Comments on: Is It Depression or ADHD? http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/ A Blog about Adults with Attention Surplus Condition (aka ADHD) by Adult ADD Coach Pete Quily Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:48:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: AD http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-970101 AD Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:36:07 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-970101 I think it gets mis-diagnosed alot I think it gets mis-diagnosed alot

]]> By: John http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-970095 John Fri, 07 Nov 2008 20:28:35 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-970095 My parents never knew I had ADHD, and I knew something was up when I kept forgetting things, not focusing in class which caused me to learn at slower rate. So finally when I got done with college, I just went to a psychiatrist that was on my insurance and got diagnosed. After that then my dad told me of some his relatives have had it and he thinks he has to but doesn't care to get treatment. I almost just accepted who I was and went on with life but I'm glad to know that I have it, it brings closure to my life long struggle. Taking Vyvance right now, anyone else have feedback on Vyvanse? My parents never knew I had ADHD, and I knew something was up when I kept forgetting things, not focusing in class which caused me to learn at slower rate. So finally when I got done with college, I just went to a psychiatrist that was on my insurance and got diagnosed. After that then my dad told me of some his relatives have had it and he thinks he has to but doesn’t care to get treatment. I almost just accepted who I was and went on with life but I’m glad to know that I have it, it brings closure to my life long struggle. Taking Vyvance right now, anyone else have feedback on Vyvanse?

]]> By: Sarah http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-540432 Sarah Fri, 07 Mar 2008 03:53:40 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-540432 I recently got tested for adhd and was devistated with the results. I could garuntee they would come back positive! Well they came back with a high chance of add, however the tester stated that because of my history with depression I would have to see a phyciatrist for further testing! Not the answer I wanted to hear! I've been to several different types of therapies over the last 12 years, different doctors (none of whom could speak english... should they not have to pass an oral test to work in this country?) So now I'm on a wait list to see another phyciatrist (who'll hopefully speak english) and due to the patient doctor load in my province i'll be waiting a while! I'm tired of waiting I want this over and done with so I can move on with my life. This has kept me from living for so many years. Its held me back for so long, I've known for years that its not depression that I suffer from its something bigger! It wasn't till my son got diagnosed with ADHD that my mother said to me hey maybe you have it! I started looking into it and here I am! This article has been an eye opener! I frimly believe that the symptoms of derpession that I have experienced have been due to the ADD (I'm not hyperactive)! Looking back into my high school years I'm certain that this is what's wrong with me! Doctors really need to be more educated on adult add and adhd its not just a condition that effects kids! I recently got tested for adhd and was devistated with the results. I could garuntee they would come back positive! Well they came back with a high chance of add, however the tester stated that because of my history with depression I would have to see a phyciatrist for further testing! Not the answer I wanted to hear! I’ve been to several different types of therapies over the last 12 years, different doctors (none of whom could speak english… should they not have to pass an oral test to work in this country?) So now I’m on a wait list to see another phyciatrist (who’ll hopefully speak english) and due to the patient doctor load in my province i’ll be waiting a while! I’m tired of waiting I want this over and done with so I can move on with my life. This has kept me from living for so many years. Its held me back for so long, I’ve known for years that its not depression that I suffer from its something bigger! It wasn’t till my son got diagnosed with ADHD that my mother said to me hey maybe you have it! I started looking into it and here I am!
This article has been an eye opener! I frimly believe that the symptoms of derpession that I have experienced have been due to the ADD (I’m not hyperactive)! Looking back into my high school years I’m certain that this is what’s wrong with me! Doctors really need to be more educated on adult add and adhd its not just a condition that effects kids!

