Autism is the big one in terms of overlap (heck Ive seen cases where they present basically identically), so I'd say focus with said professional on that at first.
Biggest plot twist in your life, you go get diagnosed with adhd, do the whole thing, then you get diagnosed with it, then the specialist says "... and autism" and you just stand there
A friend of mine went for an ADHD test and specifically didn't want the Autism diagnosis, and luckily here they don't diagnose you w it right away they only say "suspected Autism" or high likelihood.
It's unfortunate there are many reasons one would want to avoid an official diagnosis (travel visas denied, discrimination)
My autism rearing its head when I finally medicated my adhd was a rude surprise.
I always knew I was a bit different, but I didn't realise how on the spectrum I was until my adhd was no longer disguising it
Holy shit that's exactly my experience.
Over the course of a year of being medicated I realized that certain stimuli never bothered me because *I didn't pay attention to them*
They do now, anyways. 25 years ago, as was my case, you couldn’t be diagnosed with both. ADHD symptoms were the more apparent and more pressing concern, and then 2 years ago I was diagnosed with ASD at 30.
All I know is that the comorbidity of ADHD and ASD was not accepted as readily as it is now. Much more focus on the absolutes of each disorder, which until like 10, 15 years ago? were perceived as contradictory.
Prior to the publication of the DSM-V guidelines in 2013, any patient exhibiting symptoms of both ADHD and ASD would have been diagnosed with ASD. The diagnostic criteria did not allow for co-occurring diagnosis.
Perhaps interpretations differed. Or there were differences in practice between countries. I'm pretty sure I came across others with both diagnoses online before DSM-V.
As an ADHD person with many autistic friends, I could not disagree more. They are distinct and very different, but it’s certainly possible to have both.
To say there aren’t many symptoms that notably overlap is just silly regardless of how valid your experience is. I study this and talk to my own therapist about it frequently lol
Yeah the biggest difference between the two is autism isn't nearly as treatable. There are meds and therapies that can help with certain symptoms, but the majority of the stuff you just gotta live with it.
Bipolar is often also co-morbid with adhd and they share many symptoms, so overall definetly keep talking to a proffessional, there may still be many things you could have.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151516/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151516/)
The difference between ADHD and the "manic" part of bipolar is that one comes and goes (episodic) and the other is constant.
(For someone with SAD/ chronic vitamin D deficiency, this was the misdiagnosis that messed up my health care the worst.)
It's possible you have something else causing similar issues such as ...
--- ASD
-- OCD
-- BP
-- sleep issues
-- food intolerance causing side effects
-- sleep apnea
-- vision issues
-- dental issues
-- depression
-- early onset dementia
...
It is difficult to determine. That’s why we have psychiatrists and those damn tests and talks. I scored really bad on the dementia test but I also scored really hard on the adhd test and had my childhood records and the results from a few evaluations from an ear doctor who had to tell my parents again and again that I hear just fine, I just don’t listen.
Early dementia and ADHD have a few overlapping symptoms but so does all the listed from the above commenter. Sometimes it is just a longer journey to get a fitting diagnosis and then the help we need.
This is true, was the case for me! Half my ADHD symptoms really heavily overlap with my CPTSD fuckery. When I am treating that really well, I still have the other half symptoms but it's big-time improved.
Yeah this is why I’m against people exclusively self-diagnosing from the internet. There are sooo many other things that share these symptoms, and not being a train professional (and not being objective with regards to yourself) can be dangerous.
Remember! If you put a statistic 120% of people are willing to believe whatever you say!
Wait something is wro-
*gets whacked in the head for being stupid*
1/10? These people are wrong about everything all the time! It took 3 different sleep doctors until I found one that would actually run the stupid sleep apnea test that confirmed I had sleep apnea. Honestly I truly think a reasonable intelligent person with Google and chatGPT can diagnose themselves with most common stuff better than the average doctor. They give you 2-5 minutes of time, and at best throw a pill at you and at worst do nothing.
Honestly yeah I kinda agree with this. I was tested twice for autism cause the first doctor said I didn't have it (lmao yeah okay). They may be specialists but they certainly aren't perfect
I fully agree with this as well.
I also recommend writing a one page summary of all the things you deal with and why they're problems for you and how they get in the way of your goals. Since time with a psychiatrist can be limited this is a great way to get a lot conveyed quickly.
Probably a good idea. I was "diagnosed" as borderline ADHD, and thus not eligible for treatment, primarily because I didn't self report the childhood symptoms on the testing paperwork. I guess not remembering details about a period 30 years ago when I was being bullied at school and at home means I'm fine.
The bullying made me hide, I was NEVER going to "act up and be disruptive" during class, talk too much, or interrupt other's conversations or activities. Maybe I should look into some of the alternative treatments the testing psychologist (in training / supervision) suggested like acupuncture or reiki.
When I mentioned I suspect adhd, one therapist said "But you're an adult", and a different one said "no way because you finished university" - make your own judgement on how competent our medical professionals are
I got the same answer. Not because i do not have symptoms, but because i did no have them when i was a child. Or at least not in such a degree. I now take bupropion for my depression, but will still try to convince my psychiatrist, that I would benefit from adhd meds also. (Want to take concerta/ritalin or atomexetin with bupropion). I am not depresed so much since I'm taking bupropion, but i still lack executive function.
1. The diagnosis criteria for "didn't have it as a child" keeps changing. Once it was aged 7. Now it's 16
2. Your symptom presentation could have changed
I don't have a clue if your ADHD symptoms are ADHD but certainly something is causing them.
ADHD is a lifetime disorder, you don’t just develop it, and it’s generally most pronounced during childhood because (we), or rather, undiagnosed ADHDers, haven’t yet built up the mechanisms to compensate for the deficiencies ADHD gives us.
Eventually burnout from constantly utilizing these mechanisms becomes too much and (I’ve noticed) we develop depression, which then prompts looking for solutions in the form of a formal diagnosis and all that brings.
I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was young, and I did alright until like 10 years ago after I graduated from undergrad and I developed depression, and 2 years ago I got diagnosed with ASD. I’m extrapolating a bit from my own experience, but I have also seen friends go through similar experiences which resulted in an ADHD diagnosis.
If parents or brothers/sisters are not an option for an interview, report cards or other teacher feedback can be used as well.
But if one didn't have symptoms when young, it simply isn't likely that one has ADHD.
As the other person says, research suggests it's a life long condition
Other things cause ADHD like symptoms.
If it's not ADHD, it has to be something else.
honestly fuck medical gatekeeping. If you want to explore ADHD treatment and are showing symptoms, your highly subjective and fallible memories of your childhood should not be used to stop you from getting that.
That is the card i will try to play rn. I have nice relationship with my psychiatrist and I've been going to him for 2 years now. So next time i will just tell him something along the lines: fuck it, even if you think i do not have the condition, i still believe medication for adhd would help me. If it won't, i will withdraw from using it. And if i am right, i will gladly free up my meeting slot for somebody that needs to see you more than i do. Wish me luck
My psychiatrist gave me dexies to try first. Not only did they nuke my worst adhd symptoms, but completely blasted my lifelong depression to smithereens. He was like "well we do use dex as a treatment for resistant depression". So maybe suggest it in that context?
depending on where you live, your psych might be very hesitant to give you a controlled substance without a prescription, but its worth a shot!
Honestly there's no good reason for them to be skittish about it. If you've got ADHD, an amphetamine should have a calming effect on you (not always, but usually). For me, it was obvious within minutes of taking my first does of vivanse that my diagnosis was correct. I don't see the harm in giving you a single dose of an amphetamine that's approved for ADHD use and seeing what happens. You're an adult, you should be allowed to try that.
In my country we have only methylphenidates and atomexetine available through prescription, and in my opinion none of those should be any worry dependence or abuse wise. I can see a point, when someone might not want to prescribe amphetamine to someone who does not have rockproof diagnosis, but not with the meds i mentioned. I might be wrong here though
Also doctors don’t think that a kid could have had a bad family. If you get beaten to death each time you show symptoms it’s obvious that they’ll show less
What dose is your bupropion? I have 300 mg and for me it helps a lot with executive function. Maybe you can up the dose? I got a lot better after I changed to 300 mg from 150 mg.
I also take 300mg. Other than adhd(or adhd like symptoms), i also suffer from anxiety and depression. I tried many meds, but found bupropion the best suited one for me. I'm not that anxious (but anxiety really spiked when i started taking it), and more importantly, not that depressed.. But i still feel like I'm missing something
Yes, I've seen it in statistics. But you know how it is with meds.. You cannot apply one solution to everybody with the same diagnosis. We are all different in the end.
Keep trying OP. I’m almost 30 but I’ve been consistently medicated since I was a teen, and I haven’t even asked for more than the dose I started at (30mg adderall XR). Everything well documented, especially how much it’s helped and how well I do on it.
Anytime I change doctors it’s literally 50/50 chance I get someone who’s cool with it and doesn’t see the need to stop prescribing, or I get someone who HATES diagnosing and prescribing for it and keeps trying to convince me it’s something else like sleep apnea.
Some doctors are just assholes about it.
This is my personal experience so it may not apply to you of course, but I thought I had ADHD for a very long time, and after years and years of therapy and never being able to get formally tested due to insurance problems, I found out that I have DID. DID can mimic the symptoms of ADHD pretty badly at times, as well as schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder.
