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Hoping for an evaluation


Recycle

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Hi all,

I just wanted to share here that I have GAD, but have long suspected I truly have ADD or AD/HD. I have spoken with therapists about my feelings in the past, but was met with "that is hard to diagnose" or "we have to rule out other things first, here take these pills". I am visiting a new therapist tomorrow with the hopes that I am taken more seriously. I am not "diagnosis shopping" nor expecting a quick answer...I just want to be formally tested.

I was not diagnosed with ADD or AD/HD as a child. I did very well in school, also. I also do not have trouble with bills/holding a job. My fear is that if I don't have some sort of tangled life to "prove" I have struggled with symptoms for years, I won't be taken seriously. The reality is that I have learned to cope and have a strong fear of making mistakes.

I will post updates on this thread - any thoughts or comments are appreciated!

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I don't know if a LCSW can evaluate you but I know an MD can (Family practice or psychiatrist). You might be able to find a psychiatrist who specifically works with ADHD adults. From what I have read adult ADHD often is diagnosed by exclusion, i.e., they have to rule everything else out first, which is what I am going through right now.

Basically I gave up on getting evaluated and went straight to an ADHD coach and said that I have no diagnosis, but I'm having a hell of a time with concentration, time management, etc - can you help me before I end up unemployed and on the street.

He has helped me yet a coach can only help with skills training. However he did give me a few references to psychiatrist or psychologists that he knows are good with ADHD so you might be able to get referrals that way too.

I found a coach through here: http://www.adhdcoaches.org/find-a-coach/

Another website that I've only begun to explore is CHADD.org (children and adults with AD/HD)

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Guest ASchwartz

Hi Recycle,

Its important that you know that a social worker with lcsw credentials is well trained and can do a diagnosis. Why do you suspect ADHD rather than something else?

Allan

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Ralph: Thanks for that link, and your perspective!

Allan: I have a really hard time sitting still/staying on task. I have pretty poor organizational skills, in my opinion, although others in my life think I look pretty organized. I met with the MSW/LICSW and she's great. She did tell me that she didn't do testing, but there were others in the clinic that did if I was interested. I do have a lot of issues with anxiety (for example, I avoid starting things because I am anxious about not doing them "right"), so for now I am going to meet with her every two weeks and work on some behavior changes. She did say that she can work on all the practical stuff with me, but if I needed to put my mind at rest about it being ADD/something else I always had the option of meeting with someone else for testing.

Thanks again for the responses :)

Recycle

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Guest ASchwartz

Hi Recycle,

Sounds good. Yes, what you describe does sound like ADHD. I have some of it myself. Its probably a good idea to be tested and then get the practical type of behavioral training that helps overcome and control many of these symptoms if its ADHD.

Allan

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have ADHD. one surefire but redundant way to tell is by your reaction to said ADHD medications. If it has the opposite effects as wanted and just makes you high, you don't have it.

I hear the same is applied to 'speed', but I've never tried any drugs much less seen any so-far-as-I-know. (except potentially once)

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I have ADHD. one surefire but redundant way to tell is by your reaction to said ADHD medications. If it has the opposite effects as wanted and just makes you high, you don't have it.

I wish my pdoc thought that, but when I told her an Adderall gave me an hour of feeling normal instead of pulled in multiple directions, she just yelled at me for taking someone else's prescription and put me on an antipsychotic.

Ironically, Seroquel gets me high as a kite (almost, but not entirely, unlike cannabis) - including cotton mouth and munchies. It doesn't amplify my sense of humor like weed did though. The most interesting part is I start going into that weird state between awake and asleep before I'm quite ready to go to bed, so I can close my eyes and see complicated patterns, sometimes small woodland creatures, open them again and I'm back to brushing my teeth. I'm sure that wouldn't be a recreational "high" for everyone although now that I'm familiar with it I enjoy it. But I digress. Sorry about that.

Basically she said anyone who takes stimulants gets the same effect. Is there any source I could suggest she read up on if this is documented in a journal or similar? Just curious. :confused:

PS - before all the addiction specialists jump down my throat :) I haven't smoked anything illegal since Christmas 2004, and yes I am aware that pot and mood disorders are not a good mix.

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  • 9 years later...
On 3/21/2011 at 11:40 PM, Recycle said:

Hi all,

I just wanted to share here that I have GAD, but have long suspected I truly have ADD or AD/HD. I have spoken with therapists about my feelings in the past, but was met with "that is hard to diagnose" or "we have to rule out other things first, here take these pills". I am visiting a new therapist tomorrow with the hopes that I am taken more seriously. I am not "diagnosis shopping" nor expecting a quick answer...I just want to be formally tested.

I was not diagnosed with ADD or AD/HD as a child. I did very well in school, also. I also do not have trouble with bills/holding a job. My fear is that if I don't have some sort of tangled life to "prove" I have struggled with symptoms for years, I won't be taken seriously. The reality is that I have learned to cope and have a strong fear of making mistakes.

I will post updates on this thread - any thoughts or comments are appreciated!

You aren't the only one who has had to face trouble getting the right diagnosis especially when there are symptoms related to ADHD. There are several disorders associated with ADHD which have relevant symptoms and are difficult to differentiate from ADHD. You could possibly have one of these disorders. As for General Anxiety Disorder, that can too really set you off and cause you to overthink your condition. You can start to use this form of medication as it helps alleviate mental health problems and would help you overcome both your GAD and ADHD problems, if any.

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