]]> By: patricia http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-403422 patricia Tue, 25 Sep 2007 01:29:58 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-403422 Hello Pete, I have just found this site, I have been praying to find just what you wrote. I have been struggling with this all my life I believe. I've been in therapy for years with no real improvement in the areas I am reading about that those with ADD suffer from . I am now under a plie of projects , so cluttered and having to buy five of all my tools that get lost in other peoples homes that it finally came to my attention. LOL... that I might have whats called ADD, I think the therapists think my lack of focus is because Im depressed or from anziety. Im so tired just thinking about this. I mean every day I go to work and some tool I didn't even know i left will be placed in eyesight by one of my clients. Guess I could pull them into a therapy session for confirmation of my disorder.Maybe THEN I'll be believed. I guess I could take a photo of the inside of my apartment and that might convince them. I live alone so know one sees how i am.( thank goodness} My parents died many years ago so i have no way to ask them how I was . I have some select memories that point to adhd. I expressed my concerns to a therapist last fall and asked to be tested, The woman that tested me said the tests showed I did not have the childhood form of adhd. Thats as far as I got .I got very upset because I know this is what I have, They keep focusing on things i had treatment for in the past and say i have a personality disorder instead. Im so frutrated. I really need to talk with others to find out if what Im experiencing is what others are. I have questions like one is , 1. Do you find yourself repeating yourself in speech and writting The only support group in my state is run by a therapist for his patients only . The other meets every third thursday of the month and I have to travel an hour to get there, I'm looking foward to that meeting in October. This site Pete is the first help I have found that looks hopeful , Thank you in advance of my reading it all. Patricia Hello Pete,

I have just found this site, I have been praying to find just what you wrote. I have been struggling with this all my life I believe. I’ve been in therapy for years with no real improvement in the areas I am reading about that those with ADD suffer from . I am now under a plie of projects , so cluttered and having to buy five of all my tools that get lost in other peoples homes that it finally came to my attention. LOL… that I might have whats called ADD,

I think the therapists think my lack of focus is because Im depressed or from anziety. Im so tired just thinking about this.

I mean every day I go to work and some tool I didn’t even know i left will be placed in eyesight by one of my clients. Guess I could pull them into a therapy session for confirmation of my disorder.Maybe THEN I’ll be believed. I guess I could take a photo of the inside of my apartment and that might convince them. I live alone so know one sees how i am.( thank goodness}
My parents died many years ago so i have no way to ask them how I was . I have some select memories that point to adhd.

I expressed my concerns to a therapist last fall and asked to be tested, The woman that tested me said the tests showed I did not have the childhood form of adhd. Thats as far as I got .I got very upset because I know this is what I have, They keep focusing on things i had treatment for in the past and say i have a personality disorder instead. Im so frutrated.

I really need to talk with others to find out if what Im experiencing is what others are. I have questions like one is ,

1. Do you find yourself repeating yourself in speech and writting

The only support group in my state is run by a therapist for his patients only .
The other meets every third thursday of the month and I have to travel an hour to get there, I’m looking foward to that meeting in October.

This site Pete is the first help I have found that looks hopeful , Thank you in advance of my reading it all.

Patricia

]]> By: Pete Quily http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-389202 Pete Quily Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:08:41 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-389202 You're right Nadine, there should be more people able to help ADDers. If enough people demand services from their MLA this will change. If they don't it probably won't. Unfortunately people with other health conditions ask for services and get them (to a certain extent), ADDers usually don't bother asking and consequently they don't get them. you might want to also contact the 24 hour crisis line http://www.crisiscentre.bc.ca/ and information referral services http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/DBs/RedBook/htmlPgs/home.html I have a list of people known to diagnose and treat ADD in vancouver, email me if you want the list. good luck You’re right Nadine, there should be more people able to help ADDers.

If enough people demand services from their MLA this will change. If they don’t it probably won’t. Unfortunately people with other health conditions ask for services and get them (to a certain extent), ADDers usually don’t bother asking and consequently they don’t get them.

you might want to also contact the 24 hour crisis line
http://www.crisiscentre.bc.ca/

and information referral services
http://www2.vpl.vancouver.bc.ca/DBs/RedBook/htmlPgs/home.html

I have a list of people known to diagnose and treat ADD in vancouver, email me if you want the list.