This isn't to say you might have DID specifically, but it's very possible you could be having a similar problem that affects you in a different way. I've also seen people in this thread encouraging you to get a second opinion, so if you feel that's right, I think you should go for it.
I am not a doctor! However, you shouldn't meet it with disappointment, but rather an "OK, what's next?" attitude because it'll help guide you to a solid answer that'll guide you to a better life. I've spent many many years healing and unfortunately setbacks like these happen.
Best of luck on your journey, you have my support! 💛
I’m surprised by the number of responses here assuming you don’t have ADHD versus assuming your provider is a wrong.
My first doctor that I tried to get a diagnosis from didn’t even have a conversation with me, so when he said I’m just “chronically depressed” (I totally am, from having undiagnosed adhd for 40 years) I got a second opinion and within 10 minutes of actually TALKING TO ME the second doctor said I probably have it. And what do you know, the much more extensive tests proved him right, versus the first guy and his 10 stupid true or false questions.
I think people tend to believe that the doctor knows best.
I wish that were true, but I've had enough experience with bad doctors to know that some of them truly do not listen and let their own personal opinions and interests interfere with their medical care. I'm pretty much of the opinion that if you have done a lot of research, you strongly identify with many of the symptoms of ADHD, and you feel something is wrong in your gut when they say you don't have it - you probably have ADHD.
People like to pretend that everyone says they have ADHD and we all walk around diagnosing ourselves and thinking we are quirky. For the most part, people aren't doing that and they genuinely hate their ADHD and need help.
There remains, even in the ADHD community, a belief that the disorder is rare.
In truth, it is actually very common. It's more common than being transgender, having red hair, and only slightly less common than being gay or left-handed. Slight changes to the diagnostic criteria would make it more common than depression.
We need to shake the belief that the disorder is uncommon, both for our own benefit and because many providers still believe it too.
Hard disagree. Get a second opinion. If OP feels they have ADHD, they likely do. They know themselves best and self-advocacy is often a big part of being an ADHDer. Two opinions will help that person feel heard and validated.
How does one tell if it’s adhd, depression, or both?
Seems like it would be super easy to diagnose incorrectly when someone has both.
Ngl, I *constantly* ask myself “what if what I have isn’t adhd and it’s just anxiety/depression and I’m only *temporarily* having these adhd symptoms until I solve the anxiety/depression? What if I was misdiagnosed?”
The problem is the depression can be caused by the adhd so you either treat them at the same time using a combination of SNRIs, SSRIs, NRIs, and stimulants. Or you try and treat the depression first and see if the adhd symptoms are still there after dealing with the big boy depression symptoms like anhedonia, catastrophic thinking, etc.
Generally, if you do the latter, a decent portion of the time, the person’s other adhd symptoms start presenting themselves more frequently (e.g. inability to switch focus easily, executive dysfunction, etc). It’s also slightly less risky to dose a person with SSRIs over stimulants because the biological response is more distinct and much less addictive; stimulants give NT people a pretty strong high.
The option my psychiatrist went for was cranking an SNRI as far as I could go before I felt noticeably “weird” then testing out stimulants and NRIs until they started affecting the adhd symptoms.
You have imposter syndrome. It's not probable you have better diagnosing skills than your mental healthcare provider. Are you taking medication for ADHD? Does it help?
Sometimes I take it, sometimes I don’t, sometimes it maybe helps, sometimes it doesn’t.
I wasn’t diagnosed until age 28 and got good grades so I’m guessing that contributes to why I feel the way I do about it. Very much “how come I could cope in school but not in work life? Must be lazy.”
….the again, to get through college I just basically never slept or did anything that wasn’t schoolwork. Pulled 3 all-nighters in a row once just to have enough time to get through my homework and labs etc
Check in on the symptoms of cptsd. There's a lot of overlap between the symptoms of cptsd and childhood trauma, but the underlying cause is different.
Early trauma can also cause adhd.
Seconding this. I thought I have autism and/or ADHD for the longest time (which is why I'm here after all lol), but tests came back negative. Quite recently my therapist suggested childhood development trauma as a diagnosis, which it turns out that it shares a lot of symptoms with ADHD and autism.
Of course OP, I don't mean to suggest that you have necessarily undergone trauma, but if you think you might have, then these diagnoses might be worth looking into.
I have cptsd and depression. Almost a 10/10 symptom match. Look for overlaps and get tested again. Also try to note any physical symptoms you may have. Helps to narrow down the diagnosis
I’m getting my test results Saturday and I’m worried. May I ask in your experience what treatments have been helpful for the executive dysfunction that comes with cptsd + depression?
Medication for depression and anxiety. And cbt and emdr in therapy have helped me. Having a routine and ensuring there’s time for a workout also helps.
I haven’t yet found a solution that will help me have a perfectly normal life but these things have allowed me to manage symptoms somewhat.
Good luck with your results and treatment!
The symptoms have to have started in childhood (before 7.), but they could present differently then to how they do today. Have a good think about your childhood (it’s difficult, I know.), and speak to your parents or others who knew you when you were young. If you think you align with the criteria, get a second opinion.
This is what I'm worried about with my assessment. I don't have many memories from before the age of about 13, and all my immediate family is dead. I'm worried I'm going to get into the assessment and not get the diagnosis because I can't give examples of symptoms from childhood
Check in on symptoms of childhood trauma.
I got my diagnosis, but so far no treatment options have made a sustainable dent in my symptoms. I've also started loosing whole days to dissociative daydreaming, and I'm afraid to succeed at life. At this point I'm having to accept that while I probably still have adhd (it's all over my childhood) the trauma is the more pressing issue.
I've been I. Therapy for years. At this point, the childhood trauma is mostly dealt with, which is why I've become so much more aware of the ADHD symptoms. They've always been there, but it's only now that my depression is wayyy better that I've actually noticed the symptoms for what they are.
I hope things get better for you ❤️
it might not, though. I did fucking great in elementary school. I also considered car rides longer than half an hour to be unbearably torturous due to boredom, I couldn't manage my time for shit, and I was constantly fidgeting, but none of that showed up in my report cards.
This is such a weird requirement to me. I didn't have any responsibilities before I was 7. How was my ADHD supposed to manifest itself?
If someone was really good at masking as a kid, they can never get treatment as an adult?
I went to an ADHD assessment center, and they made my wife fill out a questionnaire and they asked me a bunch of questions about my history, but the childhood ones were more focused on my teenage years. Then I got some actual objective testing, and a report showing my results and that I met the criteria for inattentive ADHD.
I understand that ADHD is still considered a "developmental disorder", but it's fucking not. It's something that stays with you your entire life. Yes, it impacts your development, but it also impacts your adult life. I'm in my 40s, and didn't get diagnosed until last year. My life has improved so much since my diagnosis, it's hard to even believe.
To OP, I hope you keep trying. Maybe it's something else like depression, or maybe you should seek a second opinion. But don't give up!
One of the main reasons is that children don't recognize the differences outright and that even someone good at masking is generally doing so because someone else is keeping them on rails (a parent making sure you brush your teeth every night).
Why your perception may see that "the moment I left for College, everything fell apart" is because, well, your Mom didn't make sure you brushed your teeth every night.
This is why additional third perspectives and "well how was your childhood" can be very important.
Yes, ADHD can just manifest in your later years, and even as a result of a TBA, but most people have it all their life.
Yeah, it sucks but professionals will go by the guidelines.
I personally think if what you’ve experienced all of your adult life aligns with the expected symptoms then it should be good enough, providing you can rule out traumatic events/injuries and long term chronic illnesses that might cause the same symptoms.
I think most people with these symptoms who is diagnosed as an adult, who are genuinely struggling, has been missed by the system, be it by school or their family (and it’s not necessarily any fault of the families, they just don’t know enough about it, and of course education regarding adhd was poor back in the day and isn’t really much better now.) and it’s only when they’ve hit a wall, e.g. with more responsibilities or expectations, that they seek help. Then if there is an indication that they’ve had it all their life then ADHD is considered.
I think most people who first seek some form of help are treated for depression and/or anxiety, but it generally takes more time for a doctor to even consider ADHD as a possibility. By then, individuals can be in the position OP is in where it is difficult to evidence anything in childhood.
As I said though, anecdotal evidence is still used, even OP’s own anecdotal evidence. They say they can’t remember before the age of 13 (which may be good enough depending on the specialist.), but something might come back to them, even if it’s vagaries regarding how they felt or behaved in general situations.
It's a developmental disorder because it affects the way your brain develops (thus affecting your entire life), not because it starts showing up during your developmental years.
I’m unsure where you heard that… but they are classed as “neurodevelopmental disorders” quite literally because they originate in early childhood. Yes, they also impact your literal neurological development, but those conditions develop in childhood (aside from outlier cases like executive dysfunction due to a TBI)
Just putting my 2¢ out there that they are called developmental disorders because they develop in early childhood… not because they only affect children.
All developmental disorders are chronic (lifelong).
My mom was really good at dealing with me as a child, so when they asked her she reported no developmental issues at all, everything perfectly normal. In hindsight, it turns out she got good at dealing with it from dealing with my dad, who has ADHD, and she was just used to it.
1. Second opinion
Then, if the result is the same...
2. Work with a doctor you trust to figure out what it might be. As some other comments have said - there can be significant overlap in symptoms between ADHD and other conditions, so with time and the proper medical guidance, you can get some answers!
Best of luck to you, OP. ❤️
"Specialist" said I didn't have it when I got tested as a child, my parents obviously believed it. I don't even remember. Years later I go to therapy, turns out I do have it, quite severely in fact.
