Disorganized and distracted... how to cope?

[Trematode]

I was wondering if anyone here has been diagnosed with adult onset ADD or who is dealing with similar tendencies and how they are doing with university and staying organized in life.

I don't know who has followed my plight, but I started feeling off a couple years ago. A year ago in September after completing my degree and an extra year of university, I crashed. I had no energy and couldn't get out of bed.

I've been treating myself for some deficiencies and my energy is back... but I've been showing most of the symptoms for ADD since before I crashed. I've gotten a lot worse. My biggest problems include being late for things, forgetting appointments, fidgeting in my seat during staff meetings, not being tidy like I used to, getting bored at work and zoning out (and messing up) during tasks, and I misplace something every day. I had to start getting the boyfriend to come to doctors appointments with me because I forget what they tell me and I forget to give relative information.

This week alone, I realized I booked a vet appointment on top of a cooking class... and when I rescheduled, I wrote down the appointment as Wednesday but thought it as Saturday and called the vet to make sure my appointment was at 3:30 for Saturday but it is at 7pm on Wednesday. Then I realized I had booked a fitness appointment the same day as the cooking class. And this happens with every appointment. It was very frusterating.

I want to go back to school in the fall but I am very scared. I was never like this. This is certainly better than having low energy, but I used to be on time, rarely lost things and kept my apartment neat and tidy.

For those if you who are in my shoes, what has helped you cope?

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[Lissarae06]

Have you actually seen a doctor about this?

 

[StartingoverVet]

Have you actually seen a doctor about this?

This.

If you have adult onset ADD, adderall is usually pretty effective. It actually makes ADD patients LESS anxious and worked up. You should definitely see a psych/md if you haven't already.

 

[Mad Jack]

Well stop coming on SDN for starters.

 

[StartingoverVet]

Well stop coming on SDN for starters.

go away.

That is not helpful, and this is not the place for a rude comment like that.
Go back to pre-allo where arse-jerk comments like this are acceptable.

 

[Mad Jack]

go away.

That is not helpful, and this is not the place for a rude comment like that.
Go back to pre-allo where arse-jerk comments like this are acceptable.

It was an honest suggestion. I actually ask for temporary bans from a lot of the forums etc I use online when I'm struggling in school. I don't have the self control to stop myself.

I have suffered from ADD all my life and feel for the OP, honestly. Some days I'm scared that even though I've made it this far, I'll get lazy or forgetful and screw it up somehow. It's scary and you feel pretty much helpless and at the mercy of your own weakness.

Exercise helps more than anything. Not drinking (I drank heavily in college) has helped a lot as well, along with limiting my caffeine intake to 3 cups of coffee a day and supplementing vitamin D, vitamin C, and a vitamin B complex (I was thiamine deficient and pretty much never go out during the day). Don't eat heavily processed foods and learn to cook for yourself if you don't already. Diet amd exercise make a HUGE difference in my activity levels and disposition, but YMMV. Be careful with Adderall, I've found it to be a double edged sword for my friends that started taking it as adults. Two developed drug and impulse control problems, and none were quite the same in personality after they began using it. Just my n=1 experience though. Give it a try if you think it might work, but try and get a feel for if it is affecting you negatively if you get a script for it.

Anyway, good luck.

 

[Lupin21]

It was an honest suggestion. I actually ask for temporary bans from a lot of the forums etc I use online when I'm struggling in school. I don't have the self control to stop myself.

I have suffered from ADD all my life and feel for the OP, honestly. Some days I'm scared that even though I've made it this far, I'll get lazy or forgetful and screw it up somehow. It's scary and you feel pretty much helpless and at the mercy of your own weakness.

