Hello all, I am new to the site. I just wanted to say a few things about my experience (short version) and what has got me to this very point of where I am today.
I was diagnosed with ADD in 1985 when a group that was sponsored to do a study on ADD and how prevalent it is in school children came to our school and low and behold I was diagnosed to have it. At that time there was not a lot out about ADD, or brain function in general like there is now.
Since then it has been a roller coaster, from family that really wanted to think it was a real problem but I guess the mental and physical abuse from them were easier to put into action, to work and relationship failures.
I remember going to see a neurologist by the early to 90's, looking back at it I question the effectiveness of it all then compared to now. I only see a psychiatrist every 3 months now, other than that I have no support for dealing with it. Hence, why I wanted to join this site.
Work is a struggle as is daily life in general. I take Vyvanse and it helps but it does assimilate after a while.
Its not all negative though. I do all the things that other ADD'ers can relate to, with hyperfocusing and being able to read a person like a book. I see details and odd stuff nobody else seems to notice.
Anyway, thanks for reading, I hope to help others and be helped myself.
Hello,
I’m not on this site often but your post just caught my eye.
My son,who now 22, was diagnosed at 14 when he eventually got to see a child development consultant.
I was really interested about being able to read people as my son can do this so easily.
If you don’t mind me asking, are you able to work? Because that’s one of the things my son hasn’t been able to do…hes done plenty of volunteering jobs but is unemployed at the moment and his life seems to have ground to a halt.
Interesting, my daughter can read people like a book, too. Nothing gets past her. Louisa, about your son, is it a question of finding direction? Has he talked with a career counselor or life coach? What field is he interested in?
Maximum, what kind of struggles are you going through at work? Are you able to get up and move periodically? Is your time spent on a computer? Tell us more about your routine.
@ Louise - Yes I am able to work. I went to a trade school and had to groove my mind in repetition where it just becomes natural in what you are doing. I work with my hands so that helps with the repetition.
@ dancermom - My biggest struggles are keeping up with receipts and having them at the end of the month for turning in for the expense report, and as always just organization in general. With my work I am on my feet almost all day. My routine consists of regional travel, with jobs that last from 2 days to a week and a half, sometimes this requires overnight stays in those locations, paperwork, coordination with the people at the site to finishing and commissioning of a project. It can seem like a perfect storm for an ADDer at times.
Maximum, I once found a thumbtack in an area around a swimming pool. Details and odd stuff :).
What kind of projects are commissioned? Curious.
Hi Maximum
Thanks for sharing your story here. This is a great site for support and info. Hope we can help! 
Maximum,
Work issues...yeah, um lol. I struggle with that. Between being a personality type of INFP and having adhd, can be rough. Currently I work security at a federal facility, getting bored and restless ... I feel I should be writing as a way of life although it wouldn't pay the bills for awhile and perhaps maybe never. Nothing measures up to the joy of writing and have accepted that no job will ever be perfect for me. I need to delve into my interests to make up for it. Aligning myself with people who have the skills I do not have to balance work and home, makes a difference. Just reading about all the receipts you have to keep in order was tiring for me just to think about lol. My organization skills stink which is why I got bins of paperwork with an empty file cabinet. I might die one day from the revenge of paperwork....grin.