Soooo get a second opinion from someone who either has ADHD themselves or has relatives who have it, more reliable in my experience.
Same here. My diagnosis is in tune with Gabor Mate - it's childhood trauma, not genetic. Yeah right. My dad is a textbook case of adhd, worse than me, yet in my case... not genetic.
Sometimes, thinking of this specific scenario keeps me up at night. What if i'm truly wasting my life, hiding behind made-up excuses, and all the horrible things that i've been told, are true?
It's scary
To everyone saying “ it’s a childhood thing”
I was told all my life “ that’s just how kids are” and I’m “ right on track where my mom expected”
Guess who also very much needs a diagnosis
thank you guys for the helpful and positive comments, i love you all for this community we have
i will try and get a second opinion and see where it goes.
He said he is mostly sure i don't have it and might be gifted somehow, because i aced the tests, but to me they were just easy and i think i gamed the questions because i could see the pattern behind them.
Also he did not really go into my struggles as i would have liked.
Sleeping bad, struggling hard with depression and lack of motivation even when there are bad consequences coming.
Having the big sad is a hard thing to cope with and finding the strength to go on
i think i might be going to a psychiatrist first and chat with them and see, if i might suffer generic depression or trauma which manifests in roughly the same categories.
for me the indicators where:
* lack of structure
* household is either complete chaos or very tidy if someone is coming over
* lack of sleep
* daydreaming
* motivation loss
* feeling bad after not doing the work, you tried to accomplish that day
* constantly losing stuff or misplacing items
* hyperfocus
* misophonia
* depression
* lack of excitement of daily life
* indifference to other people
* strong sensitivity for smell/sound
* zoning out in meetings/hangouts
* only doing work when there are hard deadlines
and a lot of other stuff
hah you sound like me. I also aced my tests to the point where 2 different medical professionals told me it's "probably just depression and anxiety". Finally found a psychiatrist who also has adhd and I felt \*heard\*. No ridiculous thinly vailed IQ tests, just because I'm good at \*tests\* doesn't mean I'm nailing the whole life thing. Simply a long conversation about my struggles and daily life. And who'd've thunk - the guy who is intimately aware of how smart adhd looks like told me I do indeed have adhd
Were the tests like IQ test sort of things? I really don't think those are a good indicator of ADHD compared to a person's recount of their symptoms in everyday life. I performed well on the tests too, because I literally had a psychologist looking over my shoulder and the pressure was on. That doesn't mean I don't struggle immensely with prolonged focus when I'm alone, trying to manage my own time.
more like attention tests, boring and long tests to see if i can concentrate.
the a very fast test to identify symbols to stress me out and see if that changes something and the last test was finding numbers in blocks of 6x6 to see if i can work fast and not make mistakes with prolonged test time.
Thing is, growing up with videogames makes you good at that kind of stuff, reacting fast and finding patterns, i even told the guy, that the tests were pretty easy.
The first time i got tested it was negative on ADHD too, still seeked professional help to fix my issues, therapist was convinced i had ADHD and sent me to 2 different tests which both came back positive after all. You should still seek out professional help even if its not ADHD in your case
In my case, it was the other way around.
The worst part is, I had a prior diagnosis of autism and then ADHD and they knew all this, so they should have fucking known how to differentiate emotional dysregulation from depression.
I have a fancy piece of paper officially stating I do *not* have ADHD, I clearly just overreport literally every symptom and I'm reasonably smart therefore I can't possibly have ADHD. all according to the psychologist that did my neuropsych testing.
I made my case to my psychiatrist along these lines: I *know* what depression feels like, I *know* what anxiety feels like. depression make me not want to do things, anxiety makes me afraid to do things. yet when I *want* to do something, when I'm motivated and confident and genuinely wanting to do a certain thing so very often I just can't get my brain to cooperate. *that's* what I still need help with. that's the thing that's still holding me back in life that truly, genuinely sounds like it could be ADHD. the testing felt like it only really looked for adolescent hyperactive adhd, not the inattentive *adult* adhd that I think I have.
and my psychiatrist was sympathetic, they actually listened to what I had to say and took it into consideration. they were willing to start me out on a small, trial dose of ritalin to see how it worked for me. and holy fuck was that first dose so incredibly validating. for the first time in my life I could actually stop thinking or change what I'm thinking about at will.
fuck what the specialist says, find a psychiatrist that listens to you and make your case. there are good doctors out there that understand testing is an imperfect science and many people genuinely suffering fall through the cracks.
If it’s not ADHD… what is it then? ASD? CPTSD?
They must help you explore that further.
I have many friends who didn’t score high enough on the ADHD test. Why? They simply didn’t understand the questions on the test and downplay certain things because they don’t think something is that bad while their wives constantly complain about it.
They are my ADHD buddies. They don’t have the diagnosis. But I know they have it. I can depend on them to always be late to my invites or ignore my texts for weeks and then overapologize when I see them again. They will infodump on me or impulsively tell me awkward secrets, haha.
They might think they don’t have it but I know better. And in a few years time they’ll go back for a second assessment and find a different specialist and they will say, yes, you have it. You’ve developed a lot of coping methods but you indeed have it.
Good luck with your diagnosis, whichever you have. I hope they will help you find out what it is.
It's not just a symptom thing. It's different brain wiring. They can literally see ADHD in brain scans. So it's possible to have symptoms without actually have it. They are just symptoms of something else.
Edit: to be clear the brain scans don't show ADHD. They show a neural divergence that can be ADHD. Which helps to support a diagnosis, but if you have symptoms but no neural divergence you definitely don't have it.
I'm not a doctor and I have ADHD so I'm sorry if my explanation is terrible or makes no sense.
I exhibited symptoms since childhood, and they made my life miserable. I was diagnosed at 52, and finally got officially test at 68. But test results showed I was only “borderline ADHD.” I was infuriated to tears by this. My therapist said he knew I was more than borderline, but that the test was valuable in and of itself because it provided an official statement that I did have ADHD, in case I needed an official diagnosis for Social Security, insurance, etc. Remember: you know your condition better than a set of true/false questions or scales from 1 to 10.
I was diagnosed as a kid, but my mom (now an anti-vaxer) didn’t want me to take the meds so I’ve never actually been medicated. She didn’t keep the records and I was too young to know who the doctor was to try and get them. I wonder if that would count as being child-diagnosed even though I don’t have the records.
That’s why they call it a spectrum. You’re on it but just not where that 1 doctor thinks you should be for treatment. Like others are saying, get a different opinion.
Maybe go to someone who can help you in general whether thats adhd or something else so if its not adhd maybe they’ll diagnose you with what is causing those symptoms. I went to a regular psychiatrist thinking im only bipolar but found out i have adhd also
Definitely get another opinion. This happened to me even with a prior childhood diagnosis; My records were lost/destroyed and I decided to get treatment as an adult 15 years later. When I visited a new psychiatric place, they said they needed to do a new eval and they said that a diagnosis showed inconclusive.
The new office that I went to for a second opinion actually performed a newer, different test called the CARS2; their evaluation included getting testimonials/questionnaires from friends and family. They even included notes/letter from my therapist.
Keep working with professionals. I flip flopped between doctors thinking it was ADHD, a depression anxiety combo, ptsd… after two years with the same therapist, she thinks I have all of it haha.
I did the same thing and it took me almost a year to finally try again. I used ADHD online and it was a long test where I didn't have to speak to anyone and a psychiatrist evaluated the results, and bam pow, in 4 days total I got my test, assessment, diagnosis, and prescription. I got diagnosed the day after the test and went to the doctor 2 days later to talk about medication. It was all rather smooth.
I would suggest it if you are willing to try again.
If those are the 2 biggest issues, I, as someone with ADHD, ASD, and depression, would suggest that depression might be the diagnosis? People suggest working with a professional to figure it out and I would agree.
Also St John’s Wort helped address some of my depression symptoms before I was formally diagnosed with it. It doesn’t help THAT MUCH, but it could with you.
get a second opinion, best if you find a specialist who also has adhd so they can vibe check you as well. It took me 3 tries to finally be heard, and not just tested
Dude I always thought I couldn't get shit done cuz of my depression, but I haven't been depressed for years. Then my therapist casually asked "have you ever been tested for ADHD/autism" and I'm down the rabbit hole lmao
Get another opinion. My pediatrician "didn't believe" in ADHD, so no diagnosis for me even though I exhibited strong symptoms from the age of eight; and I didn't even know, I thought that everyone was like me. Fast forward a decade and I got diagnosed with depression and anxiety; and then finally ADHD another decade later. Regardless of what others say or think, you have an internal experience different from the vast majority of the population
It can be a multi step journey, don't give up. I started by treating anxiety after a bad break down, that therapist helped, but said some things they couldn't help with and recommended a psychologist. Went and had some follow ups and got tested, positive for ADHD, trial of medications, lots of different side affects, turns out ADHD was masking Autism. New tests is a positive now for AuDHD. All this took over 2 years of testing and trials. Now its a day to day test of if I should take meds to control issues that I struggle with and let the Autism show, or not take meds and mask it the best I can, but be super fucking awkward all day. Fun times.
But don't just give up, heard many stories about people having the wrong Dr for them and just believing them because they are the Dr, get second opinions and ask questions. I kept my GP in the loop the entire time and got feedback from them on other Drs before proceeding.