Exercise helps more than anything. Not drinking (I drank heavily in college) has helped a lot as well, along with limiting my caffeine intake to 3 cups of coffee a day and supplementing vitamin D, vitamin C, and a vitamin B complex (I was thiamine deficient and pretty much never go out during the day). Don't eat heavily processed foods and learn to cook for yourself if you don't already. Diet amd exercise make a HUGE difference in my activity levels and disposition, but YMMV. Be careful with Adderall, I've found it to be a double edged sword for my friends that started taking it as adults. Two developed drug and impulse control problems, and none were quite the same in personality after they began using it. Just my n=1 experience though. Give it a try if you think it might work, but try and get a feel for if it is affecting you negatively if you get a script for it.

Anyway, good luck.

This makes more sense. Trem has stayed away, at least from posting here anyway, for quite some time. I concur about adderall, had an ex that took it for his, and his personality was all over the place at times. Definitely make sure you get the right diagnosis first, Trem. It sounds like you've got quite the beast to tame here.

 

[Abnerrs]

I was diagnosed with severe ADHD in the last 2 months. I think being aware of it helps me more than anything. I won't take medications for it. I don't mind how I am. I even like how...ditzy I seem And I've kind of given up on being on time. I try really hard to be. But if I'm not I don't beat myself up over it. And I know I'm forgetful so I'll write a note, or but an alarm in my phone, our ask a good friend to remind me. That kind of thing. Plus I formed a study group that's perfect for me. They gently keep me on track most of the tune, but also allow my brain to go skipping through the meadow on occasion.

 

[StartingoverVet]

It was an honest suggestion. I actually ask for temporary bans from a lot of the forums etc I use online when I'm struggling in school. I don't have the self control to stop myself.

I have suffered from ADD all my life and feel for the OP, honestly. Some days I'm scared that even though I've made it this far, I'll get lazy or forgetful and screw it up somehow. It's scary and you feel pretty much helpless and at the mercy of your own weakness.

Exercise helps more than anything. Not drinking (I drank heavily in college) has helped a lot as well, along with limiting my caffeine intake to 3 cups of coffee a day and supplementing vitamin D, vitamin C, and a vitamin B complex (I was thiamine deficient and pretty much never go out during the day). Don't eat heavily processed foods and learn to cook for yourself if you don't already. Diet amd exercise make a HUGE difference in my activity levels and disposition, but YMMV. Be careful with Adderall, I've found it to be a double edged sword for my friends that started taking it as adults. Two developed drug and impulse control problems, and none were quite the same in personality after they began using it. Just my n=1 experience though. Give it a try if you think it might work, but try and get a feel for if it is affecting you negatively if you get a script for it.

Anyway, good luck.

Ok. Your first message seemed snarky. Was just defending Trem when I thought she was being attacked when asking for help.

BTW, 3 cups of coffee is still a lot IMO.

 

[that redhead]

I know of people who were diagnosed with ADD later in life (my dad being one of them, @nyanko comes to mind too) but I've never heard of ADD starting at an adult age. The fact that you all of a sudden have problems with memory warrants a doctor's appointment, in my opinion. I know you've had problems with doctors in the past, but it would spook me to have these symptoms kick in after experiencing brain fog, etc.

To answer the question, though: my SO (who has ADD pretty bad) met with a counselor guy (the guy had ADD, too) as a teenager and learned some coping/organizational strategies. But from my understanding, everyone deals with it differently and you just need to figure out what works for you, if you want to take medication, etc.

 

[nyanko]

BTW, 3 cups of coffee is still a lot IMO.

Yeah really, self medicating much? Better stay away from that Adderall Mad Jack, stimulants are horrible (....wait....)!

Adult-onset is a point of contention as TRH says - I was diagnosed with ADHD in my mid 20's but definitely had evidence of it all throughout childhood and my first attempt at college. Essentially I was just 'smart enough' to get average to slightly above average grades in school despite constantly forgetting homework, not paying attention in class (and later not going to class at all) and not being able to really study effectively so it flew under the radar and instead I just heard about how I had so much potential but.......

If the rest of my life I hadn't been like this and I just started being like this in my mid 20's it would probably raise some alarm bells. At any rate, you need to go to a psychologist +/- psychiatrist and get your brain sorted out. Many other psychological AND physical disorders can cause these signs.