A look into my mind.....

Just to explain why I am dreading 'going back'.

Please read my previous post for this to make sense :)

These are the actual DSM IV questions that you are SUPPOSED to be asked for diagnosis.
I can answer YES to all of these, some affect me much worse than others, some are still persistant even with medication, but most are improved greatly with it.
Over the last ten years I have learnt a few strategies to help with some of these, or, I have learnt 'How to be'.
Granted most of us could answer 'Yes' to some of these some of the time.
For me it was yes to almost all of these nearly every day, with a rare few hours of what I can only describe as 'clarity' - if I was lucky I would get a full day.

1. Do you often make careless mistakes when you have to work on a boring and difficult project?

2. Do you often have difficulty keeping your attention when you are doing boring or repetitive work?

3. Do you often have difficulty concentrating on what people say to you, even when they are speaking to you directly?

4. Do you often have trouble wrapping up the final details of a project, once the challenging parts have been done?

5. Do you often have difficulty getting things in order when you have to do a task that requires organization?

6. When you have a task that requires a lot of thought, do you often avoid or delay getting started?

7. Do you often misplace or have difficulty finding things at home or at work?

8. Are you often distracted by activity or noise around you?

9. Do you often have problems remembering appointments or obligations?

Another list of 'symptoms' included:

The Inattentive Attention Deficit Disorder person can be sluggish, slow moving and difficult to motivate. These are the daydreamers who spend much time with their heads in the clouds or in a brain fog. They are disorganized.

This type shuts down when too many demands are made on their ability to listen, focus, concentrate and learn. This type has trouble listening and registering the content when others talk to them. When tasks become to difficult, they simply blank out and the harder this type tries to concentrate, the worse the “shut-down” becomes. This type can miss large gaps in learning.

Since this type quietly goes about their business instead of grating on the nerves of everyone around them, the Inattentive type of Attention Deficit Disorder often goes undiagnosed. People with this “quiet” form of Attention Deficit are often labeled as lazy, defiant or uninterested instead of given the help they need to overcome their Attention Deficit problems. The inattentive type of Attention Deficit Disorder is seen most often in girls.

Inattentive characteristics: (Not all need to be present)
_ Primary ADD symptoms (attentional problems, distractibility, disorganization, and impulsivity).
_ Low energy level/sluggish.
_ Procrastination.
_ Often late.
_ Easily bored.
_ Short attention span, especially for routine matters, tasks that are not interesting or tasks that are difficult.
_ Often does not complete tasks.
_ Excessive daydreaming or “Spacing Out.”

Yes to all of these.

I also read today that officially ADD/ADHD DID NOT EXIST in the medical world until 1979 - so what hope would I have had of being diagnosed as a child? Buckleys!

I have emailed my GP and told him what happened.
I also explained that I don't feel I will receive an unbiased 'review' at the next appointment, and am reluctant to attend......but we have such a shortage of doctors here (and they are very clicky) so at the moment my options aren't great.

The flow on effect of this could have some very negative effects on all areas of my life.
Sure, when I'm old and not working and I'm expected to be forgetful I can give it away (except maybe for bingo days...ha ha!) but for now it helps me live a fairly normal life, hold down a job, keep a household together.....mostly......

G
xxx