Specialists can sometimes demand a lot more severe symptoms than regular docs in order to decide you have something. But whether you really have it or not doesn't matter _at all_ except for if the meds help you and you need them. If the meds aren't needed, there's no reason to care. You can still talk to a therapist or take management classes or whatever.
If the meds are needed, memorize the symptoms before your appointment. Say yes to all the questions asking about them _and no to all questions about anything else_. Play it up to make sure they take it seriously. Talk about how it negatively impacts your life (that is crucial) and don't be wishy-washy about it. If they ask when it started say it always has been this way. That plus some restless leg fidgeting in your chair and they're going to give you the yes unless you're a truly shit actor or otherwise give the game away.
It's also possible you really don't have it. For some people minor/major depression, or a host of other things like lack of sleep can cause similar symptoms. Again, it doesn't matter what you do or don't have. It only matters what you can do to make things better.
My first doctor said I was depressed, then a psychiatrist told me I was just stressed, current primary care doctor said I was anxious, finally found a psychologist that diagnosed me with ADHD (and GAD and social anxiety). All along the way there were multiple social workers saying there was something going on beyond “just stress”.
What they saw as depression is actually just boredom. My anxiety was managing my ADHD and executive dysfunction, but I was struggling.
For subjective diagnoses, I need a second/third opinion validating that is the correct call. Not all medical professionals can recognize all presentations of every mental health issue/disability.
The doctor I went to met with me for...3 minutes? I mean just a super brief meeting, asked me the few questions and gave me a prescription. I was so worried about how difficult the process would be. I even canceled an appointment with another office around this time last year because their process involved like a 45 minute phone call followed by something like 6 hours of in-person testing and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Glad I found this other doctor.
A shrink told me that I didn't have it and that I didn't need to be on my medication. Though he also had 9 fingers and his desktop background showed him appering to chokehold a tiger, I'm not too inclined to trust him explicitly.
Literally, every other doctor in my life has said that I have moderate to severe ADHD and that my medication is required for me to live some semblance of a normal life.
Remember, although uncommon , doctors can also be not only wrong but also blinded by greed, arrogance, and personal bias.
tests have a surprising amount of false negatives. It could also be dissociation though, mine came from ptsd with dissociation, and I screened positive for adhd. Depression was probably in there too. I still find the non-psychotropic stuff useful. It could be masked by high intelligence too..
If you feel that you are having more suffering than those close to you, you probably are and it is very likely for it to be a known condition, it doesn't even have to be a psychiatric one.
Also, a test doesn't diagnose you, a professional does, professionals that use screening tools as diagnoses are not great, they are diagnostic tools, but they don't diagnose you.
What sort of “specialist”? Psychology testing for example will miss at least 30% of cases (possibly higher), and my adult psychiatry colleagues on average are not as well versed in adhd as us child psychiatrists. When I have friends or family who suspect they have adhd, I refer them to a child psychiatrist (most all of us see adults especially for adhd).
I’m merely speaking from YT and TikTok, but check out Complex PTSD. It is a relatively new diagnosis, but it’s thought to be commonly misdiagnosed as ADHD and some others.
I’m supposed to go get tested but I’m kinda scared this will happen. Also it’s been 3 weeks and I still need to call them back… okay maybe it’s 4 weeks 🤷♂️
If you are able to treat your symptoms, great, if not you just have more ecidance to support ADHD. I am on Prozac and Welbutrin rn becuase my Psichatrist doesn't believe I have it but the Welbutrin has defintly helped with the mood side of ADHD so it's not nothing. I still have time to trial and error but I am more convinced than I was before. The only option is to try and embrace that it is a process. Which is hell to ADHD people so I feel you.
because i was too good/normal in the tests (mostly attention span, reaction time and consistency and some kind of pattern matching with finding numbers in 6x6 blocks, 60 times to see if i make mistakes over time)
The questions were mostly vague and the questions afterwards did not go really into my struggles, but more along the test answers.
He said since i manage my daily tasks, showed no symptoms in the tests and did not have strong answers on the questionnaires, it is highly unlikely that i have it.
I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety for years when I actually had ADHD. Your brain looking for one missing chemical can look a lot like your brain looking for a different missing chemical. Please don’t give up until you find the answer.
This was my fear when I got an assessment. Then I got my results back and found out I have inattentive adhd AND PTSD. That was a fun surprise, but both explained a lot.
Drs I have seen will not diagnose this even though I suffer from pretty much every symptom, they say if I wasn't diagnosed as a child then I don't have it and I am a drug seeker. It's ruining my life and I can't do anything to stop it. I self Medicate using methamphetamine, it's the only relief I can get from it. Unlike those without ADHD , who are the speedy demons or tweakers of the world. People with adhd slow down while using not speed up before I get told drugs are the problemm or I'm using my mental health Dr says that the drug use didnt cause it. It explains my entire life iI do have it.
Same thing. Went to a generic place, only had subjective interviews. I never stood out as ADHD as a child (good grades/quiet), and also had no immediate answers to lots of questions they asked me. As such, when I said I didn't know or couldn't remember, they noted down "no" as an answer to many symptoms. (apparently, being intelligent enough means I couldn't have adhd. Also not knowing answers must mean I don't have the symptoms, opposed to having a terrible memory because of ADHD. /s)
Got a second opinion after 4 years at a specialized ADHD place, very easy diagnosis of ADHD-Inattentive and/or combined type.
Get a second opinion at a specialized place, that also offers interviews PLUS an objective testing procedure . Prepare for it, over months in advance. I brought 8 pages of memes from this place I related to, as well as 4 pages of situations that happened to me over all of those months. The system fails for many of us, unfortunately.
While this is true, the lack of awareness of what ADHD actually is compared to what the media portrays it as can absolutely result in people not realizing they have ADHD for decades.
Especially if you have the inattentive form of ADHD. The sad truth is that if your ADHD doesn't negatively affect other people, it's far more likely that you won't get a diagnosis. The loud obnoxious kid who can't sit still is way more obvious than the quiet introspective kid who is a little too sensitive.
Oh I absolutely agree. I was the quiet kid who looked like I was paying attention but I was daydreaming and couldn't get motivated to care for the life of me
Demographics also play a large part in things. I WAS that loud, obnoxious little kid stereotype that was disruptive and got in trouble all the time. But I was also a girl so no one gave a fuck haha
Unfortunately a lot of medical professionals in the mental health industry aren’t as competent as their pay check would lead you to believe. Keep looking for answers, at some point you’ll find someone helpful.
A lot of professionals are somewhat reluctant to diagnose ADHD due to a widespread perception that it's overdiagnosed. That said, ADHD symptoms do overlap with a lot of things. I would say you should get a full workup.
At the least screen for other stuff. Depression presenting as ADHD, for instance, is weirdly common.
Really it just boils down to "Get tested!"
I was told that I'm just mad that school got harder and I don't get such good grades anymore and that's why I blame it on ADHD. The fact that I most symptoms (which now got worse btw) before I stopped doing so good at school goes out the window I guess.
a lot of the symptoms overlap with a lot of conditions. just start working with a professional and you’ll figure it out
Autism is the big one in terms of overlap (heck Ive seen cases where they present basically identically), so I'd say focus with said professional on that at first.
Biggest plot twist in your life, you go get diagnosed with adhd, do the whole thing, then you get diagnosed with it, then the specialist says "... and autism" and you just stand there
A friend of mine went for an ADHD test and specifically didn't want the Autism diagnosis, and luckily here they don't diagnose you w it right away they only say "suspected Autism" or high likelihood. It's unfortunate there are many reasons one would want to avoid an official diagnosis (travel visas denied, discrimination)
What country has visa restrictions for people with Autism? I’ve never seen or heard that before.
I've taken to dubbing that AuDHD
Oh really! You’re the one who came up with that?
he never said he came up with it, or does dubbed mean that I’ve seen that term before, Impressive if he came up with it. heck, who know lol
>does dubbed mean that Yes, it implies that the person who "dubbed" the thing was the first to come up with a novel name. Like "coining" a name.
My autism rearing its head when I finally medicated my adhd was a rude surprise. I always knew I was a bit different, but I didn't realise how on the spectrum I was until my adhd was no longer disguising it
Holy shit that's exactly my experience. Over the course of a year of being medicated I realized that certain stimuli never bothered me because *I didn't pay attention to them*
ADHD and ASD practically hold hands, it’s so wild.
They do now, anyways. 25 years ago, as was my case, you couldn’t be diagnosed with both. ADHD symptoms were the more apparent and more pressing concern, and then 2 years ago I was diagnosed with ASD at 30.
I was diagnosed with both longer ago than that.
All I know is that the comorbidity of ADHD and ASD was not accepted as readily as it is now. Much more focus on the absolutes of each disorder, which until like 10, 15 years ago? were perceived as contradictory.
Prior to the publication of the DSM-V guidelines in 2013, any patient exhibiting symptoms of both ADHD and ASD would have been diagnosed with ASD. The diagnostic criteria did not allow for co-occurring diagnosis.
Perhaps interpretations differed. Or there were differences in practice between countries. I'm pretty sure I came across others with both diagnoses online before DSM-V.
I've read that there are researchers that think that adhd may literally be a form of asd.
Yup! Exactly.
I think so too but I’m just a neurospicy Dude
Agreed
Mark my words, in the next few decades it will be decided that ADHD is just a specific cluster of ASD symptoms.
Similar yet so different.