good luck

]]> By: B. Goldhagen http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-388407 B. Goldhagen Mon, 20 Aug 2007 02:56:23 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-388407 <p>Hi Nadine, I hope you get a chance to read this E-mail, pleasr do not think you are doomed and that you can not find help.from someone who for years thought that I was so different from other people that I must be crazy. I finally realized that my ADD was such a part of my make-up, that I had to deal with that reality, but there was help out there. My theripist uderstood how my lack of self worth and depression were related to my condition.When I could control my work environement and my social settings I did OK. but when I had to be accountable for my time and production it all went haywire. Through therapy and mood control meds, I am doing better,and so can you. I am not telling you it will be easy or fast,but it can be done and you can feel more comfortable in your own skin.If you feel like a round peg in a square hole, welcome to the club. Take care and find help. Bruce</p> Hi Nadine, I hope you get a chance to read this E-mail, pleasr do not think you are doomed and that you can not find help.from someone who for years thought that I was so different from other people that I must be crazy. I finally realized that my ADD was such a part of my make-up, that I had to deal with that reality, but there was help out there. My theripist uderstood how my lack of self worth and depression were related to my condition.When I could control my work environement and my social settings I did OK. but when I had to be accountable for my time and production it all went haywire. Through therapy and mood control meds, I am doing better,and so can you. I am not telling you it will be easy or fast,but it can be done and you can feel more comfortable in your own skin.If you feel like a round peg in a square hole, welcome to the club. Take care and find help. Bruce

]]> By: Nadine K http://adultaddstrengths.com/2007/08/16/depression-or-adhd/#comment-387029 Nadine K Sat, 18 Aug 2007 12:38:23 +0000 http://adultaddstrengths.com/2006/09/15/depression-or-adhd/#comment-387029 You are SO RIGHT. I am so tired of struggling in my life, and I bounce to and fro doctors and related government officials about how to help me! I may even have two or three things to be diagnosed with, but the lack of education/help about ADD and other disorders in BC is very shocking and heart breaking... I'm now 26 and my life has been going no where for a while, and my parents are worried, and I'm just miserable.... I suffer a silent torment every day, that I can't do anything right, I can't even focus on any one thing and get it completed. I can't find success or happiness in ANY form. Some of these government workers will tell me "well it doesn't look like you're depressed", and one of them - I kid you not - was matching my ADD symptoms to what looked like an OLD book on disorders. It seemed to focus on only the Hyperactive type, but I don't have hyperactivity.... But MANY OTHER symptoms... All I want is the right help. I don't believe in suicide, yet I notice how many times the pain becomes unbearable and my life feels meaningless. I know there will be enough challenges in treating my symptoms anyway, but getting diagnosed is a huge search on its own that SOMEHOW I must first accomplish. To be fair, I haven't really done my fair amount of search online either, and now I'm going to take it seriously, and that's how I found this page today. So thank you VERY much for your information. I am going to strive to search for any help I can get (and contact you further), because frankly, I'm not sure how much more I can take of this. I really truely wish there would be more plentiful people certified to diagnose and treat less common disabilities here. Every person suffering from a condition should NOT have to, and its really surprising in a country like Canada. You are SO RIGHT. I am so tired of struggling in my life, and I bounce to and fro doctors and related government officials about how to help me! I may even have two or three things to be diagnosed with, but the lack of education/help about ADD and other disorders in BC is very shocking and heart breaking… I’m now 26 and my life has been going no where for a while, and my parents are worried, and I’m just miserable…. I suffer a silent torment every day, that I can’t do anything right, I can’t even focus on any one thing and get it completed. I can’t find success or happiness in ANY form. Some of these government workers will tell me “well it doesn’t look like you’re depressed”, and one of them - I kid you not - was matching my ADD symptoms to what looked like an OLD book on disorders. It seemed to focus on only the Hyperactive type, but I don’t have hyperactivity…. But MANY OTHER symptoms…

All I want is the right help. I don’t believe in suicide, yet I notice how many times the pain becomes unbearable and my life feels meaningless. I know there will be enough challenges in treating my symptoms anyway, but getting diagnosed is a huge search on its own that SOMEHOW I must first accomplish.

To be fair, I haven’t really done my fair amount of search online either, and now I’m going to take it seriously, and that’s how I found this page today. So thank you VERY much for your information. I am going to strive to search for any help I can get (and contact you further), because frankly, I’m not sure how much more I can take of this. I really truely wish there would be more plentiful people certified to diagnose and treat less common disabilities here. Every person suffering from a condition should NOT have to, and its really surprising in a country like Canada.

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