and physically.

4

As an adult with ADD, I’ll tell you I believe the symptoms you are experiencing appear to be stress related, not ADD related. See here. The link is to a screener, but the adult add info on the page itself is good info. See a doc.

I was medicated for ADD for many years, over a decade, I was in the end addicted to the amphetamines I was given. They helped tremendously, but the side effects (insomnia, jitters, anxiety) finally outweighed the benefits. I’ve been unmedicated and living normally with adult ADD for several years now. My wife even notices I have changed. I have my moments of forgetting things, not following through with agendas, or goingt othe store to get milk, and ending up with 6 things I didn’t need and no milk :slight_smile:

Get screened if you are really concerned, or try and lower your stress level the best you can. Relax, and try the natural approach first. In my opinion it is better than getting medicated.

5

Download what you posted if it’ll help, and let a doctor read it. Good Luck!

6

Could also be something else entirely. Since I was daignosed with Lyme Disease I think every ailment I hear about must be Lyme too - but seriously - if you’d had a tick bite you might go down that road. Some symptoms include forgetfullness and jittery/crawling type nerve sensations.

7

Thing is that it could be ‘just stress’ but it could be something else as well so don’t self-diagnose. Please see a doctor.

8

I try not to do too much self diagnosis, but I’m pretty sure I haven’t been bit by a tick lately, and I don’t have any of the other symptoms associated with Lyme disease.

I really don’t have a crawling sensation or anything. It isn’t painful at all, just… weird, like they want to do something. I saw the restless leg syndrome, but my legs don’t move by themselves, nor do my arms, it is all just a sensation that come and goes.

I am going to see a doctor. I thought it might be ADD, but I am pretty sure I never had problems concentrating before. I have a rich past filled with 8 hour gaming sessions and 12 hour reading marathons, among other concentration-heavy activities.

It could be environmental, and I haven’t been exercising much at all lately, and stress has hit new all time highs, so that is probably likely. However, I am getting at that age where I should get regular check ups if anything is different. Could be high blood pressure or something too, I dunno.