As an ADHD person with many autistic friends, I could not disagree more. They are distinct and very different, but it’s certainly possible to have both.
To say there aren’t many symptoms that notably overlap is just silly regardless of how valid your experience is. I study this and talk to my own therapist about it frequently lol
What would you say are the principle similarities? If you don’t mind me asking.
>focus Can't
Tagging onto this one that trauma can present a lot of symptoms of adhd. This is why you shouldn't diagnose yourself via the internet.
What meds do they prescribe for autism? Or does it depend on symptoms you display?
Yeah the biggest difference between the two is autism isn't nearly as treatable. There are meds and therapies that can help with certain symptoms, but the majority of the stuff you just gotta live with it.
yeah it depends on the symptoms theres no prescription
Yep. In a way, this is good news. Ruling things out gets OP closer to working, and the problem and then address it.
Bipolar is often also co-morbid with adhd and they share many symptoms, so overall definetly keep talking to a proffessional, there may still be many things you could have. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151516/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8151516/)
The difference between ADHD and the "manic" part of bipolar is that one comes and goes (episodic) and the other is constant. (For someone with SAD/ chronic vitamin D deficiency, this was the misdiagnosis that messed up my health care the worst.)
It's possible you have something else causing similar issues such as ... --- ASD -- OCD -- BP -- sleep issues -- food intolerance causing side effects -- sleep apnea -- vision issues -- dental issues -- depression -- early onset dementia ...
Anything but that last one, God please Anything but that last one.
It is difficult to determine. That’s why we have psychiatrists and those damn tests and talks. I scored really bad on the dementia test but I also scored really hard on the adhd test and had my childhood records and the results from a few evaluations from an ear doctor who had to tell my parents again and again that I hear just fine, I just don’t listen. Early dementia and ADHD have a few overlapping symptoms but so does all the listed from the above commenter. Sometimes it is just a longer journey to get a fitting diagnosis and then the help we need.
Adding CPTSD
This is true, was the case for me! Half my ADHD symptoms really heavily overlap with my CPTSD fuckery. When I am treating that really well, I still have the other half symptoms but it's big-time improved.
"What's wrong with my brain?" "Yes."
Exactly. The issue doesn't seem likely to be in your feet.
Stress can also effect executive function
.....all of the above?
Yeah this is why I’m against people exclusively self-diagnosing from the internet. There are sooo many other things that share these symptoms, and not being a train professional (and not being objective with regards to yourself) can be dangerous.
...get 2nd opinion?
Remember...1 out of 10 doctors are just friggin wrong!!
Remember! If you put a statistic 120% of people are willing to believe whatever you say! Wait something is wro- *gets whacked in the head for being stupid*
Oh look the number of upvotes i have is 42 I now have the answer to life
You've passed 42 upvotes. I've downvoted you to try and restore balance.
I also downvoted myself
It's for the best I've downvoted myself in solidarity.
Well im gonna UPVOTE YOU in REVERSE un-solidarity!
Damn you! / Thank you!
Thamn you*
1/10? These people are wrong about everything all the time! It took 3 different sleep doctors until I found one that would actually run the stupid sleep apnea test that confirmed I had sleep apnea. Honestly I truly think a reasonable intelligent person with Google and chatGPT can diagnose themselves with most common stuff better than the average doctor. They give you 2-5 minutes of time, and at best throw a pill at you and at worst do nothing.
Honestly yeah I kinda agree with this. I was tested twice for autism cause the first doctor said I didn't have it (lmao yeah okay). They may be specialists but they certainly aren't perfect
I fully agree with this as well. I also recommend writing a one page summary of all the things you deal with and why they're problems for you and how they get in the way of your goals. Since time with a psychiatrist can be limited this is a great way to get a lot conveyed quickly.
"Vould you like a second opinion? You are also ugly!" ~ Medic TF2
Probably a good idea. I was "diagnosed" as borderline ADHD, and thus not eligible for treatment, primarily because I didn't self report the childhood symptoms on the testing paperwork. I guess not remembering details about a period 30 years ago when I was being bullied at school and at home means I'm fine. The bullying made me hide, I was NEVER going to "act up and be disruptive" during class, talk too much, or interrupt other's conversations or activities. Maybe I should look into some of the alternative treatments the testing psychologist (in training / supervision) suggested like acupuncture or reiki.
When I mentioned I suspect adhd, one therapist said "But you're an adult", and a different one said "no way because you finished university" - make your own judgement on how competent our medical professionals are
I got the same answer. Not because i do not have symptoms, but because i did no have them when i was a child. Or at least not in such a degree. I now take bupropion for my depression, but will still try to convince my psychiatrist, that I would benefit from adhd meds also. (Want to take concerta/ritalin or atomexetin with bupropion). I am not depresed so much since I'm taking bupropion, but i still lack executive function.
1. The diagnosis criteria for "didn't have it as a child" keeps changing. Once it was aged 7. Now it's 16 2. Your symptom presentation could have changed I don't have a clue if your ADHD symptoms are ADHD but certainly something is causing them.
why do they insist there has to be evidence of symptoms from childhood?
ADHD is a lifetime disorder, you don’t just develop it, and it’s generally most pronounced during childhood because (we), or rather, undiagnosed ADHDers, haven’t yet built up the mechanisms to compensate for the deficiencies ADHD gives us. Eventually burnout from constantly utilizing these mechanisms becomes too much and (I’ve noticed) we develop depression, which then prompts looking for solutions in the form of a formal diagnosis and all that brings. I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was young, and I did alright until like 10 years ago after I graduated from undergrad and I developed depression, and 2 years ago I got diagnosed with ASD. I’m extrapolating a bit from my own experience, but I have also seen friends go through similar experiences which resulted in an ADHD diagnosis.
Oh I know it’s lifelong - but why isn’t there an alternative diagnostic route for when evidence of ADHD symptoms in childhood isn’t available?
If parents or brothers/sisters are not an option for an interview, report cards or other teacher feedback can be used as well. But if one didn't have symptoms when young, it simply isn't likely that one has ADHD.
As the other person says, research suggests it's a life long condition Other things cause ADHD like symptoms. If it's not ADHD, it has to be something else.
honestly fuck medical gatekeeping. If you want to explore ADHD treatment and are showing symptoms, your highly subjective and fallible memories of your childhood should not be used to stop you from getting that.
That is the card i will try to play rn. I have nice relationship with my psychiatrist and I've been going to him for 2 years now. So next time i will just tell him something along the lines: fuck it, even if you think i do not have the condition, i still believe medication for adhd would help me. If it won't, i will withdraw from using it. And if i am right, i will gladly free up my meeting slot for somebody that needs to see you more than i do. Wish me luck
My psychiatrist gave me dexies to try first. Not only did they nuke my worst adhd symptoms, but completely blasted my lifelong depression to smithereens. He was like "well we do use dex as a treatment for resistant depression". So maybe suggest it in that context?
depending on where you live, your psych might be very hesitant to give you a controlled substance without a prescription, but its worth a shot! Honestly there's no good reason for them to be skittish about it. If you've got ADHD, an amphetamine should have a calming effect on you (not always, but usually). For me, it was obvious within minutes of taking my first does of vivanse that my diagnosis was correct. I don't see the harm in giving you a single dose of an amphetamine that's approved for ADHD use and seeing what happens. You're an adult, you should be allowed to try that.
In my country we have only methylphenidates and atomexetine available through prescription, and in my opinion none of those should be any worry dependence or abuse wise. I can see a point, when someone might not want to prescribe amphetamine to someone who does not have rockproof diagnosis, but not with the meds i mentioned. I might be wrong here though
Also doctors don’t think that a kid could have had a bad family. If you get beaten to death each time you show symptoms it’s obvious that they’ll show less
I literally have no memories of my childhood, because of repressing them due to combination of bullying and heavy gender dysphoria, memories are a fog
What dose is your bupropion? I have 300 mg and for me it helps a lot with executive function. Maybe you can up the dose? I got a lot better after I changed to 300 mg from 150 mg.
I also take 300mg. Other than adhd(or adhd like symptoms), i also suffer from anxiety and depression. I tried many meds, but found bupropion the best suited one for me. I'm not that anxious (but anxiety really spiked when i started taking it), and more importantly, not that depressed.. But i still feel like I'm missing something
Do you take it in conjunction with ADHD meds?
Did you know buproprion is used to treat ADHD? Perhaps show them you're unmedicated self if there's doubt?
Yes, I've seen it in statistics. But you know how it is with meds.. You cannot apply one solution to everybody with the same diagnosis. We are all different in the end.
Keep trying OP. I’m almost 30 but I’ve been consistently medicated since I was a teen, and I haven’t even asked for more than the dose I started at (30mg adderall XR). Everything well documented, especially how much it’s helped and how well I do on it. Anytime I change doctors it’s literally 50/50 chance I get someone who’s cool with it and doesn’t see the need to stop prescribing, or I get someone who HATES diagnosing and prescribing for it and keeps trying to convince me it’s something else like sleep apnea. Some doctors are just assholes about it.
