Diagnosis

So, depending on how close we are (and it's taken me years to accept that I have difficulty letting people get too close), you may know that I've been struggling with some personal problems that, at times, have seemed too much for me to handle. At first, I thought it was depression but that didn't explain the periods of reckless elation I experienced. Then, I suspected manic-depression but that didn't fit either. Well, the answer seems to have finally arrived: Adult Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (or Adult ADHD for short). The symptomology is so typical of me, it's almost a miracle it took this long for a doctor to diagnose. Currently, said doctor is considering the kinds of medication to put me on. While I've always been against those, the past three months have been so bad, I've done a 180 and am open to considering anything that stops me feeling the way I do. Plus, I used to get treatment for depression when that's not what I had, so it's not surprising I was never happy with the results.

Check out the symptoms:

Adult ADHD Characteristics

(Diagnosis requires the presence of at least 11 of the following)
• Inability to complete tasks
• Difficulty focusing
• Distractibility
• Stress Intolerance
• Frequent forgetfulness
• Atypical response to psychoactive drugs
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Blurting out answers before the question is asked
• Difficulty awaiting turn
• Interrupting or intruding on others
• Inattention Deficit
• Driven to Distraction
• Sense of Under achievement
• Difficulty getting organized
• Intolerance of boredom
• Often creative and highly intelligent
• Increase number of projects going on at the same time
• Trouble following "proper procedures"
• Tendency to worry needlessly
• Sense of insecurity
• Problems with self-esteem
• Inaccurate self-observation
• Family History of substance abuse, ADHD, or depression