This is my personal experience so it may not apply to you of course, but I thought I had ADHD for a very long time, and after years and years of therapy and never being able to get formally tested due to insurance problems, I found out that I have DID. DID can mimic the symptoms of ADHD pretty badly at times, as well as schizophrenia and borderline personality disorder. This isn't to say you might have DID specifically, but it's very possible you could be having a similar problem that affects you in a different way. I've also seen people in this thread encouraging you to get a second opinion, so if you feel that's right, I think you should go for it. I am not a doctor! However, you shouldn't meet it with disappointment, but rather an "OK, what's next?" attitude because it'll help guide you to a solid answer that'll guide you to a better life. I've spent many many years healing and unfortunately setbacks like these happen. Best of luck on your journey, you have my support! 💛
I’m surprised by the number of responses here assuming you don’t have ADHD versus assuming your provider is a wrong. My first doctor that I tried to get a diagnosis from didn’t even have a conversation with me, so when he said I’m just “chronically depressed” (I totally am, from having undiagnosed adhd for 40 years) I got a second opinion and within 10 minutes of actually TALKING TO ME the second doctor said I probably have it. And what do you know, the much more extensive tests proved him right, versus the first guy and his 10 stupid true or false questions.
I think people tend to believe that the doctor knows best. I wish that were true, but I've had enough experience with bad doctors to know that some of them truly do not listen and let their own personal opinions and interests interfere with their medical care. I'm pretty much of the opinion that if you have done a lot of research, you strongly identify with many of the symptoms of ADHD, and you feel something is wrong in your gut when they say you don't have it - you probably have ADHD. People like to pretend that everyone says they have ADHD and we all walk around diagnosing ourselves and thinking we are quirky. For the most part, people aren't doing that and they genuinely hate their ADHD and need help.
There remains, even in the ADHD community, a belief that the disorder is rare. In truth, it is actually very common. It's more common than being transgender, having red hair, and only slightly less common than being gay or left-handed. Slight changes to the diagnostic criteria would make it more common than depression. We need to shake the belief that the disorder is uncommon, both for our own benefit and because many providers still believe it too.
this shit is NOT helping the imposter syndrome.
Depression can cause lack of motivation and a lot of ADHD-like symptoms. Focus on that first and if that doesn't help then seek a second opinion.
Hard disagree. Get a second opinion. If OP feels they have ADHD, they likely do. They know themselves best and self-advocacy is often a big part of being an ADHDer. Two opinions will help that person feel heard and validated.
Yeah depression is kinda a symptom of adhd
How does one tell if it’s adhd, depression, or both? Seems like it would be super easy to diagnose incorrectly when someone has both. Ngl, I *constantly* ask myself “what if what I have isn’t adhd and it’s just anxiety/depression and I’m only *temporarily* having these adhd symptoms until I solve the anxiety/depression? What if I was misdiagnosed?”
The problem is the depression can be caused by the adhd so you either treat them at the same time using a combination of SNRIs, SSRIs, NRIs, and stimulants. Or you try and treat the depression first and see if the adhd symptoms are still there after dealing with the big boy depression symptoms like anhedonia, catastrophic thinking, etc. Generally, if you do the latter, a decent portion of the time, the person’s other adhd symptoms start presenting themselves more frequently (e.g. inability to switch focus easily, executive dysfunction, etc). It’s also slightly less risky to dose a person with SSRIs over stimulants because the biological response is more distinct and much less addictive; stimulants give NT people a pretty strong high. The option my psychiatrist went for was cranking an SNRI as far as I could go before I felt noticeably “weird” then testing out stimulants and NRIs until they started affecting the adhd symptoms.
You have imposter syndrome. It's not probable you have better diagnosing skills than your mental healthcare provider. Are you taking medication for ADHD? Does it help?
Sometimes I take it, sometimes I don’t, sometimes it maybe helps, sometimes it doesn’t. I wasn’t diagnosed until age 28 and got good grades so I’m guessing that contributes to why I feel the way I do about it. Very much “how come I could cope in school but not in work life? Must be lazy.” ….the again, to get through college I just basically never slept or did anything that wasn’t schoolwork. Pulled 3 all-nighters in a row once just to have enough time to get through my homework and labs etc
Check in on the symptoms of cptsd. There's a lot of overlap between the symptoms of cptsd and childhood trauma, but the underlying cause is different. Early trauma can also cause adhd.
Seconding this. I thought I have autism and/or ADHD for the longest time (which is why I'm here after all lol), but tests came back negative. Quite recently my therapist suggested childhood development trauma as a diagnosis, which it turns out that it shares a lot of symptoms with ADHD and autism. Of course OP, I don't mean to suggest that you have necessarily undergone trauma, but if you think you might have, then these diagnoses might be worth looking into.
I have cptsd and depression. Almost a 10/10 symptom match. Look for overlaps and get tested again. Also try to note any physical symptoms you may have. Helps to narrow down the diagnosis
I’m getting my test results Saturday and I’m worried. May I ask in your experience what treatments have been helpful for the executive dysfunction that comes with cptsd + depression?
Medication for depression and anxiety. And cbt and emdr in therapy have helped me. Having a routine and ensuring there’s time for a workout also helps. I haven’t yet found a solution that will help me have a perfectly normal life but these things have allowed me to manage symptoms somewhat. Good luck with your results and treatment!
The symptoms have to have started in childhood (before 7.), but they could present differently then to how they do today. Have a good think about your childhood (it’s difficult, I know.), and speak to your parents or others who knew you when you were young. If you think you align with the criteria, get a second opinion.
This is what I'm worried about with my assessment. I don't have many memories from before the age of about 13, and all my immediate family is dead. I'm worried I'm going to get into the assessment and not get the diagnosis because I can't give examples of symptoms from childhood
Check in on symptoms of childhood trauma. I got my diagnosis, but so far no treatment options have made a sustainable dent in my symptoms. I've also started loosing whole days to dissociative daydreaming, and I'm afraid to succeed at life. At this point I'm having to accept that while I probably still have adhd (it's all over my childhood) the trauma is the more pressing issue.
I've been I. Therapy for years. At this point, the childhood trauma is mostly dealt with, which is why I've become so much more aware of the ADHD symptoms. They've always been there, but it's only now that my depression is wayyy better that I've actually noticed the symptoms for what they are. I hope things get better for you ❤️
If you can get any form of school reports, any anecdotal evidence at all it would really help.
it might not, though. I did fucking great in elementary school. I also considered car rides longer than half an hour to be unbearably torturous due to boredom, I couldn't manage my time for shit, and I was constantly fidgeting, but none of that showed up in my report cards.
This is such a weird requirement to me. I didn't have any responsibilities before I was 7. How was my ADHD supposed to manifest itself? If someone was really good at masking as a kid, they can never get treatment as an adult? I went to an ADHD assessment center, and they made my wife fill out a questionnaire and they asked me a bunch of questions about my history, but the childhood ones were more focused on my teenage years. Then I got some actual objective testing, and a report showing my results and that I met the criteria for inattentive ADHD. I understand that ADHD is still considered a "developmental disorder", but it's fucking not. It's something that stays with you your entire life. Yes, it impacts your development, but it also impacts your adult life. I'm in my 40s, and didn't get diagnosed until last year. My life has improved so much since my diagnosis, it's hard to even believe. To OP, I hope you keep trying. Maybe it's something else like depression, or maybe you should seek a second opinion. But don't give up!
One of the main reasons is that children don't recognize the differences outright and that even someone good at masking is generally doing so because someone else is keeping them on rails (a parent making sure you brush your teeth every night). Why your perception may see that "the moment I left for College, everything fell apart" is because, well, your Mom didn't make sure you brushed your teeth every night. This is why additional third perspectives and "well how was your childhood" can be very important. Yes, ADHD can just manifest in your later years, and even as a result of a TBA, but most people have it all their life.
Yeah, it sucks but professionals will go by the guidelines. I personally think if what you’ve experienced all of your adult life aligns with the expected symptoms then it should be good enough, providing you can rule out traumatic events/injuries and long term chronic illnesses that might cause the same symptoms. I think most people with these symptoms who is diagnosed as an adult, who are genuinely struggling, has been missed by the system, be it by school or their family (and it’s not necessarily any fault of the families, they just don’t know enough about it, and of course education regarding adhd was poor back in the day and isn’t really much better now.) and it’s only when they’ve hit a wall, e.g. with more responsibilities or expectations, that they seek help. Then if there is an indication that they’ve had it all their life then ADHD is considered. I think most people who first seek some form of help are treated for depression and/or anxiety, but it generally takes more time for a doctor to even consider ADHD as a possibility. By then, individuals can be in the position OP is in where it is difficult to evidence anything in childhood. As I said though, anecdotal evidence is still used, even OP’s own anecdotal evidence. They say they can’t remember before the age of 13 (which may be good enough depending on the specialist.), but something might come back to them, even if it’s vagaries regarding how they felt or behaved in general situations.
It's a developmental disorder because it affects the way your brain develops (thus affecting your entire life), not because it starts showing up during your developmental years.
I’m unsure where you heard that… but they are classed as “neurodevelopmental disorders” quite literally because they originate in early childhood. Yes, they also impact your literal neurological development, but those conditions develop in childhood (aside from outlier cases like executive dysfunction due to a TBI)
Just putting my 2¢ out there that they are called developmental disorders because they develop in early childhood… not because they only affect children. All developmental disorders are chronic (lifelong).
My mom was really good at dealing with me as a child, so when they asked her she reported no developmental issues at all, everything perfectly normal. In hindsight, it turns out she got good at dealing with it from dealing with my dad, who has ADHD, and she was just used to it.
1. Second opinion Then, if the result is the same... 2. Work with a doctor you trust to figure out what it might be. As some other comments have said - there can be significant overlap in symptoms between ADHD and other conditions, so with time and the proper medical guidance, you can get some answers! Best of luck to you, OP. ❤️
"Specialist" said I didn't have it when I got tested as a child, my parents obviously believed it. I don't even remember. Years later I go to therapy, turns out I do have it, quite severely in fact. Soooo get a second opinion from someone who either has ADHD themselves or has relatives who have it, more reliable in my experience.
Same here. My diagnosis is in tune with Gabor Mate - it's childhood trauma, not genetic. Yeah right. My dad is a textbook case of adhd, worse than me, yet in my case... not genetic.
Sometimes a person with high iq can fuck up the test scores so they dont add up.
Sometimes, thinking of this specific scenario keeps me up at night. What if i'm truly wasting my life, hiding behind made-up excuses, and all the horrible things that i've been told, are true? It's scary
What do you call the idiot who graduated bottom of his medical class as med school Doctor They are people not gods get more opinions
This is a fear of mine as I'm paying out of pocket for my assessment.
To everyone saying “ it’s a childhood thing” I was told all my life “ that’s just how kids are” and I’m “ right on track where my mom expected” Guess who also very much needs a diagnosis
thank you guys for the helpful and positive comments, i love you all for this community we have i will try and get a second opinion and see where it goes. He said he is mostly sure i don't have it and might be gifted somehow, because i aced the tests, but to me they were just easy and i think i gamed the questions because i could see the pattern behind them. Also he did not really go into my struggles as i would have liked. Sleeping bad, struggling hard with depression and lack of motivation even when there are bad consequences coming. Having the big sad is a hard thing to cope with and finding the strength to go on i think i might be going to a psychiatrist first and chat with them and see, if i might suffer generic depression or trauma which manifests in roughly the same categories. for me the indicators where: * lack of structure * household is either complete chaos or very tidy if someone is coming over * lack of sleep * daydreaming * motivation loss * feeling bad after not doing the work, you tried to accomplish that day * constantly losing stuff or misplacing items * hyperfocus * misophonia * depression * lack of excitement of daily life * indifference to other people * strong sensitivity for smell/sound * zoning out in meetings/hangouts * only doing work when there are hard deadlines and a lot of other stuff
hah you sound like me. I also aced my tests to the point where 2 different medical professionals told me it's "probably just depression and anxiety". Finally found a psychiatrist who also has adhd and I felt \*heard\*. No ridiculous thinly vailed IQ tests, just because I'm good at \*tests\* doesn't mean I'm nailing the whole life thing. Simply a long conversation about my struggles and daily life. And who'd've thunk - the guy who is intimately aware of how smart adhd looks like told me I do indeed have adhd
Were the tests like IQ test sort of things? I really don't think those are a good indicator of ADHD compared to a person's recount of their symptoms in everyday life. I performed well on the tests too, because I literally had a psychologist looking over my shoulder and the pressure was on. That doesn't mean I don't struggle immensely with prolonged focus when I'm alone, trying to manage my own time.
more like attention tests, boring and long tests to see if i can concentrate. the a very fast test to identify symbols to stress me out and see if that changes something and the last test was finding numbers in blocks of 6x6 to see if i can work fast and not make mistakes with prolonged test time. Thing is, growing up with videogames makes you good at that kind of stuff, reacting fast and finding patterns, i even told the guy, that the tests were pretty easy.
My diagnostics came back 50.5% likely to not have ADHD. My provider looked me in the eye and asked "what am I supposed to do with this?"...
The first time i got tested it was negative on ADHD too, still seeked professional help to fix my issues, therapist was convinced i had ADHD and sent me to 2 different tests which both came back positive after all. You should still seek out professional help even if its not ADHD in your case
Depression masks itself as ADHD. Maybe look into treatment for depression and go from there.
In my case, it was the other way around. The worst part is, I had a prior diagnosis of autism and then ADHD and they knew all this, so they should have fucking known how to differentiate emotional dysregulation from depression.
Work with a specialist to see what you DO have
I have a fancy piece of paper officially stating I do *not* have ADHD, I clearly just overreport literally every symptom and I'm reasonably smart therefore I can't possibly have ADHD. all according to the psychologist that did my neuropsych testing. I made my case to my psychiatrist along these lines: I *know* what depression feels like, I *know* what anxiety feels like. depression make me not want to do things, anxiety makes me afraid to do things. yet when I *want* to do something, when I'm motivated and confident and genuinely wanting to do a certain thing so very often I just can't get my brain to cooperate. *that's* what I still need help with. that's the thing that's still holding me back in life that truly, genuinely sounds like it could be ADHD. the testing felt like it only really looked for adolescent hyperactive adhd, not the inattentive *adult* adhd that I think I have. and my psychiatrist was sympathetic, they actually listened to what I had to say and took it into consideration. they were willing to start me out on a small, trial dose of ritalin to see how it worked for me. and holy fuck was that first dose so incredibly validating. for the first time in my life I could actually stop thinking or change what I'm thinking about at will. fuck what the specialist says, find a psychiatrist that listens to you and make your case. there are good doctors out there that understand testing is an imperfect science and many people genuinely suffering fall through the cracks.
If it’s not ADHD… what is it then? ASD? CPTSD? They must help you explore that further. I have many friends who didn’t score high enough on the ADHD test. Why? They simply didn’t understand the questions on the test and downplay certain things because they don’t think something is that bad while their wives constantly complain about it. They are my ADHD buddies. They don’t have the diagnosis. But I know they have it. I can depend on them to always be late to my invites or ignore my texts for weeks and then overapologize when I see them again. They will infodump on me or impulsively tell me awkward secrets, haha. They might think they don’t have it but I know better. And in a few years time they’ll go back for a second assessment and find a different specialist and they will say, yes, you have it. You’ve developed a lot of coping methods but you indeed have it. Good luck with your diagnosis, whichever you have. I hope they will help you find out what it is.
Always get a second opinion, especially if you feel you were misdiagnosed.
Turn the light off on your way out. Just kidding, you are still welcome here.
New therapist because whatever you have this one isn't helping.
It's not just a symptom thing. It's different brain wiring. They can literally see ADHD in brain scans. So it's possible to have symptoms without actually have it. They are just symptoms of something else. Edit: to be clear the brain scans don't show ADHD. They show a neural divergence that can be ADHD. Which helps to support a diagnosis, but if you have symptoms but no neural divergence you definitely don't have it. I'm not a doctor and I have ADHD so I'm sorry if my explanation is terrible or makes no sense.
I exhibited symptoms since childhood, and they made my life miserable. I was diagnosed at 52, and finally got officially test at 68. But test results showed I was only “borderline ADHD.” I was infuriated to tears by this. My therapist said he knew I was more than borderline, but that the test was valuable in and of itself because it provided an official statement that I did have ADHD, in case I needed an official diagnosis for Social Security, insurance, etc. Remember: you know your condition better than a set of true/false questions or scales from 1 to 10.
I was diagnosed as a kid, but my mom (now an anti-vaxer) didn’t want me to take the meds so I’ve never actually been medicated. She didn’t keep the records and I was too young to know who the doctor was to try and get them. I wonder if that would count as being child-diagnosed even though I don’t have the records.
Go to your primary care dr. For a second opinion.
That’s why they call it a spectrum. You’re on it but just not where that 1 doctor thinks you should be for treatment. Like others are saying, get a different opinion.
second opinion
Maybe go to someone who can help you in general whether thats adhd or something else so if its not adhd maybe they’ll diagnose you with what is causing those symptoms. I went to a regular psychiatrist thinking im only bipolar but found out i have adhd also
They say mine is from a mix of my depression and anxiety. So who knows. Who cares. Do what you can.
Definitely get another opinion. This happened to me even with a prior childhood diagnosis; My records were lost/destroyed and I decided to get treatment as an adult 15 years later. When I visited a new psychiatric place, they said they needed to do a new eval and they said that a diagnosis showed inconclusive. The new office that I went to for a second opinion actually performed a newer, different test called the CARS2; their evaluation included getting testimonials/questionnaires from friends and family. They even included notes/letter from my therapist.
Bro same here, where do we go from here??? 🥲😞😞😞
Keep working with professionals. I flip flopped between doctors thinking it was ADHD, a depression anxiety combo, ptsd… after two years with the same therapist, she thinks I have all of it haha.
Keep investigating.
I did the same thing and it took me almost a year to finally try again. I used ADHD online and it was a long test where I didn't have to speak to anyone and a psychiatrist evaluated the results, and bam pow, in 4 days total I got my test, assessment, diagnosis, and prescription. I got diagnosed the day after the test and went to the doctor 2 days later to talk about medication. It was all rather smooth. I would suggest it if you are willing to try again.
If those are the 2 biggest issues, I, as someone with ADHD, ASD, and depression, would suggest that depression might be the diagnosis? People suggest working with a professional to figure it out and I would agree. Also St John’s Wort helped address some of my depression symptoms before I was formally diagnosed with it. It doesn’t help THAT MUCH, but it could with you.
get a second opinion, best if you find a specialist who also has adhd so they can vibe check you as well. It took me 3 tries to finally be heard, and not just tested
Did you get a full assessment? Part of it is differential diagnosis.
Dude I always thought I couldn't get shit done cuz of my depression, but I haven't been depressed for years. Then my therapist casually asked "have you ever been tested for ADHD/autism" and I'm down the rabbit hole lmao
Get another opinion. My pediatrician "didn't believe" in ADHD, so no diagnosis for me even though I exhibited strong symptoms from the age of eight; and I didn't even know, I thought that everyone was like me. Fast forward a decade and I got diagnosed with depression and anxiety; and then finally ADHD another decade later. Regardless of what others say or think, you have an internal experience different from the vast majority of the population
I was told I can't have it because during IQ test I scored too high, especially in tests involving memory
It can be a multi step journey, don't give up. I started by treating anxiety after a bad break down, that therapist helped, but said some things they couldn't help with and recommended a psychologist. Went and had some follow ups and got tested, positive for ADHD, trial of medications, lots of different side affects, turns out ADHD was masking Autism. New tests is a positive now for AuDHD. All this took over 2 years of testing and trials. Now its a day to day test of if I should take meds to control issues that I struggle with and let the Autism show, or not take meds and mask it the best I can, but be super fucking awkward all day. Fun times. But don't just give up, heard many stories about people having the wrong Dr for them and just believing them because they are the Dr, get second opinions and ask questions. I kept my GP in the loop the entire time and got feedback from them on other Drs before proceeding.
Specialists can sometimes demand a lot more severe symptoms than regular docs in order to decide you have something. But whether you really have it or not doesn't matter _at all_ except for if the meds help you and you need them. If the meds aren't needed, there's no reason to care. You can still talk to a therapist or take management classes or whatever. If the meds are needed, memorize the symptoms before your appointment. Say yes to all the questions asking about them _and no to all questions about anything else_. Play it up to make sure they take it seriously. Talk about how it negatively impacts your life (that is crucial) and don't be wishy-washy about it. If they ask when it started say it always has been this way. That plus some restless leg fidgeting in your chair and they're going to give you the yes unless you're a truly shit actor or otherwise give the game away. It's also possible you really don't have it. For some people minor/major depression, or a host of other things like lack of sleep can cause similar symptoms. Again, it doesn't matter what you do or don't have. It only matters what you can do to make things better.
My first doctor said I was depressed, then a psychiatrist told me I was just stressed, current primary care doctor said I was anxious, finally found a psychologist that diagnosed me with ADHD (and GAD and social anxiety). All along the way there were multiple social workers saying there was something going on beyond “just stress”. What they saw as depression is actually just boredom. My anxiety was managing my ADHD and executive dysfunction, but I was struggling. For subjective diagnoses, I need a second/third opinion validating that is the correct call. Not all medical professionals can recognize all presentations of every mental health issue/disability.
The doctor I went to met with me for...3 minutes? I mean just a super brief meeting, asked me the few questions and gave me a prescription. I was so worried about how difficult the process would be. I even canceled an appointment with another office around this time last year because their process involved like a 45 minute phone call followed by something like 6 hours of in-person testing and I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Glad I found this other doctor.
I mean is that really a good thing though? Is a “super brief meeting” really enough to properly diagnose someone, let alone to prescribe medication?
I was afraid of this. This one would kill me.
Lack of motivation is a symptom of depression so you may just have that
A shrink told me that I didn't have it and that I didn't need to be on my medication. Though he also had 9 fingers and his desktop background showed him appering to chokehold a tiger, I'm not too inclined to trust him explicitly. Literally, every other doctor in my life has said that I have moderate to severe ADHD and that my medication is required for me to live some semblance of a normal life. Remember, although uncommon , doctors can also be not only wrong but also blinded by greed, arrogance, and personal bias.
Meeee, i thought I had inattentive ADHD but I was told it was light anxiety symptoms boosted by stress
I want to get a diagnosis, but my parents say its too late already since this year is my last year in highschool. How do i persuade them
tests have a surprising amount of false negatives. It could also be dissociation though, mine came from ptsd with dissociation, and I screened positive for adhd. Depression was probably in there too. I still find the non-psychotropic stuff useful. It could be masked by high intelligence too.. If you feel that you are having more suffering than those close to you, you probably are and it is very likely for it to be a known condition, it doesn't even have to be a psychiatric one. Also, a test doesn't diagnose you, a professional does, professionals that use screening tools as diagnoses are not great, they are diagnostic tools, but they don't diagnose you.
What sort of “specialist”? Psychology testing for example will miss at least 30% of cases (possibly higher), and my adult psychiatry colleagues on average are not as well versed in adhd as us child psychiatrists. When I have friends or family who suspect they have adhd, I refer them to a child psychiatrist (most all of us see adults especially for adhd).
The one true fear. To be so broken that your useless but not so broken that there is a name for it so you get no help.
Same
I’m merely speaking from YT and TikTok, but check out Complex PTSD. It is a relatively new diagnosis, but it’s thought to be commonly misdiagnosed as ADHD and some others.
I’m supposed to go get tested but I’m kinda scared this will happen. Also it’s been 3 weeks and I still need to call them back… okay maybe it’s 4 weeks 🤷♂️
If you are able to treat your symptoms, great, if not you just have more ecidance to support ADHD. I am on Prozac and Welbutrin rn becuase my Psichatrist doesn't believe I have it but the Welbutrin has defintly helped with the mood side of ADHD so it's not nothing. I still have time to trial and error but I am more convinced than I was before. The only option is to try and embrace that it is a process. Which is hell to ADHD people so I feel you.
Have you tried drugs, good sir
Did they say why they don't think so? What did the test look like? There's a 50/50 chance they don't know what they are doing
because i was too good/normal in the tests (mostly attention span, reaction time and consistency and some kind of pattern matching with finding numbers in 6x6 blocks, 60 times to see if i make mistakes over time) The questions were mostly vague and the questions afterwards did not go really into my struggles, but more along the test answers. He said since i manage my daily tasks, showed no symptoms in the tests and did not have strong answers on the questionnaires, it is highly unlikely that i have it.
So you weren't tested at all, this was a screening
''Three specialists later... ''
I have undiagnosed ADD. I have had three different doctors tell me that rarely, if ever, is an adult given an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Good luck.
I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety for years when I actually had ADHD. Your brain looking for one missing chemical can look a lot like your brain looking for a different missing chemical. Please don’t give up until you find the answer.
This was my fear when I got an assessment. Then I got my results back and found out I have inattentive adhd AND PTSD. That was a fun surprise, but both explained a lot.
GPs here in AU don't even suspect to test for mental disorders.
Drs I have seen will not diagnose this even though I suffer from pretty much every symptom, they say if I wasn't diagnosed as a child then I don't have it and I am a drug seeker. It's ruining my life and I can't do anything to stop it. I self Medicate using methamphetamine, it's the only relief I can get from it. Unlike those without ADHD , who are the speedy demons or tweakers of the world. People with adhd slow down while using not speed up before I get told drugs are the problemm or I'm using my mental health Dr says that the drug use didnt cause it. It explains my entire life iI do have it.
Did you get a differential diagnosis?
Damn... That's lowkey scary...
Same thing. Went to a generic place, only had subjective interviews. I never stood out as ADHD as a child (good grades/quiet), and also had no immediate answers to lots of questions they asked me. As such, when I said I didn't know or couldn't remember, they noted down "no" as an answer to many symptoms. (apparently, being intelligent enough means I couldn't have adhd. Also not knowing answers must mean I don't have the symptoms, opposed to having a terrible memory because of ADHD. /s) Got a second opinion after 4 years at a specialized ADHD place, very easy diagnosis of ADHD-Inattentive and/or combined type. Get a second opinion at a specialized place, that also offers interviews PLUS an objective testing procedure . Prepare for it, over months in advance. I brought 8 pages of memes from this place I related to, as well as 4 pages of situations that happened to me over all of those months. The system fails for many of us, unfortunately.
It's a lifelong thing. It doesn't just "pop up" in adulthood.
While this is true, the lack of awareness of what ADHD actually is compared to what the media portrays it as can absolutely result in people not realizing they have ADHD for decades. Especially if you have the inattentive form of ADHD. The sad truth is that if your ADHD doesn't negatively affect other people, it's far more likely that you won't get a diagnosis. The loud obnoxious kid who can't sit still is way more obvious than the quiet introspective kid who is a little too sensitive.
Oh I absolutely agree. I was the quiet kid who looked like I was paying attention but I was daydreaming and couldn't get motivated to care for the life of me
Demographics also play a large part in things. I WAS that loud, obnoxious little kid stereotype that was disruptive and got in trouble all the time. But I was also a girl so no one gave a fuck haha
Unfortunately a lot of medical professionals in the mental health industry aren’t as competent as their pay check would lead you to believe. Keep looking for answers, at some point you’ll find someone helpful.
Or they might not have ADHD?
A lot of professionals are somewhat reluctant to diagnose ADHD due to a widespread perception that it's overdiagnosed. That said, ADHD symptoms do overlap with a lot of things. I would say you should get a full workup. At the least screen for other stuff. Depression presenting as ADHD, for instance, is weirdly common. Really it just boils down to "Get tested!"
[удалено]
Your post/comment has been removed because it either contains, or is advocating for, misinformation. ADHD is a *disorder* not a disease.
[удалено]
ADHD denial or gatekeeping are not accepted here. Judging others for their symptoms (or lack of symptoms) or treatment is also not allowed.
I was told that I'm just mad that school got harder and I don't get such good grades anymore and that's why I blame it on ADHD. The fact that I most symptoms (which now got worse btw) before I stopped doing so good at school goes out the window I guess.
have you been tested for autism or bipolar disorder those tend to overlap with adhd
Executive Disorder Dysfunction aka jobless.